A NEW COUNTRY EMERGES FROM THE CALIFORNIAN DESERT

Have you ever wanted to start your own country? A man from San Diego did just that.

Randy “R Dub!” Williams is a radio DJ and slow jam connoisseur who runs a syndicated radio show, “Sunday Night Slow Jams,” that airs on over 220 radio stations in 17 countries.

Williams had a personal goal of visiting every United Nations-recognized country on Earth, but in 2020 the COVID lockdowns prevented him from doing so. Seeing how he could not travel internationally, Williams decided to do some sightseeing within the U.S. He soon stumbled upon a micronation called the Republic of Molossia.

Micronations are self-proclaimed nations that lack international recognition. They can take many forms, such as small plots of land, internet communities, a rock, and much more. Really, anything can be a micronation. The Republic of Molossia was created and ruled by Nevada resident Kevin Baugh. Molossia claims 11.3 acres of land near Dayton, Nevada, and likewise claims its own post office, space force, railroad, and a currency backed by cookie dough.

Inspired by his Molossia visit, Williams wanted to create his own nation. He started working on a name, flag, currency, a stylish outfit, and a perfect place to claim sovereignty. He named his nation The United Territories of The Sovereign Nation of The People’s Republic of Slowjamastan, or Slowjamastan for short – after his love for slow jams.

Not long after, he found 11.07 acres just off California State Route 78, nestled between the towns of Ocotillo Wells and Westmorland, about 100 miles east of San Diego.

Once Williams purchased the land, he started putting up “Welcome to Slowjamastan” signs, and not long after, claimed independence from the United States on Dec. 1, 2021. He dubbed himself the Sultan of Slowjamastan.

Images provided by Slowjamastan

Running a new nation is not easy, the Sultan said in an interview for The Advocate. Williams said he has faced many hardships while making Slowjamastan.

“I’ll tell you things are very expensive. Very, very, very expensive,” Williams explained. “You start a nation, and it is too late. There are things you have to buy, things you must purchase, subscribe to, etc.”

The amount of time he took working on Slowjamastan was not what he expected. “I did not realize how time-consuming running a nation would be,” he said. “I have two full-time jobs on top of this, and try to have a small personal life, as well as getting enough sleep at night.”

Williams has many grand plans for his nation. These include adding a bowling alley, Korean barbeque, armadillo petting zoo, a lazy river, an airport, and there’s more. For now, Slowjamastan’s infrastructure consists of a concrete slab, a flagpole, a border checkpoint, and a 14 foot-long fence.

Williams stated that “Rome was not built in a day.”

The Sultan stated that one of the many goals of Slowjamastan is to bring people together.

“Seems like everybody is arguing and fighting all the time on social media and real life,” he said. “Slowjamastan is a place where you can leave your political ideologies at the doorstep. You can just come and we can all be one. We can all be Slowjamastani together.” There are many ways to become involved with Slowjamastan. You can visit its website and sign up to become a citizen. You can also apply to become an ambassador or a member of parliament but first, must promise to follow its many laws. Among these laws are: no listening to mumble rap; no wearing Crocs; always eat string cheese by pulling on the strings; only use the left lane for passing on a roadway.

Another way to be involved with Slowjamastan is sharing it on social media. Some Slowjamastanis have shared photos, created art, made LEGO builds, taken a part in Adopt-a-Highway programs, and more.

“To be involved, it’s absolutely free. And it just takes a little bit of time, and maybe 15 seconds to sign up on the website,” said Williams. “Be ready to have some fun.”