Rapper Franke Jax No Mad, whose real name is Baraka Njenga, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement earlier this month.
The rapper’s partner, Bailey, shared a joint post on the rapper’s Instagram account announcing his detainment as well as a fundraiser to support him.
“It is with a heavy heart that I share that on May 14th around 1:30 pm, Baraka was detained by ICE,” wrote Bailey. “We were heading out of his apartment to get groceries when two unmarked cars swarmed my car and blocked us in and took Baraka.”
“Navigating this situation has already been confusing, traumatic, and stressful. Baraka has been moved from Portland to Tacoma and is still in the process of waiting to talk with a lawyer and speak with a judge,” Bailey continued. “While we wait to get more information, I’ll be taking on the responsibility of taking care of Baraka’s cat Nusu and taking care of his apartment and bills, on top of my own. I’ll also be helping him stay connected and updating him on all progress made outside, making regular visits to go see him and helping others visit him, and coordinating any and all resources.”
In a separate post, Frankie Jax No Mad’s partner announced that he would like for character reference letters to be sent for use in court. In the same post, Bailey confirmed that the rapper has a lawyer. Per ICE records, the rapper is being held in the Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC) in Tacoma, Washington. For more information about longstanding concerns over conditions in that facility, click here.
Writer Rhys Langston of Passion of the Weiss added more details about Frankie Jax No Mad’s detainment, writing that when he left his apartment for groceries, cars blocked him in when “masked men burst from their vehicles on either side and immediately began yelling for Baraka to exit or face a smashed window.”
According to his Spotify profile, Frankie Jax No Mad is a Nairobi native from Kenya. He currently lives in Los Angeles, where he’s been a part of the underground rap scene for 11 years. He previously lived in Portland, Oregon.
