After several previous run-ins with the law, German-Kurdish rapper
Xatar was sentenced in December 2011 to eight years in prison for raiding a gold transporter. During the first few months of his prison term, he wrote and recorded his second album,
Nr. 415 (the number refers to his prisoner ID number) -- which now has the dubious distinction of being the first "prison record" in the history of German gangsta rap. Featuring production by
Maestro, M3, and Reef (with additional production by Mete Makkat and Noyd),
Nr. 415 mostly revolves around
Xatar's criminal activities and his impressions of life in prison.
Xatar, whose vocals were recorded with the use of a voice recorder, is supported by several guests, including
Farid Bang,
SSIO, Schwesta Ewa,
Haftbefehl,
Nate57, and
Eko Fresh. The album, which entered the German charts at number 19, is also available as a premium edition with three bonus tracks. ~ Christian Genzel