- Wed, 2008-06-04 11:16
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 on 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.
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.
Bashy’s highly anticipated album ’Catch Me If You Can’ is due for release in the summer ’08. We caught up with Bashy to chat about making tunes, the internet and what he is listening to right now.
"I Like Music because… it is my air and without it, I would die!” Bashy
ILM : Your new album and dvd box set Blackboys Collectors Edition Pack is out now. Can you give us an insight to what we can expect from it?
Bashy : The new album will be finished as soon as I think its completed, with all the elements needed! I had an earlier date before but I've been experiencing loads of new thing and travelling so I want to put my new influences into my music...There's no rush for the album. The Black Boys Collectors Edition Pack is a groundbreaking project involving the industry's top artists expressing their views about being a black boy.
ILM : Of all the tracks on the album, which one did you have the most fun laying down?
Bashy : Well so far it has been a track called Living my Dream cos its just toooooooo Real. I almost cried when I wrote it!
ILM : Can you describe the Bashy process of writing and recording such good music?
Bashy : My process is Nuts, there are times when I write non stop and other times when I don't write for months & just live. My music is a mirror image of my life, so I think the reason for it being good is because it's real! It's me! I talk about stuff that people can relate to.
ILM : Loads of people are using the internet these days and getting their music out there, before even getting a record deal. How has the internet affected you and your music?
Bashy : It has been Essential. You can't survive without it in the current climate. Myspace & facebook are nuts. Youtube.com is mad I received over half a million hits for the Black Boys Video. You can't beat that kind of free exposure.
ILM : You've been in the game for a while. Have you got any advice for others looking to come into the music industry?
Bashy : Stay Focused on YOUR LIFE! Don't watch what others have, just do you!
ILM : What are the future plans for Bashy?
Bashy : Everything my potential indicates.
ILM : Can you describe your favourite place on Earth?
Bashy : Wow! I don't know....It would definately be somewhere in Africa. The motherland is beautiful!
ILM : What's in your CD player right now?
Bashy : I'm still listening to Lupe Fiasco's The Cool because it's fire. Also Nolay's mixtape is getting spun 'No Comparisons'.
Some more info about Bashy,
You may have already heard, but everyone’s favorite black boy Bashy has not only had his track ‘Kidulthood to Adulthood’, chosen as the lead track for the new film, he also acted as music supervisor for the entire soundtrack!
Adulthood is the follow up to 2006’s highly acclaimed Kidulthood – written, starring and directed by Noel Clark.
Bashy, or Ashley Thomas, met director Noel Clarke after Noel picked up his ‘Chupa Chups Mixtape’ and was surprised to hear that the tracks contained sampled quotes from the first Kidulthood film. Noel then asked Bashy if he was interested in submitting a track for this developing sequel. The response was positive and Bashy was eager to share this opportunity and saw a chance to shine the spotlight over the prolific underground scene and illuminate the profile of other artists and performers.
