UK dancehall MC Smiley Culture, born David Emmanuel in 1960s south London, has died in his Surrey home following a police raid aged 47.
His was a style that predicted the lingo-clash of assimilated black London MCs such as Roots Manuva and Dizzee Rascal. He was best known for his two hits, ‘Cockney Translation’ and (the now horribly ironically-titled) ‘Police Officer’, which famously smuggled fabric-of-nation-exploding words such as "sensimilia" and "ganja" onto BBC airwaves, hiding them from the ears of besuited folk using the speed and thickness of his delivery.
According to The Voice, a spokesman for the Independent Police Complaints Commission confirmed they were now investigating a "death following police contact". He was due to face trial after being charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine last September.
His last notable media appearance was back at the Beeb – he featured in its recent Reggae Britannia documentary.
