Rapper Gims and his girlfriend, known under the pseudonym Demdem, recently filed a complaint against Booba for moral harassment and cyber-harassment. Following this complaint, the Paris public prosecutor’s office opened an investigation, as confirmed by H24 NEWS on Thursday September 19, based on information from Agence France Presse (AFP)
A new judicial chapter in the rivalry between Gims and Booba
This latest episode in the rivalry between two of the biggest names in French rap is now being played out in the courts. According to sources close to the case and Gims’ lawyers, the complaint, filed at the end of August, alleges acts of cyberstalking perpetrated by Booba, whose real name is Élie Yaffa, since April 2018. The couple’s lawyers, Maîtres Rachel-Flore Pardo, David-Olivier Kaminski and Antonin Gravelin-Rodriguez, point out that the incriminating acts have been amplified by the rapper’s many fans, fueling a climate of ongoing hostility.
The complaint lists a series of provocations and taunts by Booba, relayed via his social network accounts, including Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok, aimed directly at Gims and his family. One notable incident is also mentioned: during a concert in Switzerland, Booba allegedly publicly incited his audience to attack Gims’ partner over alleged insults to his own daughter.
Song lyrics at the heart of the accusations
A central element of the complaint also concerns Booba’s song “Dolce Camara”, whose insulting lyrics explicitly mention Demdem. Gims’ lawyers believe that these acts, in addition to those already levelled against Booba in other cases, notably that of Magali Berdah, seriously affect the daily lives of their clients and their children.
According to lawyer David-Olivier Kaminski, it is crucial that this “toxic harassment” ceases, pointing out that harassment is a criminal offence and liable to prosecution
For their part, Booba’s lawyers, Me Marie Roumiantseva and Me Gilles Vercken, rejected the accusations, arguing that the incriminating facts fall within the scope of freedom of artistic expression. They are concerned that works such as the song “Dolce Camara” could lead to criminal prosecution for moral harassment.
Booba is already under investigation for aggravated moral harassment in a separate case linked to Magali Berdah, an influencer against whom he filed a complaint in 2022 for “misleading commercial practices”. However, his complaint was dismissed, and he has been placed under judicial supervision for the acts of which he is accused.