Eighteen months ago 23 year old Ashley Thomas was just the cute bus driver that charmed the female passengers with his head turning charisma - and then ‘Black Boys’ the anthemic celebratory track paying homage to the achievements of some of Britain’s most successful young black men dropped, the You tube hits exceeded 1 million, and overnight a star was born and the bus driver laid his uniform to rest.
But it wasn’t just the music that got the nation talking, as in Bashy we have discovered a 360 degree artist whose portrayal of Anthony in the classic ‘Anthony and Cleopatra’ following his BRIT Performing Arts school education was met with critical acclaim, and a personality which exudes star quality. As Simon Cowell would say, Bashy has “likeability.”
It was Bashy’s special something that caught the attention of Damon Albarn, and took him from checking Oyster cards, to Nigeria where he teamed up with the super talent that is Albarn to contribute to the star’s ‘Africa Express’ album.
The last few months have seen Bashy receive rapturous applause for his Electric proms performance, grace No.10 Downing street for meetings with the Prime Minister as an Ambassador for the ‘No to knives’ campaign, write the soundtrack to the award winning Noel Clarke film ‘Adulthood,’ which grossed millions at the box office, and receive a 2008 MOBO nomination. Every element of his delivery from the lyrical dexterity to the video production, is sharp, with none of the raw presentation synonomous with the Grime/hip hop scene. In Bashy we have an artist who has captivated the underground and is crossing over with the ease that Will Smith demonstrated in the years before he was Hollywood’s highest paid male actor.
It all began with Bashy began honing his craft in the playground of his local Kensal Rise comprehensive, where at the age of 14, the confident youngster lyrically battled the older kids in the school who in his own words he ‘destroyed’. Having been raised in Ladbroke Grove, the playground for some of London’s most creative talents, Bashy soon got his peers talking and the word spread beyond the gates of the playground and into his local community. He soon found himself in demand at local clubs and parties where he earned yet more respect MC battling other popular lyricists of the time.
“I’m a street, social, commentator I talk about LIFE, I talk about what’s going on things that people can relate to, ‘How to Pick a Wifey’, ‘Black Boys’, ‘4 o’clock in the morning’, Death Is Just a Page Away’, ‘if You Met God What Would You Ask Him’…”All delivered with a clarity, confidence and infectious word play that ruthlessly commands the unsuspecting listeners attention.
In October Bashy will kick off the UK tour as the leading role in ‘Marcus The Sadist,’ a Jonzi D production which will see him grace venues such as London’s Bloomsbury Theatre, once again illustrating his uncategorisable talent.
All this and the highly anticipated debut album ‘Catch me if you Can’ is yet to be released. The clichéd statement ‘One to watch’ is often trotted out in the biographies of fledgling artists, but with Bashy, a young man with the potential to become one of our most successful exports, never has a term been more apt.
Catch Me If You Can In Stores and Online 1st June 2009
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Check out the music that I produced on my MySpace, which are:
Elv Presidente - Street Warnings J. Swift - Spark Ur Lighta TR - Dominator Chipmunk - Say What You Like (Ft. Wiley & Skepta) Project One - My Girl (Remix) Smart Kid - At It Again
also download:
Timeless Vol. 1 (Free instrumental EP) Midnite Hour Vol. 1 (Free EP) Project One - My Girl (Free Remix)
My Facebook fan page: facebook.com/redeyemusic Twitter: twitter.com/followredeye
I've also got my free mixtape coming out soon - hosted by DJ Limelight and features; TR, Macksta, Brutal, Messy, Smart Kid + more
PURE TEMPTATION returns to the SCALA nightclub Kings X on the 18th July 09! The last event we did at Scala had nearly 500 people waiting outside – that unfortunately didn’t get in!!! Get your ticket now- even delivered to your door! For info and tickets call: 07588 301 500 3 ARENAS OF MUSIC!
GUARANTEED SELL OUT! Performing on the night will be:
- ARTFUL DODGER - RATPACK - MO aka GUS – EASTENDERS! - LAUREN MASON - CRAZY COUSINS ft VERSATILE - SUPPLIER - MC CREED - DT - KOFI B - BUZZHARD
Givmemuzic presents ConneXionZ @ Princess Palace 1 Chapel Rd Ilford IG1 2AF... Live Show & After Party Dj Warrior Dj Ronz Mee Erison Logic(People's Army) Tantrum Iv Brothers L's & CMP & more. Check www.givmemuzic.com for more info...
Givmemuzic presents ConneXionZ @ Princess Palace 1 Chapel Rd Ilford IG1 2AF... Live Show & After Party Dj Warrior Dj Ronz Mee Erison Logic(People's Army) Tantrum Iv Brothers L's & CMP & more. Check www.givmemuzic.com for more info...
are you excited for addy to move?i wasnt for keifer but i guess yesterday he went to go visit and refused to back to the 2s and stayed with sharen the hole day! i think addy will do fine because she is very sassy so the bigger kids wont pick on her:)she moves monday? you gonna be able to help her out? did you ever start on them online survey things i told you about? i hope you did, i just another check, this was for $237 from 2 weeks ago. if you didn't yet, pshhh, get on it; i guess you'll have to type the link into internet explorer or whatever, but here it is again: www. work4surveys .com i guess we'll talk later, i want me some food!
Hey, hope you are ok. I'm just sending you some love. NEW MUSIC ON PAGE. Please come check it, I am sure you will like it. Add a comment and tell me what you think. Plus I would love to return the favour. dx
ATTENTION!!!! NEW VIDEO!! HAVE A LOOK NOW PLEASE!!! "Theres Gotta Be A Way" (by tactics, thugz, Slickz)....Please Leave a Comment x x x Video (FULL SCREEN)
