From July 5 to 21, 2024, five Hip Hop artists traveled to Harare, Zimbabwe as part of the Next Level program. Lady Beast (Dancer), Dee-1 (MC), Nick Neutronz (DJ), Krithi Rao (Beatmaker), and Saleem Reshamwala (Videographer) joined site manager Aysha Upchurhc to perform for audiences and collaborate with local artists to promote cross-cultural creative exchange and conflict transformation. Team Zimbabwe was supported by local partners Plot Mhaki and Tafadzwa Gambiza from Jibilika Youth & Culture Dance Trust, as well as Next Level regional alum, Kaweesi Mark.

Next Level, a cultural diplomacy program that uses Hip Hop to create connections, is an initiative of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Center. The program promotes conflict transformation, entrepreneurship, and artistic and professional development among younger and underserved audiences around the world.

During the first 10 days of the residency, the team held a 10-day academy at the Zimbabwe College of Music in Harare. The 3-hour workshops featured classes on dance, DJing, Emceeing, and beat making techniques. In addition, discussions were held on entrepreneurship and conflict transformation, creating a space to help develop the student-collaborators artistic and personal journey.

The team participated in multiple cultural engagements and collaborations, including visits to the Pakare Paye Cultural Center, the Jibilika Cypher, Open Mic at Moto Study, and a women’s beat making session lead by Kritihi. While in Harare, Team Zimbabwe was interviewed by local radio, television, and newspapers, as well as the Voice of America. The final showcase, which was held on July 19th at 7Arts Theatre, had over 200 attendees, providing a space in which student-collaborators could present what they had learned.

Through media and public appearances, Next Level Zimbabwe made a larger impact on Harare’s wider Hip Hop scene, allowing for many interactions to occur between artist-educators and the wider public. The success in connecting with the community helped further Next Level’s mission of building an international Hip Hop scene.

Team zimbabwe