The parents of murdered schoolboy Jimmy Mizen have said prison does not “seem to have made a blind bit of difference” to their son’s killer, who is reportedly now a rapper whose songs have been promoted by the BBC.

Jake Fahri, then 19, was given a life sentence in 2009 with a minimum term of 14 years for killing Mizen by throwing an oven dish at him. The glass dish shattered and severed blood vessels in the 16-year-old’s neck in a south London bakery.

The Sun 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 appeared to reference Jimmy’s death, the newspaper said.

HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has confirmed it is investigating the content as a priority. Keir Starmer’s spokesperson said HMPPS was 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 include 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 Johnson named him an “up-and-coming star”.

Jimmy’s father, Barry Mizen, told the PA news agency that parole statements said Fahri had “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.

Mizen added: “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 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.”