The notorious Cameroonian prison with its own record label
New Bell prison in Douala, Cameroon, has developed a unique internal economy and culture, including a music label called Jail Time Records. The studio serves as a creative outlet for inmates and has gained international recognition through a documentary.
Why it matters
Offers a unique perspective on prison reform, human resilience, and the power of art to transcend restrictive environments.
Image source, Artists Equity Image caption, Empereur is one af the prison's most successful artists - the music video for his song Sa Ngando has been viewed 24,000 times on YouTube
New Bell - a notorious prison in Douala, Cameroon - is a city within a city.
The facility has its own "taxis" (inmates who whizz through congested courtyards on foot to hand deliver messages), its own law enforcement (burly prisoners who help stretched guards police the facility) and market (a string of stalls where convicts sell and buy goodies, like fried cassava and beignet pastries).
Basically, the occupants of New Bell have adapted the jail's slack laws to work for them. The clearest example of this spirit is Jail Time Records, an on-site music studio and label making mini stars out of the most talented prisoners.
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