Probe Launched After BBC-Promoted Rapper Identified as Schoolboy’s Killer
An investigation is underway after rapper Jake Fahri, linked to a schoolboy’s murder, was promoted by the BBC.
Jake Fahri, Jimmy Mizen, BBC, South London, Drill Music
London: So, there’s this wild story about a rapper named Jake Fahri, right? He’s been unmasked as the guy who killed a schoolboy named Jimmy Mizen back in 2008. Can you believe it? The investigation kicked off after it turned out that Fahri, who goes by the name TEN, was getting some airtime on BBC Radio 1Xtra.
Fahri, now 35, has been making drill music that talks about violence, and some of his lyrics even seem to reference Jimmy’s tragic death. It’s pretty shocking. In one of his songs, he raps about a man melting like ice cream, which is just chilling when you think about it.
Jimmy was just 16 when he was killed in a bakery in south London. Fahri threw a glass dish that ended up severing an artery in Jimmy’s neck. He was sentenced to life in prison but got out on license earlier this year. Now, he’s back in the spotlight, and not in a good way.
Jimmy’s mom, Margaret, who’s done a lot of work to help young people avoid violence, said she was really saddened by this news. She’s all about spreading messages of forgiveness and hope, and it’s tough to see someone like Fahri getting attention for his music.
There’s been a lot of backlash, too. Tory justice minister Robert Jenrick is calling for the BBC to apologize to the Mizen family. He’s saying it’s outrageous that the BBC is promoting music from a convicted murderer. And he’s right; it’s a bit of a mess.
The BBC claims they didn’t know who TEN really was and that they have strict guidelines about the music they play. But still, it raises questions about how they vet artists. It’s a tough situation, especially with young listeners who might look up to these figures.
Fahri’s been living in Deptford since his release, and he’s got a tag on his ankle, following a curfew. He’s not allowed to go back to Lewisham, where the Mizen family still lives. It’s just a sad reminder of how some people can profit from their past actions, and it’s really got people talking.