VZCZCXRO9515
RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHKU #0578/01 1081528
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181528Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8847
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000578 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP (BJACKSON), ECA/PE/C/CU (RKEITH), NEA/PPD 
(DBENZE), R 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SCUL KPAO KU
SUBJECT: PROGRAM EVALUATION: HIP HOP TRIO ROCKS KUWAIT 
 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  GPRA FY07Q2: The Gina Loring Poetry and Hip Hop Trio, a popular, 
contemporary African American youth-oriented music group based in 
Los Angeles, California, conducted its first tour of Kuwait, 
February 5-10, 2007.  The highly energetic trio, comprised of Gina 
Loring, lead vocalist; Joshua Silverstein, vocal percussionist; and 
Brandon Coleman, keyboardist, demonstrated its outstanding 
creativity with music that was heard for the first time in 
conservative Kuwait.  The three musicians enlightened Kuwaiti 
audiences with daring public performances at venues frequented by 
youth.  They also conducted poetry and writing workshops 
highlighting and celebrating African-American cultural contributions 
in the U.S. before diverse audiences of students, musicians, music 
teachers, and the Kuwaiti public.  This group, which ECA sponsored 
with a Performing Arts Initiative grant, attracted extensive 
positive media coverage, broke new ground for public affairs 
programming, and pushed cultural barriers.  End summary. 
 
Music in the Malls 
------------------ 
 
¶2.  The goal of the Gina Loring Poetry and Hip Hop Trio's visit was 
to expose Kuwaitis, especially the younger generation, to American 
society and values by offering a rare, first-time introduction to 
American youth music culture.  The lively trio's visit took place at 
a time when arts and music education was increasingly under attack 
from Islamists in Kuwait.  The group's eventful program included 
public performances before hundreds of listeners at the heavily 
patronized Souq Sharq and Al Kout shopping malls, including a 
performance in a remote desert area of Kuwait where extremely 
conservative and sometimes Anti-American sentiments prevail.  Public 
Affairs arranged this performance in this isolated area to engage a 
new and much younger Kuwaiti audience that previously may not have 
been exposed to positive aspects of U.S. culture. 
 
Performing Arts Initiative Promotes Diversity/Democracy 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶3.  The Gina Loring group's visit coincided with the Embassy's 
celebration of African American History Month and provided an ideal 
opportunity to teach Kuwaiti youth about the value of diversity 
within American society.  Thanks to a grant from ECA's Performing 
Arts Initiative, post was able to pursue fulfillment of two 
Strategic Mission Goals with this program -- to engage youth 
audiences and promote democracy.  By underscoring African American 
cultural contributions to American society through music, and 
reaching sizeable and unique new audiences, this program far 
exceeded the expectations of the original Performing Arts Initiative 
proposal. 
 
Outstanding Results and Broad-ranging Impact 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  Over one thousand music lovers, including English Access 
Micro-scholarship students, writers' association members, youth NGO 
representatives, and hundreds of shoppers at two different malls 
were among those who witnessed the Gina Loring Trio's programs in 
Kuwait.  Listeners were clearly moved and surprised by the vibrant, 
interactive presentations and professional manner of the musicians. 
The performers thrilled audiences, sparking great interest in this 
American art form.  The trio easily and effortlessly connected with 
youth audiences through workshops and master classes that 
articulated the importance of music as a bridge between cultures and 
generations.  The Embassy highly recommends the Gina Loring Trio to 
other posts seeking to build rapport and greater understanding of 
American culture with younger audiences.  They acted as true 
cultural ambassadors of goodwill.  Despite questions regarding the 
appropriateness of this type of music for Kuwait audiences raised 
prior to implementation of the program, the group proved exceptional 
at achieving audience participation and winning over conservative 
audiences.  Post even overcame inquiries from the Ministry of 
Information about performance licenses, by convincing officials of 
the value of this type of "cultural presentation" to building 
bridges of understanding between Kuwaitis and Americans. 
 
Popular with the Press 
---------------------- 
 
¶5.  As word spread about the new sound being heard in Kuwait, the 
trio quickly became the darlings of the Kuwaiti press.  Print and TV 
reporters turned out en masse for public performances.  The group 
also made two live television appearances and had an exclusive 
in-depth interview with the cultural reporter for one of the major 
Kuwaiti Arabic-language dailies as well as with the state news 
agency, KUNA.  Print media coverage was extensive and often included 
animated photos of the band members performing and the audience, 
which was clearly enthralled.  The trio had one of the longest 
segments ever on the popular morning talk show "Good Morning Kuwait" 
 
KUWAIT 00000578  002 OF 002 
 
 
when the hosts interviewed the group members for 18 minutes.  Gina 
Loring intrigued the audience with a live poetry recital and Josh 
Silverstein demonstrated his beat box technique to the delight not 
only of the viewing audience but also of the technical crew as well. 
 The group repeated their TV outreach with an appearance on the 
evening show "Raikum Shabab" ("Your Opinion, Youth"), which reaches 
just the exact audience this PD program targeted - Kuwaiti young 
people ages 13-30. 
 
02/07/07, Hip hop concert, KUNA, www. 
kuna.net.kw/home/Story.aspx?Language=ar&DSNO= 950182, 2 photos 
02/08/07, Hip hop concert, Arab Times, p.7, 1/4 page, 2 photos 
02/08/07, Hip hop concert, Kuwait Times, p. 2, 1/8 page, 1 photo 
02/09/07, Hip hop concert, Al-Anbaa, p. 31, 1/8 page, 2 photos 
02/09/07, Hip hop concert, Al-Seyassah, p. 4, 1/8 page, 2 photos 
02/09/07, Hip hop concert, Arab Times, p. 2, 1/8 page, 2 photos 
02/10/07, Hip hop concert, Al-Rai, p. 18, 1/16 page, None 
02/10/07, Hip hop concert, Al-Anbaa, p. 20, 1/8 page, 4 photos 
02/10/07, Hip hop concert, Arab Times, p. 2, 1/8 page, 2 photos 
02/12/07, Hip hop concert, Al-Seyassah, p. 47, 1/4 page, 4 photos 
02/12/07, Hip hop concert, Al-Watan, p. 42, 1/8 page, 3 photos 
02/12/07, Hip hop concert, Al-Qabas, p. 32, 1/16 page, 1 photo 
02/13/07, Hip hop concert, Al-Anbaa, p. 19, 1/8 page, 3 photos 
 
Exceptional Public/Private Cooperation 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  Public Affairs thanks ECA Office of Cultural Programs for the 
Performing Arts Initiative grant and strong support received by the 
director to pursue this program.  It would not have been possible to 
bring the group to Kuwait without the help of the private sponsors 
who generously provided funding and in-kind donations for major 
expenditures, including accommodations, technical support, and 
public venues costs.  Public Affairs coordinated closely with the 
sports drink company, Red Bull, to organize the event.  Red Bull 
liberally provided assistance for the hip hop group's lodging in 
Kuwait and concert expenses.  Additionally, Foot Locker supplied 
promotional materials and paid printing costs for the two public 
performances.  Finally, the management of the two malls offered the 
venues and supplied security for the events free-of-charge. 
 
TUELLER