French groups join Africans in lawsuits against murder music singer
Snoopy la Mélodie’s murder music calls for violence against gays
This article is a translated and expanded version of an article originally published in French on the website of Stop Homophobie.
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 song includes graphically violent lyrics such as “poignardez les pédés,” which have also appeared as slogans on Snoopy la Mélodie’s merchandise. “Poignardez” means “stab,” and “PD” or “pédé” is a French slur used for gay men which conflates homosexuality with pedophilia.
The French organizations were joined the Cameroonian LGBTI advocacy group Adefho (Association for the Defense of the Rights of Homosexuals) which filed a complaint in Cameroon on November 19 against the Cameroonian songwriter.
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.
A song with explicit lyrics accessible in France
“Murder music” is a term coined to describe a genre of popular music that glorifies violence against queer people.
The controversial track, “Les nerfs des boys,” released on October 11, 2024, features explicit lyrics, such as “Poignardez, poignardez les pédés” (“Stab, stab the f****ts”) and “Nous, on déteste les pédés” (“We hate f****ts”). The song, which is available without restriction on platforms such as Spotify, Deezer, YouTube, TikTok, Apple and Amazon Music, remains freely accessible in France.
The associations say the song goes beyond the bounds of freedom of expression, openly inciting violence against homosexuals, and they want its distribution restricted.
Anti-LGBT violence common in Cameroon
This case reflects a worrying rise in homophobia in Cameroon, where homosexuality is punishable by law and acts of violence targeting sexual minorities are regularly reported. International organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch document cases of arbitrary detention, torture and lynching.
Alice Nkom, a Cameroonian lawyer and president of the Adefho association, warns of the seriousness of the spread of murder music.
“A song calling for the killing of homosexuals circulates freely. Meanwhile, citizens are attacked on a daily basis, and the state remains passive,” she says.
The complaint, filed with the Paris Correctional Court, concerns the offenses of public insults and provocation to hatred or violence, as provided for under French law on freedom of the press.
Étienne Deshoulières, lawyer for the plaintiffs, underlines the importance of this procedure.
“These remarks have real consequences, aggravating violence against LGBT+ people, particularly in already fragile contexts such as Cameroon, where lynchings of gays and trans people have been reported to associations following the broadcast of the song ‘Poignardez les pédés,’” he says.
The associations are calling for the immediate withdrawal of the song from platforms and exemplary measures to condemn murder music. This complaint marks a new stage in their commitment to fight hate speech wherever it occurs.
“The fight against homophobia is a global issue. It is imperative to be aware of the impact of these remarks and to defend the fundamental rights of LGBT+ people, in France as elsewhere,” says Terrence Khatchadourian, Secretary-General of STOP Homophobie.
