Released Music
The first breakthrough record and Smith’s biggest hit to date was a track entitled "Donnie’s Lament", better known as the "Mad World Remix" due to its extensive sampling of that year’s Christmas number one "Mad World", performed by Gary Jules, originally by Tears for Fears. Smith's version had a level of mainstream airplay unusual for UK Rap at the time, being championed by Jo Wiley and Jonathon Ross among others. Some commentators have argued that the song helped raise awareness of the genre as a whole and earmarked a new wave of British rap artists.
The song also provided a cameo to a sixteen-year-old rapper named Lowkey, who today is cited as one of the most politically influential rappers in the UK, Europe, America and particularly the Middle East, where his tireless campaigning for Palestinian rights amongst others has been lauded by many. On the back of the track's small success, Smith released three full length offerings: Citizen Smith Volume One, The Document and Citizen Smith Volume Two. It was during his work with the producer Mark Ronson that he was inspired to create the album Another Way, which features no samples and mostly live studio music. Having moved into stand up, then television and film, the album is as yet unreleased and has built a cult status among fans, many of whom have dubbed Another Way "the farewell album".
In July 2011, a short film was released to accompany the song "Blighty", a song from the unreleased LP. The film features an interview with Smith at the end credits, in which he describes the film as an open project for young people to interpret his lyrics visually. The film was directed by photographer Kwame Lestrade and shot with the aid of various young people as part of a lottery funded youth project.
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“Justice has its anger, my lord Bishop, and the wrath of justice is an element of progress. Whatever else may be said of it, the French Revolution was the greatest step forward by mankind since the coming of Christ. It was unfinished, I agree, but still it was sublime. It released the untapped springs of society; it softened hearts, appeased, tranquilized, enlightened, and set flowing through the world the tides of civilization. It was good. The French Revolution was the anointing of humanity.”
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—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)