Bushido's former partner: "He made many promises that he didn't keep"

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Bushido in court (archive): a wrong fifty?

Photo: Paul Zinken / picture alliance / dpa / dpa-Zentralbild

His resentment runs deep.

He has had no contact with Bushido and Arafat Abou-Chaker for more than ten years.

And if Mohamad N. has his way, it should stay that way.

He does not like the fact that he has to testify as a witness in the trial before the Berlin Regional Court this Wednesday.

"I don't give a shit what happens to Mr. Ferchichi or to him here." He points to the defendant Arafat Abou-Chaker.

"I don't want to have anything to do with this process."

Mohamad N. is angry, offended, disappointed.

It was he who brought Anis Ferchichi aka Bushido together with Abou-Chaker in 2004.

Now he sees himself as a loser in a story that has brought the rapper and the clan chief millions.

Not him.

Mohamad N., 45, works as a courier and delivery person.

The witness is not at all good at speaking in Bushido.

It starts with his nickname.

Bushido called the witness in court "Hamudi Wasserkopf".

The presiding judge Martin Mrosk speaks to him about it.

Mohamad N. reacts gruff.

Only some "idiots" would call him that.

Bushido also said in court that Mohamad N. was a cousin of Arafat Abou-Chaker, but according to his own statements, the witness is "neither related nor related by marriage" to the accused.

Arafat Abou-Chaker was "a good friend" whom he had known since childhood.

Around 2008, the friendship broke up.

Mohamad N. blames Bushido for it.

The rapper asked him for help

Bushido asked Mohamad N. for help in 2004.

The rapper was looking for someone to convince his label, Aggro Berlin, to let him out of the contract.

Mohamad N. introduced him to Abou-Chaker, a little later the two of them, himself and two other men, went to Aggro Berlin.

Judge Mrosk interrupts: "Very briefly, I am instructing you as a precaution." He points out to the witness that he does not have to tell anything that would put him in danger of being prosecuted.

Mohamad N. continues.

Not very detailed, but informative - and in clear contradiction to Bushido's presentation in court.

Bushido had emphasized in the process that only he and Arafat Abou-Chaker had gone to Aggro Berlin at the time. With Abou-Chaker's appearance there, Bushido justified why he had not defended himself against his alleged demands in the subsequent period. He was totally intimidated. He had seen how Abou-Chaker managed "all by himself" to force Aggro Berlin to sign. The rapper vehemently contradicted the portrayal of Aggro Berlin, according to which he and Abou-Chaker had come into the studio with about six people and a machete. "It's all bullshit," he said.

The version by Mohamad N. rather supports the portrayal of Aggro Berlin, even if he does not mention a machete and is not asked about it.

"Was there a beating in your presence?" Asks Judge Mrosk.

"There was actually no hit." The witness indicated a push.

It got "a bit loud", "then an agreement was reached," says Mohamad N. The termination agreement was signed.

"He wanted Arafat to cover his back"

As the witness portrays it, it was Bushido who then sought proximity to Arafat Abou-Chaker, not the other way around.

Abou-Chaker was rather skeptical.

"German hip hop was a bit embarrassing back then," explains the witness.

But Bushido did not give up.

"What did he promise himself from Mr. Abou-Chaker?" Asks the judge.

"He wanted Arafat to cover his back."

Mohamad N. mediated again. And at some point the three of them were sitting in a café in Kreuzberg. Bushido and Abou-Chaker had agreed on a collaboration, Abou-Chaker and Mohamad N. should jointly share in Bushido's income. The witness does not want to remember the specific figures. Maybe it was 50 percent for Bushido and 50 percent for Abou-Chaker and Mohamad N., but maybe also 70 or 60 percent for Bushido.

Mohamad N. claims to have received 1200 euros a month for two years from 2006 onwards.

At some point he realized that the two of them "earn much, much more money".

He still feels taken advantage of today.

"I'm very disappointed with Bushido," he says.

"I'm so angry." He was warned early on.

“He's the wrong fifty.

He is lying.

It destroys friendships, ”people would have told him.

He didn't listen to her.

He recognized too late that Bushido was a calculating person.

"He made a lot of promises that he didn't keep."

Abou-Chaker also lied to him, telling him they would get a lot of money straight away.

"I knew that wasn't true." That's when he broke off contact with him.

“Mr. Ferchichi was very happy.

Now he finally had Mr. Abou-Chaker to himself. "