By Loveth Henry
National News – A notorious prison in Cameroon is attracting global attention, not only for its harsh conditions but also for Jail Time Records, an inmate-run record label that is transforming the lives of prisoners through music.
Located in the port city of Douala, New Bell Prison has developed a unique internal system where inmates have created their own ways of surviving daily life. Prisoners operate an informal courier service, assist prison authorities with maintaining order and run small businesses selling food and other items within the facility.
At the heart of this unconventional community is Jail Time Records, a music studio and record label established inside the prison in 2018. The initiative has produced several artists whose music has reached audiences across Africa, Europe and the Americas.
One of its most recognised artists is Empereur, a prison gang leader serving a 10-year sentence for multiple offences. His music video, Sa Ngando, filmed entirely inside the prison, has attracted more than 24,000 views on YouTube.
The label has also staged concerts within the prison and released an album, Jail Time Vol. 1, with proceeds shared between the artists and the continued operation of the studio.
Former inmate Steve Happi, who co-founded Jail Time Records with Italian artist Dione Roach, described music as a powerful tool for healing and rehabilitation.
“It is an instrument of resistance where we can share friendship, love and ensure our voices are heard,” Happi said.
“We no longer think only about the prison walls. Through music, we find freedom.”
The story of the project is captured in the award-winning documentary Jail Time Records, directed by Happi and Roach over six years inside New Bell Prison. The film recently won three awards, including Best Documentary Feature, at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.
The documentary follows several inmates, including Stone, a former presidential guard sentenced to 10 years for robbery and illegal possession of firearms. Although he maintains his innocence, the film portrays his emotional struggle to maintain contact with his young daughter while finding solace through music.
Academy Award-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi, who served as an executive producer alongside singer Rita Ora, praised the project, saying artistic expression offers prisoners a meaningful path toward redemption.
Founded after Roach volunteered at New Bell during a prison outreach programme, the studio has become a creative hub where inmates write, record and produce original music despite having only basic recording equipment.
Happi, who said he was wrongly imprisoned before being acquitted two years later, has continued working to expand the initiative after his release.
According to Human Rights Watch, New Bell Prison was housing about 4,700 inmates in 2022—roughly four times its intended capacity. The overcrowded facility has faced repeated criticism over poor sanitation, disease outbreaks and violence.
Despite these conditions, prison authorities have continued supporting Jail Time Records, with prison officials attending concerts organised inside the facility.
The initiative has also expanded to the women’s wing of New Bell Prison. Its first female artist, Jeje, debuted with the Afrobeats single Show Me The Way, inspired by her personal experiences before imprisonment.
Building on its success in Cameroon, the founders established another recording studio in 2023 at the central prison in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, with plans to replicate the rehabilitation model through music.
For many inmates, Jail Time Records has become more than a record label. It represents hope, personal transformation and an opportunity to reconnect with society through creativity.
Happi said the project has changed the outlook of many prisoners, helping them believe they still have a place in society despite their past mistakes.
