Chich recounts his incarceration in Germany.While other rappers are busy battling for throne stories and trying to prove their street credibility, Chich shares his prison years. The rapper was imprisoned in Germany, a baptism of fire for him. Years later, he dedicated an album and a series to his unfortunate experience titled “französisch.”
Chich recounts his incarceration in Germany.
Chich’s story unfolds with a thrilling chase through the streets of Stuttgart, where he caught the attention of the local police. Unfortunately, he ends up arrested, and the incident is broadcasted by “the local television of Stuttgart.” This media attention may not have been beneficial for Chich when he found himself at the police station.
Upon arriving at the police station, Chich doesn’t speak a word of German, and he is assigned a Franco-German translator. However, things don’t go as planned. He says, “Right from the start at the police station, I had a Franco-German translator who got me into more trouble than anything else. With translations that were far from accurate, it’s no surprise I couldn’t defend myself against a translator who twisted my words.”
In one instance, when he says, “I don’t know what to answer,” the translator notes, “I don’t want to answer you.” As a result, he ends up in prison. Without mincing words, Chich narrates his incarceration in Germany!
For the Frenchman, those initial days were tough, filled with regret, nostalgia for his home country, and the realization that he was on his own as no one could help him. Being in a prison environment is already challenging for anyone, but being incarcerated in a country where you don’t know the language or culture adds an extra layer of difficulty. The German officers made him feel acutely aware of his “double difference.”
He recounts that from the very beginning, he became a victim of racism: “At the police station, the Polizei called me ‘black.’ They made it clear that I was heading straight to prison with the hooligans. And above all, that I would suffer.” This racism affected him not only as a Frenchman but also as an Afro-French individual: “I was blocked by the language barrier. I couldn’t respond to the verbal attacks. And it’s true that my skin color automatically reflects, for them, an inferiority on my part because it reflects my African origins.”
Despite being without family or friends in a foreign country, he was aided by some fellow inmates, an act he will never forget: “Because in prison, there’s no obligation for one detainee to help another.”
Chich: What does he think of the French police?
Finally, a double question was posed to Chich, one that is highly relevant today. Firstly, what does he think about police violence? The Frenchman’s response is unequivocal:
“I have experienced police violence my entire life since my childhood. Even when accompanied by my father as a young child, I witnessed forceful police checks. The officers were very harsh towards him and didn’t justify their actions. As I grew older, things didn’t improve. Therefore, I have always been wary of law enforcement. So, of course, I am against racist prejudices and police violence, which affect a large number of people like me who come from immigrant backgrounds.”
Also, in the context of current affairs, Chich is asked about his thoughts on violence against police officers. News channels are increasingly broadcasting images of police officers being threatened or severely injured while performing their duties.
“I have never assaulted a police officer, even though some encounters have been forceful. In fact, responding to them verbally has already caused me a lot of harm. So, I believe the best course of action is not to get into this escalation, as it won’t achieve anything.
However, it is essential for appropriate sanctions to be applied.”
And with that, Chich has shared everything about his incarceration in Germany.
