Smiley Culture has died during a police drugs raid on his home. He is reported to have died from self-inflicted wounds when officers swooped on his home in east Surrey, looking for cocaine. The 48-year-old deejay is alleged to have requested to make a cup of tea before being taken in for questioning and then, while in the kitchen, stabbed himself fatally in the chest. He did have form; last September he had appeared before magistrates charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine though this news has come as a shock to most people.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission watchdog has been called in to investigate. The circumstances of Smiley's death in police custody “leaves Surrey Police with a lot of questions to answer,” blogged former Mayor of London’s Director for Policing and Equalities Lee Jasper. ''Surely Smiley was handcuffed as in normal practice during any raid to prevent the suspect disposing of evidence, harming officers or him. How is it that he managed to stab himself in handcuffs? Secondly how did he get hold of a knife when surrounded by police officers? He would have been closely monitored and guarded by police officers and an officer would have supervised his every move. Thirdly how is it, if we accept he did stab himself (and I have severe doubts about that) how is it he is surrounded by officers and yet they could not prevent him from doing so?” It will be interesting to see what, if anything, comes of this inquiry.
Smiley Culture came out of the mighty Saxon sound system and Fashion label at the start of the 80s, alongside man like Papa Levi, Asher Senator, Tippa Irie and Daddy Colonel, and was an originator of the cockney fast chat style. He was the first British MC to get recognition for toasting in a British accent with his UK reggae hit Cockney Translation on the Real Rock. His 1984 pop chart success Police Officer was an tongue-in-cheek autobiographical tune about his getting caught in possession of sensi but let off when the bobby realised just who he was. It was great to hear dancehall (and the Answer riddim) on the telly and everywhere. It came with a crucial video too! Tippa Irie followed up Smiley's breakthrough with some chart success though mainstream interest in UK dancehall proved to be short-lived and little has been heard from Smiley Culture on record since the mid-80s (he was MC for various other sound systems - Buchanan, Black Harmony, Frontline & Coxsone Outernational). Smiley and the Saxon posse are rightly credited, however, with being among the most influential originators of the UK urban music scene and Smiley Culture's tunes are well remembered.
Yet another reason to demonstrate against this oppressive shitstem.
ReplyDeletewhy march in peace when the oppressors are armed, mad and dangerous and trying their very best to criminalise & degrade the poor , subversive and underclasses.
get out and rebel