Prison failed for rapper who reportedly glorified murdering boy, family say

Prison rehabilitation does not “seem to have made a blind bit of difference” to a BBC-promoted rapper who reportedly glorified murdering a schoolboy, the child’s father has said.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is “deeply concerned at the situation” and “the significant additional stress that this will have caused to the family”, his official spokesman has said.

Jake Fahri, then 19, was given a life sentence in 2009 with a minimum term of 14 years for killing schoolboy Jimmy Mizen by throwing an oven dish at him.

The glass dish shattered and severed blood vessels in 16-year-old Jimmy’s neck in a south London bakery on May 10 2008. Witnesses reported seeing Fahri swaggering from the shop with a smile.

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The Sun newspaper has claimed that Fahri, now 35 and no longer in prison, is masked drill artist TEN who was showcased on BBC 1Xtra, with DJ Theo Johnson saying he “really stands out”.

In one of TEN’s tracks available on Spotify and YouTube, the balaclava-clad rapper appears to reference Jimmy’s death, the newspaper said.

HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has confirmed it is investigating the content as a priority.

Sir Keir’s spokesman said HMPPS is right to do so, and added: “When it comes to the BBC, obviously they are independent of Government, they make their own editorial decisions.

“But the BBC, I think the public would rightly expect given their unique responsibilities to the public, that they would take complaints and any allegations like these seriously.”

TEN’s lyrics included the lines: “Stuck it on a man and watched him melt like Ben and Jerry’s. Sharpen up my blade I’ve got to keep those necessary.

“Stay alert and kept it ready, any corner could be deadly. Judge took a look at me, before the trial even started he already knows he’s gonna throw the book at me.”

Another track says: “See a man’s soul fly from his eyes and his breath gone.”

It adds: “I wanted more, it made it less wrong. Seeing blood spilled same floor he was left on.”

Fahri was released on licence in June 2023 and his music was played on BBC 1Xtra less than 18 months later, the Sun reported, adding that DJ Theo Johnson named him an “up-and-coming star”.

Jimmy’s father, Barry Mizen, told the PA news agency that parole statements said Fahri has “done all the programmes” but that “doesn’t seem to have made a blind bit of difference”.

“I think it does strike quite a few questions about the whole (prison) system – what’s the point, you know?”

The family believed Fahri started and finished his sentence as a Category A prisoner, which is the highest security level.

They had expected he would have gone to lower security facilities before release.

However, it is understood that Fahri was released from a Category C prison.

Mr Mizen told PA: “I think there’s some questions there certainly for the parole board.

“We hope they’ve made the right decision, only time will tell, and perhaps they haven’t made the right decision.”

The family have spoken in many prisons over the years and Mr Mizen said: “A lot of people (say) I’ll do that course, I’ll do that course – I’ve all done all these courses, you can now let me out.

“You just wonder, absolutely the courses should carry on, but… how much manipulation is there of that whole thing by people in prison?

“If you’ve done 15 years in prison and nothing has changed – and it appears nothing has changed (in Fahri’s case) – then we’ve got to consider what is the point of this? Is this something that needs to be looked at again?”

Mr Mizen added: “There is definitely remorse from what we’ve seen in some of the people we’ve spoken to (in prisons), but perhaps it just doesn’t apply in Fahri’s case.”

Jimmy was the second youngest of nine siblings. Mr Mizen said the family are not concerned about threats of violence but are worried about “just how much more can happen” after a child is murdered.

He and Jimmy’s mother, Margaret Mizen, made headlines for their positivity in the wake of the murder.

Mr Mizen said their message stands: “Margaret is talking in a school tomorrow, and the message will be forgiveness, peace and hope.

“Of course it matters, of course we’ve been hurt, but it’s a way of trying to manage the pain in our lives.

“This is pragmatic, if you like, so I’ve got no desire to attack Fahri at all – that hasn’t changed whatsoever.”

Mr Mizen went on to criticise the BBC for failing to properly check TEN’s music.

He said: “At the very least you think you’d listen to the content?

“This shouldn’t have happened. Images and reputations are built up. The bottom line is, this is someone promoting violence, and that can’t be right.”

Shadow safeguarding minister Alicia Kearns said on X, formerly Twitter, that it is “extraordinary the BBC doesn’t vet people wearing balaclavas”.

She asked: “How much has he profited thanks to the BBC promoting his music which glorifies murder?”

The BBC said in a statement: “This individual does not feature on any BBC playlists, we have never played – as we pointed out to the Sun – the lyrics they have printed.

“He’s had two other tracks played twice. 1Xtra has no further plans to play his music, we were not aware of his background and we in no way condone his actions.”

HMPPS said of TEN’s lyrics: “We are aware of this content and are investigating it as a priority.

“We take any material that could glorify violence or distress victims extremely seriously.”