US Hip-Hop Rock Islamabad

By: Haroon Baloch

November 17, 2011

Lead Singers of FEW Collective: Al-Sarah with Aquil Charlton

What's bilaterally happening between Pakistan and United States is part of an international politics. Despite having years of collaboration in the past it is fact both the countries couldn't drive to their publics optimistically. It is not the case this time though both the countries are maintaining mistrust politically, but they virtually seem committed to their publics.

US's forward looking approach

The United States government's decision to increase mutual understanding and communication between both the societies has already gained popularity and success stories have started changing ranks for US government in Pakistani society, particularly in urban areas.

US Embassy in Islamabad claims for running world's largest Cultural and Educational Exchange Program, under which 8000 Pakistanis from various walks of life i.e. student, teachers, artists, journalists, and others have visited United States so far to further develop their professional capacity, intermingle with US citizen and learn the norms of a modern developed society.

It is not limited to this, but US Embassy in Islamabad is also providing opportunity to bring their artists and journalists in to interact with Pakistani society and spread the different colors of US culture. Likewise Pakistani artists are visiting United States and representing their culture in the host society.  

How cultural exchange is taking place

Cultural exchanges are of colossal importance and really serve as bridge builders and shrinking the distances during the times of conflicts.

Pakistan really needed a break, especially in a time when people are passing through a declared state of war and hot internal political environment too. US Embassy in Islamabad again has done the job and brought another US musical band, but this time of different style than of previous Mary McBride or Ari Roland.

Jamie Martin, the U.S. assistant cultural attaché at Islamabad and the organizer of the event told, "We want Pakistani people to know about the US culture and it is important for us that people of both the countries to communicate each other and that's what we are doing. She also added we are bringing our artists in Pakistan and likewise Pakistani artists to US.

It is a time when Pakistan and US ties are not up to the level where they existed pre-OBL operation in Abbottabad in early May. US efforts are for softening its image among Pakistani community.

F.E.W. Collective rocked the audiences

FEW Collective performers at Kuch Khaas 

The F.E.W. Collective, a Muslim US Band with Pakistani origin DJ Asad Jafri aka Man-o-Wax, Al-Sarah, the leading vocalist, Aquil Charlton, Manal Farhan, Jonathan St. Clair, and Daniel Haywood when started the mime performance during relatively chilly Monday, the 14^th November night in front of elite young Islooites, they seemed quite irresponsive because of poetry 'My Sun' being the deep intuitive synchronized with soft yet difficult artistic body movements of the performers.

As long as performers changed the gear to rap and hip-hop, the silence was broken since it became difficult for the audience to not respond on it. This was something new for them. They might have seen it before, but not at least in their hometown. Strong musical beats of Man-o-Wax and rhythmic body movements of Jonathan and Daniel, the Bravemonk really created an environment of Chicago streets.

The atmosphere was thrilling in the small hall. Sitting in a cozy couch beside Aroosha Rana, a US Embassy officer, I was patting my foot on the floor with musical beats. Chris Allbritton, the Reuter's correspondent in Islamabad, while placing his pen behind his ear and holding a notebook, was nodding his head with right leg being a little stretched forward and shaking. Almost a 90 minute show turned out to be a superb extravaganza and US Embassy's hip-hop diplomacy rocked the audience.

The same performance was repeated the next evening, but this time before a huge public and different audience in the auditorium of Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA). The energy and response of the crowd was even huge enough this that the chief guest of the show, the US Ambassador Cameron Munter and his wife Dr. Marilyn Wyatt also actively participated with singing and dancing public.

"I've already been here and I believe Pakistan is not the way it is interpreted in external world", said DJ Asad adding that my band fellows are surprised of being here. He further said it is of sheer significance that US is bringing its people here in Pakistan and providing them opportunity to experience the realities and the same way Pakistanis are visiting US, which is a true cultural exchange.

Moderate vs. radical society and the noble cause

Westernized audience at FEW Collective Concert 

Another success story goes into the cart of US diplomacy that their artists not only won the hearts of Pakistanis, but also succeeded in introducing their culture to Islamabad publics. Behind all this effort, undoubtedly cause is noble of changing extreme and blind affiliations with so called 'radical religious thoughts' and motivating the actual message of peace among the Islamic society.

Both the events were organized for a group of people who possess moderate and liberal thoughts, and they hardly have anything with radical deliberations. As far as the understanding from the objectives of the cultural exchange program comes forth is persuading 'sick minds'. But concentration of such minds is in far rural and under developing areas of Pakistan like Southern Punjab, interior Sindh, Balochistan and above all FATA areas where people neither have access to formal education, nor to the extra-curricular activities.

If these areas are targeted too, the far better results are expected than of targeting the urban 'mummy daddy' elite class. The westernized elite of Pakistan already has access to experience such modern cultures since they have plenty of resources to visit Europe and USA, live and study out there. Doing cultural exchanges for already moderate publics is just an entertainment for them and nothing.