The Ministry of Justice has opened an investigation into convicted murderer Jake Fahri, after reports lyrics in his drill music referenced the 2008 death of Jimmy Mizen.
The teenager’s father told Sky News he was “stunned into silence” after being told about Fahri’s music.
The day after he turned 16, Jimmy bled to death in a bakery in southeast London, after Fahri threw an oven dish at him.
The dish shattered on his chin and severed an artery in the schoolboy’s neck.
Fahri, then 19, was jailed in 2009 for life with a minimum term of 14 years for Jimmy’s murder. He was released on license in June 2023.
The Sun newspaper has reported that the 35-year-old is drill rap artist TEN, who conceals his identity with a balaclava.
His music often features violent themes, and he appears to reference Jimmy’s death in one song.
Its lyrics talk about “sharpening” a blade and say: “Judge took a look at me, before the trial even started he already knows he’s gonna throw the book at me.”
Another track includes the lines: “See a man’s soul fly from his eyes and his breath gone… I wanted more, it made it less wrong. Seeing blood spilled same floor he was left on.”
A spokesperson for HM Prison and Probation Service told Sky News: “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.”
Jimmy’s father Barry told Sky News he and his wife Margaret were “stunned into silence” when they were told about Fahri’s music.
“We were upset and very concerned for the rest of our family,” he said.
The couple founded the Mizen Foundation after their son’s death. The charity helps young people in London who are escaping violence.
Mr Mizen told Sky News: “The original loss of Jimmy [and the] determination that it wasn’t going to do any more damage – it’s done enough damage to our family – that’s been the guiding principle since then.
“So this won’t knock us off our message of forgiveness, peace and hope and we’ll carry on doing that.”
But Mr Mizen says Fahri’s drill lyrics have also raised questions for the Ministry of Justice.
“I think it’s raised a few issues – what is our prison system supposed to be achieving?
“Saying that, over the years, we’ve visited prisons, we’ve spoken with convicted murderers, we have seen a lot of remorse.
“Unfortunately this doesn’t seem to be coming from my son’s killer,” he said.
“The Ministry of Justice was made aware of Jake Fahri’s actions. Their first port of call should have been straight to us so there were no surprises. I shouldn’t have heard from a news agency first,” Mr Mizen added.
Follow our channel and never miss an update
“I think now they’ve [the MoJ] got to determine has he broken his licence conditions – he probably hasn’t. You know, if the guy wants to sing, sing away. If he gets a career singing, by all means.
“But when you put the content out there that he is putting out, that should not be going anywhere near any mainstream outlets.”
Sky News approached the MoJ for a response to Mr Mizen’s comments, but they declined to comment further.
