For many who were growing up in the early 1980s, one or two songs of Smiley Culture (David Emmanuel) were part of the general soundtrack.
In his Police Officer (1984), Smiley Culture captured exactly the sneering arrogance of those who exercise the coercive power of the state without any practical accountability.
It is well worth watching.
.
The exchange at 1:58 to 2:20 of the video conveys the attitude of the police in being able to subject citizens to their power without the citizens being able to answer back.
The lyrics to that segment are:
"Well, Wha wha wha what's your name then son?"
"My name Smiley Culture."
"Yeah, Where do you think you're coming from lad?"
"From seeing me mother."
"What's the registration number of the car then?"
"I can't remember."
"What you got in the boot then son?"
"A cassette recorder.
Would you like to have a look?"
"Shut your bloody mouth.
We ask.
You answer.
Now take the keys out of the car and step out of the motor.
Me and my colleagues have got a few questions to ask ya.
You'll be on your way as soon as we get an answer."
Until the middle of this month, however, Smiley Culture was just another voice of the 1980s, though one which (for me) was playing in the back of my mind whenever I wrote about police brutality and misconduct.
I had no idea what had happened to him: whether he was still with us or not, whether he was now a businessman or - indeed - a police officer.
And then news came of his death.
But it was not a commonplace death.
In fact, he died during a police raid.
We are told that he died from a single stab wound during that police raid.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission are now investigating the circumstances of the death of Smiley Culture.
Of course, one should not prejudge the investigation.
However, I cannot help but think of the attitude expressed by "Shut your bloody mouth./ We ask./ You answer" whenever there is any investigation of any possible police conduct, especially of a suspicious death in police custody.
Rest in peace, Smiley Culture.
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16 comments:
What gets me about that is how "celebrity culture" even back then got him off the hook, read the lyrics again, the last verse! he got away with having to sign a couple of autographs.
Get real,
That part of it was a lyric - a song, not real life.
It's called 'irony'.
Rest in everlasting Peace Smiley, and let the Most High's will be done. ☥
I'm finding it almost impossible to respond to this in anything other than an emotional, frustrated & angry way, so I'll just say: wonderful song, great video, excellent blog. We need to follow this case closely. RIP Smiley Culture.
Not sure what your point is, David.
Clearly something unusual and unfortunate happened during the raid, and this certainly merits an inquiry.
Also, there is ample evidence of a minority of police officers who believe they are above the law.
But I've never heard of a suspect being stabbed by a police officer, and I don't believe you think this is what happened either.
So perhaps you could give us a bit more of a clue why you wrote a post conflating the ideas of police accountability and Smiley Culture's death. I am genuinely interested what you think happened in that flat.
The police complaints system is notoriously favourable to the Police being investigated. To think of the Police complaints as being Independent is to ignore the fact that 90% of senior investigators are ex police and 60% of Investigators.
Take a look at the following videos of another unlawful police entry. During which the police threaten to smash a glass panelled door in the face of the homeowner. (threat of GBH) What did the officers eventually get in terms of punishment from the IPCC? retraining on their powers of entry......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx0rFqidrAI [part 1]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2CTDsnH2R4 [part 2]
I hear that that Smiley Culture's family have stated they will be doing their own investigation, they'll be more likely to get a better outcome than rely on the narrative they can expect from the IPCC. What happened to Smiley Culture is bizarre in the extreme and despite this the same old practice of allowing police to confer goes on, shameful.
Not up to your usual standard of blogging, this, is it?
You are quite right, we don't know yet what went on, the IPCC is investigating, and the family seem determined to turn the whe thing into another rabble-rousing circus with the assigning of Lee Jasper to the 'cause'.
So having a pop at the history of the police seems beneath you.
Seeing as the song is about not wanting to be breathalised, I guess the driver is aware that he may well fail the test. Don't know about you but I dislike drink drivers far more than arrogant coppers.
Dave the rave
When I saw the title of this blog I assumed it was a comment on the likely decline in the use of emoticons in the wake of the recent induction of LOL, OMG etc to the OED.
Clearly my knowledge of early 80s protest reggae needs some work.
I think you're making something out of nothing here. If you ignore the fame, the story is pretty much just an alleged coke-dealer dieing in a police raid. It's certainly worthy of investigation, but there's no reason to suspect foul play by the police.
dieing in a police raid... no reason to suspect foul play by the police.
I find this logic bizarre in the extreme. Are you suggesting that he was going to die anyway, and it's just unfortunate timing by the police?
I'm sure he was a lovely man but let's not forget he was on bail for a very serious offence. In my experience drug dealers are often users as well which makes them unpredictable.The police were probably letting him walk round the house unrestrained and he took his chance.If guilty he would have got a long sentence,perhaps that's what was on his mind?
Jaded
For those of you who wants to know what the family of Smiley Culture has said both at the Press Conference and the Public Meeting. Goto WWW.USTREAM.TV and search for LCPTV then look under NEWS.
Bless,
Kwame.
LCPTV
I don't think many people who have raised concerns about this believe that he was simply stabbed by a police officer. But that doesn't mean that the police weren't at fault. Even if the account given so far is true there was a colossal failure in their duty of care. But there are various other questions and possibilities - why was he allowed to wander off to make a cup of tea (hardly normal practice during a drugs raid)? What happened between the police and him, was there some kind of scuffle in which he was fatally injured? What kind of first aid was administered, how soon was an ambulance called? What was the basis of the police raid? Let's also not forget 'Jaded' that he had not been convicted of an offence, merely charged. We will now never know whether there was enough evidence for a jury to find him guilty but we shouldn't assume that it's a foregone conclusion.
As far as I am concerned, the duty of the police, in this case, is to stop illegal drugs dealers dealing in illegal drugs. I can't see the point of an investigation, because without a single fact being confirmed, it's already been decided that it was the police's fault.
I opened this because I thought it was going to be about emoticon usage. I'm too young for this.
As you were.
Sally.
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