Slowjamastan: The new 'nation' hiding in the US

More than 25,000 self-proclaimed citizens have pledged their allegiance to this faux dictatorship, where Crocs and reply-all emails are forbidden.

Between the date palm farms of California's Coachella Valley and the Mexican border, a sunburnt stretch of desert the colour of worn khakis extends as far as the eye can see. This arid no-man's land is dotted with knee-high scrub bushes and spindly branches. The air vibrates with the steady hiss of insects. And shimmering in the distance, there's a submarine.

This is The Republic of Slowjamastan, the world's youngest micronation. Spread across 11 acres that unspool like a long ballad, these scorched badlands occupy territory drivers typically pass without a second glance. Yet, step inside and the real world slips away. In this "country", Crocs are constitutionally banned. Reply-all emails are forbidden by law. Speeding is permitted, but only if you're racing home with tacos. The national animal is a the raccoon.

At the centre of it all is Randy Williams – also known as the "Sultan of Slowjamastan". When he's not lording over the coyotes, desert iguanas and roughly 25,000 "citizens" who call his desert dictatorship home, he's the programme director for Z90 and Magic 92.5 radio stations in San Diego and is known across the airwaves as "R Dub". Since 1994, he has also hosted the radio show Sunday Night Slow Jams, which is now syndicated to more than 250 stations worldwide.

Slowjamastan Ministry of Propaganda

A passionate traveller, Williams spent years on a quest to visit every United Nations-recognised country. By early 2020, he was down to one final stop. Then the world went into lockdown. Grounded like everyone else during the global pandemic, Williams was restless. There was too much time and nowhere to go, but his mind continued to move at the speed of a jet plane. That's when it occurred to him: "If I can't visit another country, why not create one?"

How to become a faux dictator

"As a child, I liked to do creative things, whether creative writing or drawing or making pictures or class projects. So this seemed like the ultimate one," the Sultan told me during a tour of the consulate (his office at the radio station), where he keeps a collection of propaganda from actual dictatorships around the world. "I could funnel all my creative energy into it."

He called his best friend, Mark Corona, to explain what he had in mind. Corona simply laughed. "The only thing I could think of was this episode of Family Guy where Peter started his own country, Petoria," Corona said. "I was rolling my eyes, like, 'Okay dude. Where will this country convene? At your house?'"

Williams persisted, scouring a real estate site with a list of requirements. The land needed to be more than five acres, accessible by a paved road and within driving distance of his home in San Diego. A single plot appeared. It was an undeveloped, sand-strewn parcel of scrub and rock listed for $19,500.

"It was love at first sight," Williams said. He purchased the land in 2021.

Slowjamastan Ministry of Propaganda

Williams tapped Corona to pick up a presidential-looking desk in Phoenix and haul it to Southern California. They unloaded it in the middle of the desert property and began marking their territory, erecting road signs on California State Route 78 that proclaimed their new nation: "Republic of Slowjamastan" – a name initially floated by Williams as a joke that stuck.

It didn't take long for local authorities to notice. The signs were cited for sitting too close to the road. Williams relocated them slightly to stay within the county rules while still proudly proclaiming his new micronation. 

"People were driving by wondering what the heck was going on," Corona said. "They [probably] thought we were terrorists, and that kind of fuelled the fire. [It] gave us even more attention."

But the roadside stand was just the beginning. First came the makeshift border checkpoint. Then came flags and passports. Before long, The Republic of Slowjamastan began to resemble an actual country.

"Suddenly I was buying police cars and coins and immigration booths," Williams said.

Slowjamastan Ministry of Propaganda

Williams proclaimed himself Sultan and started dressing the part, with dark sunglasses, pressed uniforms and ornate detailing that he admits echoes the theatrical military style of Muammar Gaddafi. In that role, the Sultan's voice shifts into what he calls a "GFA" – a general foreign accent – complete with elongated vowels, "z" sounds replacing "th", and rolled Rs.

Five years later, Slowjamastan now issues passports for interested travellers keen on becoming unofficial citizens, mints currency and holds flag-raising ceremonies. The land is divided into states, including Dublândia, Bucksylvania and the Queendom of Hotdamnastan. The Sultan even penned a national anthem: Slowjamastan (I Think It's Going to Be an Awesome Place) to the tune of Elton John's Rocket Man.

For those looking to formalise their involvement, there are titles to be had.

"Maybe you're a guy in North Carolina and you want to make your LinkedIn a lot stronger," Williams said. "You can make up a title, pay a small fee and then – boom – you're a member of Parliament."

Slowjamastan Ministry of Propaganda

Though positions within the dictatorship come at a price, (ambassadors pay $10-25 a month), citizenship is open and free to all. The micronation currently has 25,000 self-registered "citizens" from 120 countries – which is more than some recognised nations, including Vatican City, Tuvalu and Palau.

While many only engage with Slowjamastan from afar through the micronation's tongue-in-cheek social media posts, the community also comes together in person. Ceremonies, like the launch of the nation’s first naval vessel, a broken down submarine named the SS Badassin designed to "protect the land from any smuggling", are open to anyone. Yet, full citizenship (acquired through a simple online form) connects people to the broader experience.

The ultimate escape

According to the Sultan, people become Slowjamistanis for different reasons. Some are curious. Some are amused. Some are simply looking for respite from the rest of the world.

"I don't have to tell you how divisive everything is," the Sultan said. "Every moment you open Facebook, people are losing friends and family members over politics. It's gotten so bad. Slowjamastan is the escape from all of that. Other than our politics, we forbid discussion of any politics at all."

Slowjamastan Ministry of Propaganda

At a time when a growing number of Americans are increasingly frustrated by their nation's politics and exploring other passports, Williams says US citizens make up roughly 50% of Slowjamastan's citizens. The Sultan framed the country's growth as global rather than political; a recent surge of applicants from Bangladesh is evidence that Slowjamastan's appeal "knows no borders", he said.

Stephanie Heddon first heard about Slowjamastan when a contestant mentioned the country on an episode of Jeopardy!. Later, she sought Williams out at the Long Beach Travel and Adventure Show.

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"I just wanted to thank the Sultan for the joy he's brought to my life," said Heddon, who is now a citizen. For her, that joy comes through engaging with the micronation's frequent social media posts, which include everything from playful reminders to about country's unique laws to new citizens proudly displaying their Slowjamastani passports. "Everything about it makes me happy. And I think the thousands and thousands of other Slowjamastan citizens would agree. This is a very difficult time for all of us [in the United States], but here is something joyful."

From the desert to the global stage

Hundreds of micronations are estimated to exist around the world. Some are perched in the middle of international waters, others are located in quiet suburbs. Next year, Slowjamastan will host MicroCon 2027, a gathering of micronations. Delegates from more than 43 self-proclaimed states, from the Bomber Republic to Dragon Isle, will convene to discuss everything from geopolitical sovereignty to creating a coat of arms. As the event's website puts it: "This is cosplay meets statecraft".

Slowjamastan Ministry of Propaganda

While the Sultan says that visitors are welcome to Slowjamastan's desert territory, it currently lacks a place for overnight visitors. (Though it does contain a sign of a jet plane on a runway and Williams giving a salute with the message: "Randy Williams International Airport – coming soon(ish)".) As a result, MicroCon 2027 will be held in the penthouse of a San Diego skyscraper.

For Williams, the micronation has always been about travel. He pointed to a recent message from an overseas citizen in Uzbekistan. "I told them, 'Hey, I've been to your country', and I showed them a picture. Just like that, I'm instantly connected," he said. He hopes to build Slowjamastan upon that same feeling – a place that, however unconventional, people from around the world can engage with and eventually visit.

In May 2023, Williams finally made it to his last remaining country, Turkmenistan, completing the quest he had started years earlier. By then, Slowjamastan was no longer a substitute to fill the gap, but something that had taken shape alongside it – another way to connect with people across cultures and borders.

"Slowjamastan doesn't belong to me," he said, before pausing and corrected himself. "Well, I am a dictator. But it really belongs to everyone. It means something different to every single person."

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