The video from Elams, a rapper from Marseille, shows convicts in a prison in southern France exercising, smoking and in some cases wearing T-shirts to promote his new album.
The clip is for his single "Pretoire" (Court) and appears to have been shot on a mobile phone.
Writing on YouTube, where it has been viewed around 140,000 times, Elams urged fans to share it on social media "before it gets banned".
They "perhaps don't want other people to know they are in prison," regional prison director Pierre Raffin told AFP while complaining that mobile phones were getting more and more difficult to detect.
"Disciplinary measures will be taken against detainees who were seen playing along with the game," Raffin added. "An internal enquiry is under way and we'll pass the results on to the prosecutor's office."
Elams released a video address to his fans from prison in September last year in which he talked about his sentence over a car chase in the southern port city of Marseille in 2014.
"I'm not proud of being here," he said.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
