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MHD
MHD in 2017
Background information
Birth name	Mohamed Sylla
Born	(1994-09-10) 10 September 1994 (age 30) La Roche-sur-Yon, Vendée, France
Genres	French hip-hop trap Afro trap
Occupation	Rapper
Years active	2012–2018 2021–present
Website	mhdmusic.com

Mohamed Sylla (French pronunciation: [sila]; born 10 September 1994), better known by his stage name MHD, is a Guinean-French rapper based in Paris, who is known for blending trap music with music of Africa; a genre he coined as "Afro Trap". He was previously part of the rap collective 1.9 Réseaux.

Born in Vendée to a family of West African extraction, MHD began his career as a rapper in Paris at the age of 18. He found success in the mid-2010s through material he published on social media (notably music videos on YouTube) and in 2016 released his debut album MHD, which sold more than 200,000 copies in 6 months. He later received international recognition, and toured in Guinea, England, Senegal and Morocco. His second album, titled 19, was released in September 2018, and he released his third album Mansa in July 2021.

In January 2019, MHD was arrested and charged with second-degree murder following investigation into the case of a young man who was beaten to death in the streets of Paris. He was remanded in custody for 18 months, and in 2023 was convicted of murder and sentenced to twelve years in prison. Claiming his innocence, he appealed the verdict and was released from prison in February 2024. His trial in the appellate court is pending.

Early life

Mohamed Sylla was born in La Roche-sur-Yon (Vendée, France) of a Senegalese mother and a Guinean father; later in life, he moved to the 19th arrondissement of Paris. As a child, he and his family would often listen to music from Africa; he cites Papa Wemba, Koffi Olomide, Salif Keita and Awilo Longomba as influences. His cousin Gazo is also a rapper.

As an adult, before reaching fame, MHD was delivering pizza, then worked as a waiter in a luxury restaurant in the 6th arrondissement; MHD has since talked about this experience, and the casual racism he was subjected to by the patrons. After getting his BEP restauration (French foodservice qualification) he began considering a career in the catering industry.

Career

2012–2016: The rise of "Afro Trap"

In 2012, aged 18, Sylla a.k.a. "MHD" (a stage name derived from his first name Mohamed) joined 1.9 Réseaux, a rap collective in the 19th arrondissement. After years of spending time and money trying to make a breakthrough, he eventually quit the gangsta rap scene.

In August 2015, while on vacation, MHD posted a video on the Internet, of himself doing a freestyle over a song by Nigerian band P-Square. The video, which he said he did "just for fun", was received with success on social media, and the positive feedback inspired him to make a comeback into music. However, he had been disappointed with the world of French-language rap from his previous experience, judging there was too much influence from American trends. Taking from his parents' West African roots, he decided to provide diversity to the genre by adding cultural elements of this region into his music, such as musical genres, or singing verses in languages like Fula or Bambara. He coined this newfound genre as "Afro Trap".

Back from vacation, MHD began filming a music video for his freestyle song in his housing estate of the 19th arrondissement. Released in September 2015, the video, titled Afro Trap Part. 1 (La Moula) and featuring local youths dancing in the streets, garnered popularity on YouTube, prompting him to release more songs and videos. Afro Trap Part. 3 (Champions League), a song praising football club Paris Saint-Germain, is considered a breakthrough in MHD's music career, with the song and its dance moves becoming popular with supporters –and later, players– of the club. Soon, he was invited to perform opening acts for French rapper Booba, was featured in the soundtrack of the film Pattaya, and was invited to the Élysée –the French presidential palace– by then-President François Hollande on the occasion of a visit by Guinean President Alpha Condé.

2016–2018: Studio career

His first studio album, named after his stage name, MHD, was released on 15 April 2016. It includes six parts of his Afro Trap series and songs featuring Fally Ipupa and Angélique Kidjo. The album sold more than 200,000 copies in less than six months, earning a double platinum certification in France.

He made successful tours in Europe and Africa, and became an ambassador for clothing brand Puma.

In September 2018, while preparing the release of his second studio album 19, MHD stated on social media that he had become disillusioned with the music industry and that he might retire after the release of the album. His second album, titled "19" (a reference to the 19th arrondissement where he used to live) was released on 19 September 2018, including collaborations with artists such as Salif Keita, Dadju, Orelsan and Nigerian pop star Wizkid; as of 2019, it sold more than 75,000 copies.

In 2018, MHD made his film debut starring in Mon frère (My Brother), a French drama directed by Julien Abraham. The film follows the story of Teddy (played by MHD) a young man who gets sent to a youth detention center after being accused of the murder of his abusive father. Mon frère was released in theaters in July 2019, while MHD was remanded in custody and charged with murder.

2021-present: Return to music

In May 2021, MHD released Afro Trap Pt. 11 (King Kong), his first song since his release from detention. On 16 July 2021, he released his third album Mansa, including songs featuring artists Tiakola, Naira Marley and Adekunle Gold.

In September 2021, MHD collaborated with Argentine producer Bizarrap, and was featured in a music session.

Legal issues

Criticism of police misconduct

In October 2018, MHD uploaded a video on social media in which two young men –one of which was described by MHD as his "big brother"– appeared to be victims of police misconduct. The video prompted investigation from the General Inspectorate of the National Police, or IGPN, the branch of the French police responsible for internal affairs. A spokesperson for the French police declared that the officers were responding to "threats" coming from the youths in the video.

Murder conviction

In January 2019, his name was cited in an investigation into a murder case, dating back to July 2018, when a 23-year-old man was beaten and stabbed to death in the streets of Paris by several youths, in the context of what has been reported as a fight between rival street gangs. Through images collected by surveillance cameras, French police found that assailants used a car owned by MHD; they later named MHD as a suspect himself. MHD was put on custody on 15 January 2019; two days later, he was indicted and charged with second-degree murder.

Following his arrest, some of his scheduled concerts were postponed indefinitely, while several fellow rappers, including Naza and Black M, voiced their support for MHD.

Investigators judged that he seemed to appear in the surveillance images, as well as his car, and he was also identified by several witnesses. Speaking through his lawyer, MHD denied any involvement in the crime, and during trial he would claim he was unaware of his car being used for criminal activities. His lawyer cited his lack of a judicial record, and added that she would appeal MHD being put on custody.

In March 2020, while MHD was remanded in custody in La Santé, his lawyer stated that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and subsequently requested for MHD to be released under supervision. The request was rejected.

In July 2020, after being detained on remand for 18 months, MHD was released under judicial supervision. A three-week trial occurred in September 2023, which resulted in his conviction on September 23 for murder, and a sentence of 12 years in prison. Five of his eight co-defendants were also convicted and given sentences ranging from 10 to 18 years, while the other three co-defendants were acquitted.

MHD, who has claimed his innocence since his arrest, appealed the verdict, and was released in February 2024 while pending the decision of the court of appeal.

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Singles

Other charting songs

Featured in

Music videos

Filmography

• Mon frère (2019) by Julien Abraham – as Teddy

References

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2. ^ "Musique : MHD, c'est la nouvelle star des ados" (in French). Le Parisien. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
3. "MHD : de phénomène viral à nouveau pape de l'Afro trap ?". Ouest-France. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
4. ^ "L'Afro-trap de MHD débarque dans les bacs ce 15 avril pour son premier album". Tendance Ouest. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
5. "MHD : Le premier album du prince de l'afro-trap sort aujourd'hui !". Melty. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
6. "L'album du rappeur MHD sort le 15 avril 2016". Zikeo. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
7. ^ Amrani, Iman (5 June 2017). "MHD: 'So many French rappers are inspired by American hip-hop. I'm the opposite'". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
8. ^ O'Donoghue, Saskia (24 September 2023). "French rapper MHD jailed for murder". Euronews. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
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10. ^ Boinet, Carole; Doucet, David (19 April 2016). "Qui est MHD, le prince de l'afro-trap ?". Les Inrocks (in French). Retrieved 3 February 2019.
11. ^ "Le rappeur MHD en garde à vue pour une rixe mortelle en juillet à Paris". Le Monde (in French). 15 January 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
12. Binet, Stéphanie (19 September 2018). "Afro-trap : MHD, des tubes et des doutes". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 18 October 2019.
13. Dmitriev, Nikita (22 September 2018). "MHD, l'étoile filante du rap français". Le Figaro (in French). Retrieved 20 January 2019.
14. Poussel, Marie (18 January 2019). "MHD, une star du rap en détention provisoire". Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 3 February 2019.
15. Lachasse, Jérôme (25 May 2021). "MHD dévoile "King Kong", son premier morceau depuis sa sortie de prison". www.bfmtv.com (in French). Retrieved 13 March 2022.
16. Rangin, Magali (16 July 2021). ""La taule, ça nuit à la santé": MHD de retour avec "Mansa", album marqué par son séjour en prison". www.bfmtv.com (in French). Retrieved 13 March 2022.
17. Cachin, Olivier (19 July 2021). "MHD de retour avec "Mansa"". musique.rfi.fr (in French). Retrieved 13 March 2022.
18. "Ultra-Viral Producer Bizarrap & French Artist MHD Present 'BZRP Music Sessions Vol. 44'". Sohh. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
19. ^ Chapuis, Nicolas (5 October 2018). "Ouverture d'une enquête pour violence policière après la diffusion d'une vidéo par le rappeur MHD". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 20 January 2019.
20. ^ Fansten, Emmanuel; Le Devin, Willy (25 January 2020). "MHD, la nuit où tout a basculé". Libération (in French). Retrieved 1 March 2020.
21. ^ Vazquez, Coline (18 January 2019). "Le rappeur MHD mis en examen et placé en détention". Le Figaro (in French). Retrieved 20 January 2019.
22. ^ "Le rappeur MHD mis en examen pour " homicide volontaire " après une rixe mortelle à Paris". Le Monde (in French). 18 January 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
23. ^ Tesson, Matthias; Chevalier, Justine; Blanchard, François (2 February 2024). "CONDAMNÉ À 12 ANS DE PRISON POUR MEURTRE, LE RAPPEUR MHD REMIS EN LIBERTÉ DANS L'ATTENTE DE SON PROCÈS EN APPEL". BFM TV (in French). Retrieved 7 February 2024.
24. Paolini, Esther (6 September 2023). "Procès du rappeur MHD: «Si ma voiture n'avait pas été là, je n'aurais jamais été mêlé à cette affaire»". Le Figaro (in French). Retrieved 7 February 2024.
25. "Coronavirus : le rappeur MHD, incarcéré à la Santé, testé positif au Covid-19". francetvinfo.fr (in French). 27 March 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
26. Bertrand, Mélanie; Lachasse, Jérôme (27 March 2020). "CORONAVIRUS: LE RAPPEUR MHD CONTAMINÉ EN DÉTENTION À LA PRISON DE LA SANTÉ". bfmtv.com (in French). Retrieved 18 July 2020.
27. Rampazzo, Théo (3 April 2020). "Positif au coronavirus, le rappeur MHD pourrait être libéré de prison". Le Figaro (in French). Retrieved 18 July 2020.
28. "Positif au coronavirus, le rappeur MHD reste en détention". Le Figaro (in French). 8 April 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
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30. "Rixe mortelle à Paris : le rappeur MHD libéré sous contrôle judiciaire". Le Point (in French). 16 July 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
31. "French rapper MHD jailed for 12 years over Paris murder". The Guardian. Agence France-Presse. 2023-09-24. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
32. Guerini, Enzo (2 February 2024). "Le rappeur MHD, condamné à 12 ans de prison pour meurtre, remis en liberté avant son procès en appel". Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 7 February 2024.
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39. "MHD – 19". iTunes Store. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
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41. "MHD – Afro Trap (Mad Decent Remixes)". iTunes Store. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
42. "MHD Chart History – Argentina Hot 100". Billboard. Billboard Argentina. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
43. "Discographie MHD" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
44. Peak chart positions for singles in MENA:
    • "Tek Tek": "This Week's Official MENA Chart Top 20: from 19/05/2023 to 25/05/2023". theofficialmenachart.com. International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. 30 May 2023. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
45. "Search: MHD (Songs)". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
46. "French single certifications – MHD – Afro Trap Pt.2 (Kakala Bomaye)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. 13 April 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
47. "French single certifications – MHD – Afro Trap Pt.3 (Champions League)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. 21 April 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
48. "French single certifications – MHD – Afro Trap Pt.4 (Fais le mouv)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. 3 February 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
49. "French single certifications – MHD – Afro Trap Pt.5 (Ngatie Abedi)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
50. "French single certifications – MHD – Afro Trap Pt.6 (Molo Molo)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
51. "French single certifications – MHD – A kele nta". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
52. "French single certifications – MHD – Afro Trap Pt.7 (La Puissance)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
53. "French single certifications – MHD – Afro Trap Pt.8 (Never)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
54. "French single certifications – MHD – Bella". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. 9 June 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
55. "MHD feat. Salif Keita – Intro Mansa – Single". iTunes Store. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
56. "MHD – Afrotrap Pt.2 (Kakala Bomaye)". Artside. 14 October 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2018 – via YouTube.
57. "MHD – Afrotrap Pt.3 (Champions League)". Artside. 4 November 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2018 – via YouTube.
58. "MHD – Afrotrap Pt.4 (Fais le mouv)". Artside. 25 November 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2018 – via YouTube.
59. "MHD – Afrotrap Pt.5 (Ngatie Abedi)". Artside. 4 January 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2018 – via YouTube.
60. "MHD – Afrotrap Pt.5 (Molo Molo)". Artside. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2018 – via YouTube.
61. "MHD – Rogger Milla". Artside. 1 April 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2018 – via YouTube.
62. "MHD – Maman j'ai mal". Artside. 20 May 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2018 – via YouTube.
63. "MHD – A kele nta". Artside. 13 July 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2018 – via YouTube.
64. "MHD – Afrotrap Pt.7 (La Puissance)". Artside. 23 December 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2018 – via YouTube.
65. "MHD – Afrotrap Pt.8 (Never)". Artside. 24 February 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2018 – via YouTube.
66. "MHD – Bravo". Artside. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2018 – via YouTube.
67. "MHD – Afrotrap Pt.9 (Faut les wet)". Artside. 30 August 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2018 – via YouTube.
68. "MHD – Afrotrap Pt.10 (Moula Gang)". Artside. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018 – via YouTube.
69. "MHD – Bodyguard". Artside. 19 June 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018 – via YouTube.
70. "MHD – Bella (feat. WizKid)". Artside. 19 July 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018 – via YouTube.
71. "MHD – XIX". Artside. 19 September 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018 – via YouTube.
72. "MHD – Pololo (feat. WizKid)". Artside. 14 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021 – via YouTube.

• 1994 births
• Living people
• Rappers from Paris
• French people of Senegalese descent
• French people of Guinean descent
• Black French musicians
• French male rappers