Bashy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bashy
Thomas at the Adulthood premiere in 2008.
Born	Ashley Thomas (1985-02-04) 4 February 1985 (age 40) Hammersmith, London, England
Citizenship	United Kingdom
Education	BRIT School
Occupation	Actor rapper
Years active	2002–present
Musical career
Also known as	Bashy
Genres	Hip hop British Hip Hop Alternative Rap Grime
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2002–present

Ashley Thomas (born on 4 February 1985), also known by his stage name Bashy, is a well-known British actor and rapper. He is famous for his roles in TV shows like Top Boy and Them, and for his music, especially his song "Black Boys".

Early life and education

Ashley Thomas was born in Hammersmith, West London. His mother's family is from Jamaica, and his father's family is from Dominica. He went to St. Mary's of the Angels RC Primary School.

When he was 11, his family moved to Kensal Rise in northwest London. He attended Cardinal Hinsley High School, where he was very good at drama. After high school, Thomas joined the famous BRIT School for Performing Arts. He studied theatre there, which helped him become a great actor.

Before becoming a star, Ashley Thomas worked as a postman for the Royal Mail. He also worked as a London bus driver.

Music career

Ashley Thomas, as Bashy, started his music journey in 2007.

Songs with a message

In 2007, Bashy released a powerful song called "Black Boys". At the time, there were many news stories about violence in cities. Bashy wanted to show young people that there were many positive role models in their communities. He became a strong voice against knife crime, encouraging young people to choose a better path.

Film soundtracks and albums

In 2008, Bashy worked on the film Adulthood. The film's director, Noel Clarke, heard Bashy's music and was very impressed. He asked Bashy to create a song for the movie's soundtrack. Bashy wrote "Kidulthood to Adulthood," which became a popular track.

His first album, Catch Me If You Can, came out in June 2009. Music critics liked the album, saying it showed how hip hop music can be enjoyed all over the world.

In 2010, Bashy worked with the famous band Gorillaz on their song "White Flag." This song also featured UK rapper Kano and the Syrian National Orchestra for Arabic Music.

Bashy released his newest album, Being Poor Is Expensive, on 12 July 2024.

Acting career

Ashley Thomas started his acting career in 2010.

First film roles

His first role was as Rager in the British action film Shank. Later that year, he played Smoothy in the movie 4.3.2.1.. In April 2010, he also played Shylock from Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice for a BBC learning project.

TV and movie appearances

In 2011, Thomas appeared as Mental Mickey in Cockneys vs Zombies and Tyrone Jones in The Veteran. His first TV role was in the award-winning series Black Mirror in 2011. He played Judge Wraith in the episode "Fifteen Million Merits".

In 2012, he had a main role in The Man Inside. His next film, My Brother the Devil, won awards at the Sundance Film Festival and Berlin Film Festival.

From 2013 to 2019, he played Jermaine Newton in the popular series Top Boy. He also appeared in the BBC series The Interceptor in 2015 and the fantasy drama Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands in 2016.

Major TV roles

In 2016, Ashley Thomas joined the cast of the HBO series The Night Of. He also played Isaac Carter in the TV show 24: Legacy. In 2018, he appeared in the legal drama The Good Fight.

In 2019, he was cast in the Amazon Prime series Them. His performance in Them earned him a nomination for an Independent Spirit Award. He has continued to appear in many TV shows, including The Ipcress File (2022), Great Expectations (2023), and Black Cake (2023).

Discography

Studio albums

Mixtapes and EPs

• Ur Mum Vol One (2005)
• The Chupa Chups Mixtape (2007)
• Bashy.com (2008)
• The Fantasy Mixtape (2010)
• The Crunchie Mixtape (2011)
• The Great Escape EP (2012)
• Mixtape Legend compilation (2013)

Singles and music videos

Guest appearances

• "Clones" – 2006 (by Akira the Don)
• "Time Is Right Remix" – 2009 (by Frisco, also featuring Jme and Black the Ripper)
• "She Likes To" (England Top 10) – 2009 (by Wiley)
• "White Flag" from Plastic Beach – 2010 (by Gorillaz, also featuring Kano)
• "Dead Butterflies" – Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez (by Gorillaz, also featuring Kano and Roxani Arias)
• "4,3,2,1" – 4.3.2.1 OST (Bashy featuring Paloma Faith and Adam Deacon)
• "It's All Love" (Remix) – 2012 (by Scorcher, also featuring Talay Riley, Kano and Wretch 32)
• "Bad Boys Don't Cry" – 2013 (by Loick Essien)

Filmography

Film roles

Television roles

Awards and nominations