A self-proclaimed 'unique kingdom' in the heart of America.

Randy "R Dub!" Williams, the DJ of the late-night "slow jams" show from San Diego, who has been dubbed the "king of Slowjamastan" for the past few years, succinctly states: "I've traveled to every country in the world that's recognized by the United Nations, so I want to create my own country."

Therefore, Williams decided to buy an 11.07-acre plot of barren land in the California desert to build a new "country" named after his radio show: Slowjamastan.

Williams declared himself king after purchasing a plot of desert land in Southern California in October 2021 for $19,000.

Dressed in a smart suit and sunglasses, the Sultan of Slovakistan officially declared independence from the United States at 12:26 p.m. on December 1, 2021, as he live-streamed the secession from his outdoor government "office" in Dublândia, the capital of the Republic of Slovakstan.

Two years passed, and while the king of Slowjamastan enacted many bizarre laws (such as banning Crocs), the country also proceeded to issue its own passports, fly its own flag, print its own currency ("the duble"), and have a national anthem played on state holidays.

The Republic of Slovakistan even claims to have over 500 registered citizens, while another 4,500 are said to have been conditionally approved or are on the waiting list for citizenship. Now, Williams is poised to fulfill his lifelong goal of owning a country and is inviting tourists to visit the Republic of Slovakistan as it plans to create the world's leading "micronation."

King of Slowjamastan

"When I'm not on the radio, I'm probably traveling to a country that few people have ever heard of," Williams told CNN shortly before departing for Turkmenistan, the final country on the list of 193 countries recognized by the United Nations. "One of the reasons I created Slowjamastan is because after 193 countries, I wanted a 194th country!"

Williams said there were many people lining up to become Slowjamastan citizens.

Officially named the Unified Territory of the Sovereign People's Republic of Slowjamastan, Williams' self-proclaimed "country" lies off California State Highway 78, a two-and-a-half-hour drive northwest of San Diego. The small plot of land is nothing more than desert, but Williams has erected a giant sign that reads "Welcome to Slowjamastan" along the highway. He has built a border control post and hoisted the colorful Slowjamastan flag above his minister's office, which is now open to the public.

Williams was inspired to create his own country after visiting numerous "micro-nations"—self-proclaimed territories often run by eccentric leaders—during his travels around the world.

In August 2021, Williams visited the Republic of Molossia, an 11.3-acre "micronation" in Nevada that declared independence from the United States in 1998, where he was granted a personal tour by "Outstanding President Kevin Baugh." His passport was stamped and his photo was taken at the "border" with the U.S.

Upon returning home to San Diego, Williams immediately began outlining grand plans for his own "micronation." In October 2021, he purchased a plot of land for $19,000 and by December had declared Slowjamastan's independence.

Williams had a Slovak passport stamped by 16 countries, including South Africa, New Zealand, Vanuatu, and the United States.

A dictatorship in the desert

"We are a dictatorship," Williams said, explaining his Republican "government" system. "Occasionally, we hold special voting ceremonies and referendums. Recently, I allowed people to vote on what fruit our national sport should be named, and even what our national animal should be called."

It seems rather paradoxical that a "republic" has a dictatorial monarch as its head of state, but that's precisely the issue. Williams's trip took him to some of the world's most intriguing destinations, such as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Williams enjoys posing for photos and giving public speeches in a bright green monarch's uniform, complete with fake military awards, gold epaulets, and tinted sunglasses. He hires "border guards" and surrounds himself with "security" forces when hosting events in the Republic of Slowjamastan. Tourists and residents must abide by a list of prohibitions to avoid being "deported."

There is currently a long line of people willing to share in his experiment of living in a "micro-nation." People can apply for citizenship and cabinet positions through the Slowjamastan website, which has proven quite popular with thousands of applications pending.

This small country has its own currency ("the duble"), flag, national anthem, time zone (Slowjamastan Standard Time), and national symbol (the Slowjamastan raccoon).

Now that the country has opened its borders to tourists, he told CNN that the most popular sightseeing activities include taking selfies in front of the Slowjamastan sign, visiting Independence Square, and searching for Slowjamastan bears.

His next big plan is to raise enough funds to build "a lazy river, an armadillo farm, an all-you-can-eat Mongolian-style BBQ facility, and of course, a giant statue/monument of the great leader himself."

Seeking diplomatic recognition

Williams said he is working to build diplomatic relationships with other countries and that his Slovak passport has been stamped by 16 different countries during recent trips, including South Africa, New Zealand, Vanuatu and the United States.

He clarified that Slowjamastan technically meets the criteria for a sovereign nation-state as defined in the 1933 Montevideo Convention, often considered the best definition of a state.

The Slowjamastan border is open to tourists, allowing them to visit the small area located 700 miles from San Diego.

The Montevideo Convention requires a country to have a permanent population, a defined territory, a government, and the capacity to establish diplomatic relations with other countries—all prerequisites that Williams claims the Republic of Slowjamastan has met.

The next stage is for the monarch to gain recognition of his nation's separation from the United States, although that might seem a bit far-fetched even for Williams.

Williams explained, "I'm a little disappointed to admit that, despite sending emails and direct messages to President Biden on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and MySpace, none of our messages have been read. They're probably stuck somewhere in his spam folder. We're not going to stop."

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