Ashley Thomas AKA Bashy is at the pinnacle of a new wave of fresh British inner city musical talent that's emerged over the last few years. This 23 year old north west London resident, has, in his virgining career, created a phenomenal impact in the streets that's begun to knock aggressively on the door of the wider mainstream industry at large. All of this has been created
with the release of just two independent mixtapes, 'Ur Mum Volume One' & 'The Chupa Chups Mixtape – Assorted Flavours'. Both where released independently, the second by Bashy himself, and sold significant numbers through just simple hand-to-hand means.
So where did it all start? Well his lyrical sparing fist began in the playground of his local Kensal Rise comprehensive, where at the age of 14, the confident youngster battled the kids in the school who in his own words he 'destroyed'. This soon got 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 stripes battling other hood hero's of the time.Word continued to spread and soon reached Major Ace, a member of one of Grime's forbearing groups Pay as You Go, who gave Bashy his number and told him to call him.
Soon after he he was making the long trip across the capital to East London joining the vibrant pirate scene that was erupting at that time. From that point he began to build a name broadcasting his talents across the airwaves alongside other then lesser known talents such as Kano, Dizzee Rascal, Dirty Goodz, Wiley & More Fire. Soon after he found himself in the booth recording what would soon become 'Ur Mum Volume One'.
2007 ended with a huge bang for Bashy as he unleashed the mammoth 'Black Boys' single onto the world! This really caught the imagination of a nation in turmoil. With reports of shootings and stabbing popping up, on what seemed to be every other news bulleting and with the media continually focusing on the lack of role models in certain communities, it felt that the nations inner city youth needed a reminder that they had a number of positive figureheads they could look to. He also had the theme song to 2008's BIGGEST british movie of year 'Adulthood', entitled 'Kidulthood to Adulthood.'
Bashy's highly anticipated album 'Catch Me If You Can' is due for release in 2009!
