Jail Time Records’ most charismatic artist, Empereur is the head of the Latin gang inside the Central Prison of New Bell. He is the son of a traditional Douala chief and is deeply tied to the mystical part of his tribe’s beliefs. Often singing in his native Douala language on afro-house beats, Empereur has a deep and harsh voice, and has already released a few hits.

Steve Happi, aka Vidou H, is Jail Time Records co-founder. He is also a DJ and music producer, and has produced all JTR’s music. He co-founded the project during the two years he spent incarcerated inside New Bell, the Central Prison of Douala.

Larabik Stone is originally from the Soca people of East Cameroon. This area of dense tropical forest is where the Pygmies live and is home to most of Cameroon’s gold reservoirs and mines.

As a teenager he abandoned school because of his passion for music, but in 2009 he entered the army in the anti-terrorist squad of the Presidential Guard. He spent most of his army life in the North of the country fighting against Boko Haram militants and on the eastern border with the Central African Republic during the CAR civil war. He spent over 8 years in prison. Stone has a low, deep voice combined with a conscious rap flow.

Transporteur grew up in a traditional herding family from the Mbororo nomadic tribe in eastern Cameroon. At the age of 18, he left his life as a pastoralist and travelled to Douala, the country’s economic capital, in search of new opportunities. Without formal education and struggling to find stable work, he soon became caught up in criminal activity.

While in prison, Transporteur learned how to read and write, participated in theatre workshops, and, through his encounter with Jail Time Records, began writing and recording music. He quickly became one of the prison’s most popular artists. Blending traditional Mbororo vocal styles with Afro-pop influences, Transporteur has developed a unique sound and energetic stage presence. Accompanied by his own group of dancers, his performances are vibrant, captivating, and deeply rooted in his cultural heritage.

D.O.X. is a multi-talented singer/rapper. He grew up in Yaoundé and moved to Douala as a teenager due to the death of his mother. According to his big brother Vidou H since he was a child he was able to sing along in tune to any song playing on the radio or TV. He was studying telecommunication engineering when he was incarcerated together with his two brothers over family quarrels involving black magic, and was acquitted and released after nearly two years inside New Bell prison. D.O.X. has already released a number of singles through JTR, and three video-clips.

Do Stylo is originally from a protestant family from Moungo in the center of Cameroon. His father died when he was young and he grew up with his mother.

He resides on the north coast of the mangroves in Douala, living from artisanship on the riverside of the Wouri river. Do Stylo is a recidivist at his seventh prison sentence for minor offences: he lives his life unconventionally and in its purest form as an act of resistance. He is part of the rap collective La meute des penseurs. Do Stylo is a hardcore underground rapper and one of the most talented JTR freestyle artists.

El Djafar in one JTR’s youngest artist. His father is from the Bamoun ethnical group while his mother is from the North of Cameroon, both muslim areas of the country. El Djafar started singing at the age of twelve, one year before his father died. Mixing afro-pop with his native language, El Djafar is a hit-maker and has already released a few singles and a video clip with JTR.

Kengol DJ is one of the most talented JTR artists. After a couple of stints in prison for lack of an ID card, Kengol DJ is well known in Douala for his raw and energetic musical style, mixing afro and atalakur with drill music.

Moussinghi spent much of his youth moving in and out of prison, caught in the hardships of street life. Since gaining his freedom in 2020, he has made the conscious decision to transform his life, dedicating himself to music and to raising awareness among young people about the dangers of life on the streets.

Through Jail Time Records, Moussinghi has already released several singles and a music video, and he is also featured in three JTR short documentaries. His work reflects both his personal journey and his commitment to inspiring change through art and testimony.

Jeje is one of the most talented artists Jail Time Records has worked with. Originally from Nigeria, she moved to Cameroon as a child and began making music at a very young age.

She released two singles and accompanying music videos with Jail Time Records, both while in prison and after regaining her freedom.

Today, Jeje has returned to Nigeria, where she continues to pursue her music career and develop her artistic journey.

Black Boy is an extremely young and talented Cameroonian rapper with a very original voice that sounds way older than his age. He grew up in one of the most dangerous neighbourhoods of Douala, ”City of Peace”, with the highest rate of unschooled kids. The youths of “City of Peace” are delivered straight into a world of criminality and they grow up between drugs, prison and gang-life; for the unlucky ones death is a common rendez-vous.

His struggle is to make a living through his passion and to get out of the spiral trap of his environment. He is currently outside prison.

Chimico was one of the most loved rappers in the Central Prison of Douala. When he took the mic during concerts the crowd would go crazy. He had a witty, ironical style perfused by political and social criticism. Chimico died in an accident in September 2019 after six months of freedom, leaving behind a four year old boy and many heart-broken friends. Jail Time Vol. 1 Album is dedicated to his loving memory.

Basketteur was an extremely prolific, talented and enthusiastic artist. He passed away at age 26 due to an accident, leaving behind 50 songs and many broken hearts.

Abdel, l’enfant du Sahel (“the child of Sahel”) as he was called in prison, spent only three months in prison after being mistaken for another man on the scene of a car theft. Originally from the Sahelian north of Cameroon, Abdel sings in his native Fulbé language as well as in French, Senegalese Wolof and Arabic. A hard-worker and passionate rapper, Abdel still goes to prison from time to time to record his songs. His musical style ranges from rap to afro and raggae.

Ndole Boy is a very original rapper with an incredible amount of energy and enthusiasm. Struggling with drug addiction, his dream is to leave the gangster lifestyle and make a honest living through music. He is influenced by different style of music: Hip-hop, Raggae and Afro-Fusion.

The Boy is originally from the Central African Republic, and had to flee his country because of the ongoing war. He lives in the refugee camp on the outskirts of Douala. He has an original musical sound, mixing Sango and French language on sped-up afro beats.

DJ Benno is an extravagant and charismatic dandy who became a beloved figure in prison, where he brought life to the evenings by hosting and performing with a microphone in the central courtyard.

His music blends Coupé-Décalé, the energetic Afro-dance style originating from Côte d’Ivoire, with Mbole, a rhythm deeply rooted in Cameroonian culture. Known for his vibrant personality and infectious stage presence, Benno quickly became one of the most entertaining performers around.

Since his release in 2022, DJ Benno has been building a career through music. He now works both as an MC in nightclubs and as a live performer, continuing to captivate audiences with his energy, humour, and unmistakable style.

Garcia is probably the most prolific artist ever to step into the Jail Time Records studio. Nearly every song he records has the potential to become a radio hit.

With his soft and emotional voice, Garcia has developed a distinctive sound that blends R&B with melodic pop influences. His music is both intimate and catchy, combining heartfelt lyrics with memorable melodies that resonate deeply with listeners.