An indefinite suspension. The X account (ex-Twitter) of rapper Booba has been deactivated again, noted our colleagues from Midi Libre and 20 Minutes. In question, accusations of cyberharassment against him, due to multiple publications targeting both the rap manager of Apple Music, Mehdi Maïzi, and the rapper Serane.
These two personalities have in recent days been the target of “threats”, “messages of hate” and “harassment”, from the Booba community, according to the story given by Mehdi Maïzi on X. According to Libération, “humiliating photomontages” and “rumors of adultery with photos of so-called mistresses displayed unceremoniously” were also published.
It all started when Mehdi Maïzi – who hosts Le Code, notably broadcast on YouTube – announced on his social networks the arrival of Serane, a “new generation” rapper. Unknown to the general public, the young 25-year-old singer is considered a “divisive artist” due to his “singular musical color”, his “nonchalant” rhythms and his “visual biases going against the grain of the codified art of rap”, as assured by the specialized site Cult7ure.
In fact, Serane’s invitation to Le Code, a prime time show on rap culture, enraged Booba last week. For the 47-year-old rapper already targeted by a complaint for cyberharassment from Magali Berdah, Le Code wants to “erase the more profitable part of rap to replace it”. “Mehdi Moizi has become a real scourge for our culture. I’m going to have to crack down,” he also wrote on X, also publishing photos of Serane. Booba will even go so far as to announce, Thursday January 11, the creation of a “new media”, intended to “give visibility to new talents as well as established talents”.
“I cannot tolerate that my work leads anyone to spread rumors about my personal life and those around me,” responded Mehdi Maïzi. According to our colleagues from 20 Minutes and Midi Libre, this wave of “cyberharassment” sounds like “revenge”: Mehdi Maïzi was employed by Booba, as a host in its former media OKLM, created in 2014, and which ceased in 2020. It remains to be seen whether this umpteenth settling of scores involving the historic French rapper will be the last, or if X will allow him to return to the platform again: in January 2022, he was suspended for a profile photo considered too violent.