Cameroon’s notorious New Bell prison is now the unlikely base of a revolutionary record label, Jail Time Records, that gives voice to inmates.
The non-profit label, which was founded in January 2018 and is currently situated within a prison studio, recently commemorated its second anniversary on January 6th.
It was founded by Italian artist Dione Roach, who was working with an NGO to hold events in the prison.
One day, a crew of rappers took the mic, and they ended up rehearsing every day. Roach then proposed that they build a studio and Vidou H, who was a prisoner at the time, became the studio’s de facto beatmaker and producer.
Since then, the label has produced over 1,000 songs, and many inmates have passed through the studio.
The label is about hope and aims to give anyone a chance, regardless of ability or the crime they’ve committed.
The inmates produce trap, drill, afro-house tunes, and other styles. The label’s new single, “Omo Alaja,” which was released on April 29, 2023, was shot during a concert in prison and inside the prison kitchen, directed by Roach.
‘Omo Alaja,’ features Nigerian artist, Lala Badman, who is waiting to be judged for a weed charge.
The label’s first album, “Jail Time Vol.1,” includes 24 tracks featuring diverse styles and lyrical themes under one overarching message: hope. Inmates such as Kengol DJ, who records drill and trap music, have used the studio and gone on to produce tracks on the label.
Co-founder Steve “Vidou H” Happi, who was falsely accused of murdering his father and later acquitted, became the studio’s beatmaker and producer.
The label is about to expand across Africa, with ambitions to help other African prisons to set up their own studios.
