MHD, a 29-year-old French rapper, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for murder.
A judge in Paris convicted the rapper, whose actual name is Mohamed Sylla, guilty of his involvement in the gang-related killing of Loic K in the capital in 2018.
The victim was pushed down by MHD’s Mercedes before being attacked and stabbed by a gang of up to 12 individuals, according to the French court. MHD had pleaded “not guilty” to the charge. Five of his co-defendants were also found guilty, while three were acquitted.
AFP news agency reports that MHD told the court, “From the beginning, I have maintained my innocence in this case and I will continue to maintain my innocence.”
The French rapper claimed he was not present at the crime site and that the evidence against him was based on rumors. A local resident’s footage recorded from the window of his home was used against him, and MHD was identified by other witnesses.
According to Agence France-Presse investigative findings, some witnesses recognized MHD by his haircut and a Puma sweater, for whom he was a brand ambassador. A day after the murder, the automobile was discovered abandoned and burned out in a parking lot.
MHD popularized afro-trap, a fusion of hip-hop and African customs, after becoming a viral phenomenon in 2015. In January 2019, the 29-year-old was charged with homicide and imprisoned. He was released after a year and a half in jail while investigations were ongoing, and he released a new album.
Several women in the public gallery fell into tears when the verdict was read aloud. MHD hugged one of them while remaining calm. The football-obsessed musician, who was born in France to Guinean and Senegalese parents, is most known for his song Afro Trap Part 3 (Champions League), which praises the Paris Saint-Germain football team.
He had built a name for himself internationally, attracting the attention of worldwide celebrities such as Drake and Madonna.
“A lot of companies have chosen to downsize, and maybe that was the right thing for them. We chose a different path. Our belief was that if we kept putting great products in front of customers, they would continue to open their wallets.”