In the heart of Douala lies New Bell, a prison that operates almost like a city inside a city. Inmates run their own courtyards, manage markets, and even act as custodial officers, turning the institutional lag into a self‑sustaining ecosystem.
One of the most striking off‑shoots of this ecosystem is Jail Time Records, a music studio that has turned several inmates into popular artists. The label was founded in 2018 by former inmate Steve Happi and Italian‑Cameroonian artist Dione Roach. From improvised free‑style sessions, the studio now records complete tracks, produces music videos—some shot entirely on prison grounds—and organizes concerts in the prison’s courtyard.
Empereur, a notorious gang leader serving a ten‑year sentence for robbery and other crimes, recorded a music video that has already garnered 24,000 views on YouTube. The label’s catalog includes tracks that have attracted audiences in South Africa, the United States, and Argentina. In 2022, it released "Jail Time Vol 1", with half of the royalties returned to the incarcerated musicians.
The project’s narrative was the subject of a documentary titled "Jail Time Records", directed by Happi and produced in partnership with New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi. The film won three awards at the Tribeca Film Festival, including best documentary feature, and documents the creative process amid the prison’s harsh conditions.
Beyond entertainment, the initiative serves a rehabilitative purpose. Inmates like Stone—once a presidential guard now serving a decade for illegal firearms possession—use the studio to produce charts that keep themselves engaged with the outside world and provide messages to their families. For many, music supplies a “lantern for a brighter future” and a sense of belonging beyond the prison walls.
New Bell faces serious human‑rights concerns: the prison houses 4,700 inmates, four times its capacity, and has seen outbreaks of cholera, violent incidents, and high mortality rates. Human Rights Watch documented these issues and called for reforms. Nonetheless, the prison authorities have shown a supportive stance toward the music program, with officials attending concerts and acknowledging the value that art brings to inmates.
Jail Time Records is not confined to New Bell. In 2023 a remote studio opened in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, expanding the concept beyond Cameroon and pairing the music production with a documentary that honors six inmates who died during the project’s run.
The project also includes a women’s wing, where Jeje debuted her Afrobeats track "Show Me The Way" in 2022. According to the creators, the music promotes self‑discovery and helps inmates reshape their narratives.
While the prison’s environment remains bleak and challenging, the record label highlights the role of art in fostering resilience, opening Dialogue between the incarcerated and society at large, and illustrating that even within incarceration, transformation can occur.
