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MC Smiley Culture RIP
Tim Burrows , March 15th, 2011 13:50

MC dies after police raid

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.