The man behind the certified classics Cockney Translation and Police Officer dies aged 47 during drugs raid on his home.
Smiley Culture, was one of the original members of the legendary Saxon Soundsystem that also produced such luminaries as Maxi Priest, Papa Levi, and Tippa Irie. Although Smiley only really had two records that made much of a splash commercially, what a pair of tunes they are. 'Cockney Translation' a tongue in cheek guide to cockney rhyming slang for Jamaicans and the equally silly 'Police Officer' about being pulled over by the police and let go on account of being Smiley Culture. Both sound as good today as they did then and it's amazing to think that he was on Top of The Pops in the '80s with a song littered with references to ganja.
This time, however, it looks like he wasn't so lucky when the police raided his home today. Smiley, real name David Emmanuel, is alleged to have died from self inflicted wounds in his kitchen after the raid on his house in Warlingham, Surrey, that also saw other suspects arrested. An internal enquiry has been launched at the request of Scotland Yard themselves so while it remains to be seen what the actual facts of this tragic end to one of the UKs best loved reggae artists are, it's not surprising that one of his most quoted lyrics on twitter today has been: "cockney say 'Old Bill', we say dutty Babylon!"
As his pop career diminished he turned to acting briefly and enjoyed a cameo appearance in the film Absolute Beginners. But after relative anonymity it was first last years revelation of his ownership of a diamond mine in Grenada and then being charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine in September last year that saw him back in public conciousness.
We at Spoonfed salute a true legend of UK music, a giant of soundsystem culture, whose relatively small backcatalogue belies the massive influence he had on a generation. Our best wishes go out to his friends and family at this difficult time.
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