The dramatic arrest of French-Moroccan rapper Maes in Morocco marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing saga of crime and music, as detailed in the explosive new book «L'Empire». Wanted by French authorities for orchestrating violence from Dubai, Maes' story underscores the dark entanglements between the rap industry and organized crime. In January 2025, the arrest of Maes in Morocco for kidnapping and illegal confinement marked the end of the run for the French-Moroccan rapper, who had been based in Dubai. Wanted under an international arrest warrant, he is suspected by French authorities of having ordered assassinations from his last place of residence before being imprisoned. Released last Wednesday, L'Empire (Flammarion, 2025), written by journalists Paul Deutschmann, Simon Piel, and Joan Tilouine, names the artist among several figures involved in criminal activities tied to the underworld of French rap. In its October 29, 2025 edition, Le Monde devoted two full pages to excerpts from the book, which exposes the dark side of the French rap industry. The work details how, since 2015, criminal organizations have sought to infiltrate the music scene, attracted by the vast profits and the growing influence of rap culture, which now extends beyond music to encompass fashion, lifestyle, and social identity. Reprisals and an escalation of violence The name of Walid Georgey, better known as Maes, appears in this context. Around 2020, he reportedly faced extortion attempts from individuals in Sevran, north of Paris. Refusing to yield, he allegedly retaliated with gunfire, forcing him to flee France. «The young French-Moroccan artist, with several platinum records, settled in Dubai at the end of 2021 to avoid being shot in the heart of the Beaudottes neighborhood in Sevran, Seine-Saint-Denis, where he grew up», the authors write. They describe Sevran as a «stronghold of narco-banditry and rap», where gangs covet the earnings of successful artists. According to the book, «big-time thugs placed a contract on his head». Their resentment stemmed not only from Maes' supposed detachment from his roots but also from his refusal to financially support local rappers seeking to break into the industry. His wealth, the authors note, «did not trickle down enough into the pockets of the kingpins and their henchmen». When three vehicles belonging to one of his video crews were set on fire as a warning, Maes reportedly returned to Sevran the next day «to settle the score». Two men from a rival clan were shot and wounded, turning the rapper into a marked target. Though Maes and his family fled to Dubai, violence continued to follow his circle. His manager Batzo was murdered in France in 2022, a killing that, according to L'Empire, deepened the rapper's ties to organized crime. The authors allege that Maes subsequently ordered reprisals against those behind the extortion. A flight that ended in Morocco In Dubai, Maes reportedly reinvested much of his wealth into Aristo Desert, a luxury entertainment venue frequented by celebrities, featuring a pool, sports fields, a restaurant, and dune-buggy rentals. Yet, as criminal tensions escalated, the rapper became increasingly cornered. Pursued by Interpol, he attempted to evade extradition by traveling through Oman and Egypt, but was ultimately arrested in Morocco, where he remains in custody. Maes' name has surfaced in several French investigations. In October 2023, he was sentenced in absentia to ten months in prison for aggravated assault over a 2018 beating. He is also mentioned in ongoing drug-related vendetta cases and was previously imprisoned in 2015 for similar offenses, a trajectory that has made him one of the most controversial figures in the intersection of rap, fame, and crime in France.
