Rapper Ja Rule Is the New $23,000 Face for Botswana Diamonds · Global Voices
Brandi Phiri

Jaid Barrymore and Ja Rule in February 2005. Photo released under Creative Commons by Timothy M. Moore.
American rapper Ja Rule has been tapped to promote Botswana diamonds, much to the ire of some of the country's web users.
Brand Botswana, a department of the Botswana Export Development and Investment Authority (BEDIA), which works closely with the government, announced that they would be paying the rapper the equivalent of 23,000 US dollars to market diamonds – the country's main export – shortly after Ja Rule performed in the capital Gaborone.
According to news reports, the amount of money paid to the artist could increase as Brand Botswana and Ja Rule are exploring possibilities of featuring Botswana in the rapper’s television shows. Only time will tell if this investment will indeed pay off for Brand Botswana.
Shortly after the news broke, people around the country took to Twitter to voice their views on the matter. “So brand botswana is paying an ex convict to market botswana diamond, in times when the world worries about conflict diamond. Very smooth,” user @vybem wrote.
Numerous others disagreed with Brand Botswana's decision:
Questions That Need Answers; Brand Botswana Paid Ja Rule 200K To Tour Jwaneng? We Might Pay Tourists Too Soon! Visit Botswana & Get Paid…
— Sibs Macd (@SibsMacd) April 8, 2014
Nuff said RT @SibsMacd: Dear Brand Botswana; Next Time Lets Brand Miss Botswana Not Ja Rule!
— Certified Hustler ☛ (@Shawn_BW) April 7, 2014
Brand Botswana pays Ja Rule P200,000 ($23,000), use him to market Botswana diamonds O_O really??
— Katt Lego (@Katt_Lego) April 8, 2014
@BrandBotswana We understand how it may LOOK like an intelligent investment. But all things considered.. Really though? Really?
— Marla Sinner (@that__BS) April 8, 2014
I wish there was a protest culture in Botswana. Lord knows BTV [Botswana Television] News won't include a segment on the twitter outrage.
— Mr StealYourWiFi (@KwakusNotAmused) April 8, 2014
Hi, @BrandBotswana. P200000 [Botswana Pula] is a tad steep to be giving away to a fallen star from a far off land, don't you think?
— o. (@sylverlotus) April 8, 2014
I need this to be explained to me. How is Ja Rule going to do anything for us?
— o. (@sylverlotus) April 8, 2014
Some chose to see the positive side of having a rapper promote Botswana's diamonds:
!!”@JustMaity: Not Bad!! “@Mchifo: So Brand Botswana paid Ja Rule P200 000″”
— Terrylin (@swiTeri_babe) April 8, 2014
Careful how you debate AGAINST the Brand Botswana handling of Ja Rule, there are WORSE artists, LOCALLY and… http://t.co/H8FM4pukgq
— SidFm Station (@SidFmStation) April 9, 2014
Yal shudnt even be mad, brand botswana has surely wasted even more money on worse ideas! B glad this ja rule 1 only started wit 200 000 lol
— Mirth O. Molefe (@mirthem) April 8, 2014