Danny Jones Podcast #340 - Mike Benz: DARPA & USAID are Weaponizing Music to Control Human Behavior
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Oct 13, 2025 Mike Benz, a former State Department official and current executive director of the Foundation For Freedom Online, dives into the intriguing world of music diplomacy. He reveals how agencies like USAID covertly fund music movements to influence unrest, illustrating the role of artists such as Dua Lipa and Taylor Swift as instruments of propaganda. Benz connects cultural funding, military strategies, and social media censorship, arguing that pop stars are leveraged for geopolitical purposes. The discussion raises critical questions about information integrity and the impact of celebrity influence on public perception.
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Music As Statecraft
- Music has been used as an explicit tool of U.S. cultural diplomacy and covert influence since the 1940s.
- Jazz, classical and rock tours were funded to shape foreign perceptions during the Cold War.
Cuban Rap And The 'ZunZanillo' Operation
- USAID and NED funded Cuban rap collectives and a Cuba Twitter knockoff to try to spark a 'Cuban Spring.'
- They planned to attract users with sports and music then switch to anti-government messaging.
Concerts Create Organizational Cover
- Music events function as neutral organizing spaces that can unify disparate groups around grievance.
- State actors exploit concerts to normalize street mobilization and create unified protest behavior.
