BIO~
A Maninka born in Kankan, the capital city of the ancient Mandin Empire but now part of Guinea, IBé grew up between Koindu, Sierra Leone; Evanston, IL; and St. Cloud, MN. Although he has his mailing address in Minneapolis, MN, IBé lives in what he calls “The Middle of the Atlantic”, and from there he uses poetry to tell the story of Africans in America.
IBé is the 2010 Midwestern Voices Award, and a 2009 Urban Griots' Cultural Award recipient; a 2005 recipient of the Jerome/SASE Verve Grant for spoken word, and a 2004 Minnesota Academy Award nominee for Best Spoken Word.
Since he first got on stage in 2003 IBé has been edutaining audiences at many venues around the Twin Cities including Walker Arts Center, University of Minnesota TC, St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, MN; Southwest State University in Marshall, MN; Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN; Vikings Center in Washington DC, and the Nuyorican Poet’s Café in New York. In addition, he has served as poet-in-residence at numerous elementary, middle and high schools.
A frequent guest on “African Roots Connection” radio program on KMOJ
Fm 89.9 radio station in Minnesota, IBé has also feature on such television shows as “Jammin Africa” on ABN America, “Say Word” on MTN cable access, and "Crossroads" on KSTC-TV.
IBé is a writer, but in the tradition of ancient Mandin griots, uses spoken word to get his message across. He is the author of “Bridge Across Atlantic”, a collection of poems about live between Africa and America.
IBé has a B.S. in Business Computer Information Systems from St. Cloud State University
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