U.S. Department of State Announces 2024 Spring Season of Next Level – United States Department of State

The U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce the 10^th anniversary season of the Next Level international exchange program is underway.  A key part of the United States’ Global Music Diplomacy Initiative, Next Level sends American aerosol artists, beatboxers, beatmakers, dancers, DJs, and MCs to engage audiences globally through hip hop with an aim to promote peace and democracy namely through conflict resolution in communities around the globe.

The Global Music Diplomacy Initiative, launched by Secretary of State Antony Blinken in September 2023, aims to promote peace and democracy through music, and supports broader U.S. foreign policy goals to expand access to education, economic opportunity and equity, and societal inclusion.

With the 2024 season already underway including workshops for underserved youth in Costa Rica, Olympic-focused programming in France, and a 10^th anniversary event in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, American artists will teach and perform in nearly every region of the world during this spring season.  Next Level is implemented through a cooperative agreement with Meridian International Center and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The 2024 Next Level spring season includes:

Limón, Costa Rica

• Dance: Kara Jenelle (Los Angeles, CA)
• MC: Queena Bergen (New Brunswick, NJ)
• Beatmaker: Rokmore (Houston, TX)
• Beatboxer: Exacto (New York, NY)

Paris, France

• Dance: Ken Fury (New York, NY)
• MC: Def-i (Albuquerque, NM)
• DJ: Amore Querida (New York, NY)
• Aerosol: Danielle Mastrion (New York, NY)

Taoyuan, Taiwan

• Dance: Dez (Washington, DC)
• MC: Rah Digga (Newark, NJ)
• DJ: Rugged One (Somerville, MA)
• Aerosol: Jurne (Oakland, CA)

Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

• Dance: Lady Beast (Boston, MA)
• MC: Dee-1 (Boston, MA)
• DJ: Nick Neutronz (New York, NY)
• Beatmaker: Krithi (New York, NY)

Auckland, New Zealand

• Dancer: Lady Sol (Chicago, IL)
• MC: Dior Brown (Washington, DC)
• Beatmaker: SlopFunkDust (Tampa, FL)
• Aerosol: MAST (San Francisco, CA)

For more information on the United States’ global efforts to promote peace and democracy through music, contact eca-press@state.gov.