VZCZCXRO2936
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHMR #0167/01 1581035
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061035Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY MASERU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3713
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 4132

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000167 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT ALSO FOR AF/S, IIP/SEG (MICHAEL BANDLER) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP SCUL PREL EAID LT
SUBJECT: WILL POWER HIP-HOPS ACROSS LESOTHO 
 
REF: SMITH-BANDLER E-MAILS (MARCH-JUNE 2008) 
 
MASERU 00000167  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  From May 6-12, American Hip Hop Artist Will Power 
conducted a high impact, dynamic program in the Kingdom of 
Lesotho on the history of hip-hip music.  In his numerous 
events, ranging from university lectures to rural jam sessions 
to live mass audience performances, he projected a vitality, 
ease, and hip edge which helped to link the immensely popular 
hip-hop youth culture in Lesotho with the United States in the 
consciousness of many of our mission's target groups.  Mr. 
Power's broad understanding of modern American culture and his 
ability to use music and performance to  deliver messages on 
HIV/AIDS, equality, diversity, and mutual understanding helped 
advance U.S. Mission and USG goals in the Kingdom.  High points 
of the program included a free concert combining Will's live 
performances with those of local talent, raucously enjoyable 
lectures and performances at local schools, and interactions 
with local musicians in the mountain village of Semonkong.  For 
any post seeking to reach out to youth, artistic, and general 
audiences through the powerful medium of hip-hop, Will Power is 
an excellent ambassador of the genre who will not only charm all 
of post's contacts, but teach lasting lessons on the diversity, 
richness, and funky coolness of American culture.  This was one 
of our most successful speaker programs in recent years.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. Below is Embassy Maseru's official review of Will Power's 
speaker program: 
 
¶A.  NAME OF SPEAKER AND DATE OF PROGRAM 
 
NAME:  Will Power, a performer, playwright, musician, and 
educator credited as a pioneer in the genre of "Hip-Hop Theater" 
 
PROGRAM:  Will Power conducted a cultural program on history of 
hip-hop in Maseru and Semonkong, Lesotho, on May 6-12, 2007. 
 
¶B.  BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE TOPICS, VENUES, AND AUDIENCES ADDRESSED 
 
During an intense five programming days in Lesotho, Embassy 
Maseru's Public Affairs Section (PAS) arranged: 1) presentations 
for Will Power at the National University of Lesotho, Machabeng 
High School, the American Room at the State Library of Lesotho, 
the American International School of Lesotho, and the U.S. 
Embassy; 2) media interviews and guest DJ spots on People's 
Choice FM radio, Joy FM radio, Lesotho Television and various 
print publications; 3) a full-day workshop with young local 
musicians and actors; 4) a free concert for hundreds of 
participants combining the performances of Will Power and his 
workshop participants; 5) interactions with local popular music, 
choral, and dance groups in the rural village of Semonkong 
during an outreach visit; and 6) a recording session with a 
local hip-hop band. 
 
The topics addressed during the program included: 1) the history 
of hip-hop and the social conditions which led to its inception; 
2) the relationship of hip-hop to self-empowerment and 
story-telling traditions; 3) new genres of expression such as 
"hip-hop theater"; and 4) the United States as the birthplace of 
this music form. 
 
Will Power's sessions were located at: 
 
-- Lesotho Sun Hotel Ballroom (free public performance). 
Audience: The general public, approximately 180. 
 
-- National University of Lesotho (lecture on the history of 
hip-hop). 
Audience: University students, approximately 20. 
 
-- Machabeng High School. 
Audience: High school students, approximately 200. 
 
-- The American Room at the State Library of Lesotho. 
Audience: Local artists and hip-hop fans, library staff and 
patrons, approximately 40. 
 
-- The American International School of Lesotho. 
Audience: Students, grade K-8, approximately 100. 
 
-- Maseru Club Hall. 
Audience: Workshop participants, approximately 15. 
 
-- Semonkong High School and Lodge. 
Audience: Local traditional performers, approximately 40. 
 
-- People's Choice FM and Joy FM Studios. 
Audience: Radio DJs and media professionals, approximately 15 
(plus thousands of radio listeners). 
 
-- U.S. Embassy Public Diplomacy Room. 
Audience: U.S. Embassy local staff, approximately 40. 
 
MASERU 00000167  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶C.  AUDIENCE SIZE 
 
According to the estimate above, this program directly reached 
approximately 650 individuals.  However, through effective use 
of the mass media through traditional interviews and guests DJ 
slots, the audience size for this program was actually several 
thousand. 
 
¶D.  EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SPEAKER IN COMMUNICATION OF INTENDED 
MESSAGES TO TARGET AUDIENCE 
 
On the topic of hip-hop, we could not have hit the mark more 
precisely than we did with Will Power.  Post would like to thank 
IIP for finding this excellent speaker and cultural ambassador. 
 
As a remarkable educator as well as entertainer, Will Power was 
able to charm and seize the attention of his audiences from the 
first moments of his presentations.  Using freestyle rap and 
urban dance moves to begin his sessions, he instantly 
differentiates himself from the "typical" U.S. Embassy speaker. 
As hip-hop is a topic which youth audiences already associate 
with and enjoy, he has a natural advantage in getting and 
maintaining their attention.  While not overstating the case of 
hip-hop being an American art form, his personal story of 
growing up in Southern California and listening to music coming 
out of the New York scene made this point clear. 
 
From the U.S. Ambassador and senior officials to rural 
traditional dance musicians, Will's charisma was infectious. 
Throughout his trip, he drew from recently learned lessons about 
Basotho culture in his lectures to localize his content.  Using 
hip street language with many audiences, Will is an articulate 
and thoughtful presenter.  His constant interaction with the 
audience, a mainstay at all of his presentations, was also 
highly effective.  He also excelled at rural events, during 
which he used impromptu performances to cut through linguistic 
as well as cultural barriers. 
 
In sum, this was a great program. 
 
QUALITY OF IIP SUPPORT 
 
Embassy Maseru greatly appreciates IIP's support during the 
entirety of this program.  The lines of communication between 
our post and Program Officer Michael Bandler were open, 
effective, and constant.  As a "PD-light" post with limited 
resources, Embassy Maseru is delighted to have been offered this 
opportunity.  We were in frequent communication with IIP 
regarding Will Power's schedule and requirements, and 
appreciated IIP's pre-departure coordination with Mr. Power. 
 
¶F.  IMMEDIATE RESULTS/IMPACT 
 
As a program which promoted the understanding of a popular youth 
cultural phenomenon and an American art form, Will Power's 
speaker program helped Embassy Maseru fulfill its Mission 
Strategic Plan goal of promoting mutual understanding, and also 
demonstrate the ability of using music and performance to 
deliver broader messages on HIV/AIDS, equality, and diversity. 
 
Through the use of radio appearances and live shows, Will 
Power's program had Maseru buzzing.  Through interacting with 
local talent and incorporating them into his show, he had a 
direct impact on key influencers of Lesotho's youth.  Through 
explaining the origin and evolution of hip-hop, he also 
explained how a music form often associated with negative 
phenomenon such as exploitation of women, profane language, and 
violence has, in fact, many positive attributes that can be used 
as a positive force within society. 
 
¶G.  PRESS PLACEMENT REPORTING 
 
Embassy Maseru arranged media interviews and guest DJ spots on 
People's Choice FM radio, Joy FM radio, Lesotho Television, and 
various print publications.  We feel that the radio interviews 
were particularly effective as Will Power was able to play some 
of his music selections and interact with the DJ's effectively. 
We estimate that the viewership of Lesotho Television is 
approximately 30,000, and the radio programs on which Will Power 
participated have an estimated listenership of about 10,000 
each.  An article on his program was also printed in Informative 
Newspaper, which has a circulation of about 5,000. 
MURPHY