Song that Calls for Stabbing Gay People Becomes a Big Hit in Cameroon

The lawsuit states that the song has inspired homophobic gangs to attack allegedly gay men and that Snoopy la Mélodie and his team have distributed "Stab the Fxxxxts" T-shirts to promote the song and its message.

In December, 76 Crimes filed a second report that said "five French LGBT+ rights associations filed a complaint December 12 in a Paris court seeking to block distribution of a homophobic murder music song, 'Les nerfs des boys' ('Boys' Nerves') by Snoopy la Mélodie. . . The French advocacy groups – STOP Homophobie, Mousse, Adheos, Familles LGBT and Adefho – filed their complaint against Snoopy la Mélodie and his producer, Gouvernement Prod., for incitement to hatred and homophobic insults. This action comes against a worrying backdrop of increasing LGBTphobic violence, particularly in Cameroon."

Jeune Afrique acknowledged that many have been outraged, but also point out that Article 347 of Cameroon's Penal Code certainly criminalizes sexual relations between people of the same sex, a crime punishable by five years in prison, as well as a fine of up to 350 US dollars, or between 200,000 and 300,000 FCFA. But the outlet spoke to Cameroon political analyst Yvonne Chantal Bessecke who said,"at no time does the law stipulate that people convicted of these acts lose their fundamental rights, including the right to life."

She continued: "This right is guaranteed by the State, just like other human rights. When a Cameroonian incites violence using the ban on homosexuality as a pretext, he violates a fundamental rule: the right to life, an Internet user is offended, recalling that when a person breaks the law, there are legal remedies to act, such as filing a complaint.

"Under no circumstances should we encourage violence, such as inciting people to be stabbed – this is absolutely unacceptable," Yvanna Chantal Bessecke continues. "The legal framework in Cameroon is clear: although homosexuality is punishable by law, it provides for prison sentences, not death. "If the law had deemed that these acts deserved the death penalty, it would have provided for it. But that is not the case. However, some people believe themselves to be above the law, proclaiming themselves judges and executioners, as if they were demigods, dictating justice themselves."

And she called out Snoopy la Mélodie and others supporting the song. "As influencers or artists, you bear a heavy responsibility. Encouraging your subscribers to commit violent acts is unacceptable irresponsibility."

She concluded: "It's terrifying. If this song had been ignored, it might have sunk into oblivion. But it has been popularized, doubly endangering those it targets. And the artist is happy about it, even claiming responsibility for this violence."

According to the artist's manager, whom Jeune Afrique contacted, the term "PD" does not refer to homosexuality, but to "partisans of destruction (PD)". According to the manager, it would therefore not be a call for violence against homosexuals. But Jeune Afrique found contradictions in his statement in that he agreed that homosexuality is "contrary" to African morales, but does not see those who engage in homosexual acts as "partisans of destruction (PD)". When called on this, he told the publication to refer to the song's press release, which at the time did not exist.

Africa News says the song is representative of the Cameroon's Mbolé music genre, which developed 25 years ago in the nation's poorer neighborhoods as funeral chants to comfort mourners. Artists began to bring the music to the recording studio and "used this music to break taboos, address the reality of the neighborhoods or, for some, to ironize on society." Six years ago, the genre went mainstream. "Beneath the media success, mbole remains a versatile form of expression and is still very much rooted in poor neighbourhoods. Poverty, drugs and insecurity are recurrent themes among its young performers, some of whom have almost iconic status in their neighbourhoods.