French rapper MHD has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for the 2018 killing of a young man in Paris, who crashed a car before being attacked by a mob and stabbed.

Five of the other defendants were also jailed for the killing, receiving sentences ranging from 10 to 18 years in what prosecutors said was a fight between rival gangs.

During MHD's final statement in court, he again said he was innocent. "From the beginning, I have maintained my innocence in this case and will continue to maintain my innocence," he told the court.

On the night of July 5, 2018, 23-year-old Loic K was run over by a black Mercedes and then beaten and stabbed by about a dozen people in Paris.

MHD, whose real name is Mohamed Sylla, denied being at the scene, but a local resident filmed the incident from his window and the Mercedes car belonged to MHD. The car was found abandoned and burned in a parking lot the day after the murder.

Other witnesses identified MHD by his haircut or a Puma sweatshirt — for which he was a brand ambassador — according to investigative reports obtained by Agence France-Presse.

MHD pioneered afro-trap - a blend of hip hop traditions with African rhythms. He is best known for "Afro Trap Part 3 (Champions League)", a song for the Paris Saint-Germain football club.

He had made a splash abroad, drawing admiration from global stars such as Drake and Madonna.