Inmates at a prison in Salford have used smuggled phones to shoot a music video on YouTube under the noses of the guards. The viral music video shows the two Forest Bank prisoners rapping the lyrics in their cells and on the wing with no officers in sight.
Since being uploaded to YouTube, the two minute clip featuring rappers named L1 Manny and Mazza L20 has received a over 178,000 views, the Manchester Evening News reports. A spokesperson for the privately-run prison said: "We constantly review our activity to tackle the issue".
The video which is "filmed by all the mandem" starts with a message reading: "This music video was filmed on the wings". It features wide angle shots of prisoners gathered outside their cells along with a screenshot of an article by the MEN in January last year about a guard who brought paper laced with spice into the jail.
One of the rappers is then seen strolling along a corridor outside the cells, mouthing lyrics whilst imitating gun signs. In another scene, inmates are seen walking around the prison yard.
One of the lines in the rap states: "Do you know what it's like when you lose hope, seven years straight and you still gotta do sosh." At the end of the video, viewers were shown a number of Instagram accounts, including one for Manny, which featured an image of him making another gun sign beside a cell door.
It is the latest scandal in a string of incidents at the prison, which is operated by Sodexo on behalf of the Ministry of Justice. Just earlier this week, the MEN revealed an inmate was taken to hospital after an alleged ten-man brawl.
Another convict also died on January 4 at the prison - the latest in a series of deaths at the site. Other fatalities include Michael McDonagh, 27, who was found unresponsive in his cell in February 2019 and Raymond Lucy, 63, who was found dead in his cell in July 2019.
Another prisoner passed away in prison in June last year and, in December, firefighters were called out to tackle a blaze at the prison. In October it was reported that vandals had damaged three vehicles belonging to staff, just months after a similar incident in July.
In May, the prisons' watchdog criticised the jail as they stated it was "unable to fill its role successfully". Their report also detailed "an ongoing problem with mice". The damning report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons noted "cramped and overcrowded cells" in the category B jail.
After paying the prison a surprise visit in February, the watchdog found the jail had 1,354 prisoners, nearly 300 above its baseline capacity. Sodexo's contract runs until 2025.
When asked about the rap video, a spokesperson for HMP Forest Bank said: "We can confirm that this video was filmed several months ago. The use of mobile phones in any prison is illegal, and we constantly review our activity to tackle the issue Where individual prisoners are identified, action is taken."
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