In the heart of Douala, Cameroon, New Bell Prison has earned a reputation as one of the country’s most overcrowded and notorious correctional facilities. Yet behind its harsh conditions, an unusual initiative is changing lives through music.
Founded in 2018, Jail Time Records is a prison-based recording studio and music label that allows inmates to write, record and release original songs. The project has helped prisoners gain international audiences, with some of their music attracting listeners from countries including South Africa, the United States and Argentina.
The initiative was co-founded by former inmate Steve Happi and Italian artist Dione Roach. Their work is documented in the award-winning film Jail Time Records, which recently won three awards, including Best Documentary Feature, at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.
More than just a music studio, the project serves as a rehabilitation platform, giving inmates an opportunity to express themselves, reflect on their lives and develop creative skills. Organisers say the goal is not to glorify crime but to encourage personal growth and reintegration into society.
Despite operating inside a prison reportedly holding nearly four times its intended capacity, the studio has continued to expand. It now includes female artists from New Bell’s women’s wing and has inspired the establishment of another recording studio in Burkina Faso’s central prison in Ouagadougou.
For many inmates, music has become a source of hope in an otherwise difficult environment. Through songwriting and performance, participants say they have found purpose, dignity and a renewed sense of belonging.
Source: Adapted from a BBC News report.
