Bashy

Born and raised in West London, the rapper Bashy made a highly anticipated return to music in 2024 with the release of a brand new studio album titled Being Poor Is Expensive. Produced by Toddla T and Bashy, with additional production by Benji B, PRGSHN and Aaron Levy, it is an 11-track tribute to coming of age in Bashy’s corner of North West London, a breath-taking portrait of the roads, homes, trials and tribulations that shaped his generation.

The new record saw Bashy nominated in three categories at this year’s MOBO Awards in Newcastle, taking home Best Hip Hop Act as well as the night’s top prize, Album of the Year. Bashy has also been nominated in the Best Contemporary Song category at The Ivors 2025, which will recognise and celebrate exceptional achievements in songwriting across eight categories at the annual award ceremony in London on 22nd May.

Perhaps best known to some as Ashley Thomas - actor and star of critically acclaimed series THEM, 24, The Night Of, Great Expectations, Black Cake and global British hit Top Boy - Bashy was already a fixture on the UK’s emerging Grime scene by his late teens. Focused, ambitious, confident and funny, with a unique voice and singular message, 2007’s highly successful release of The Chupa Chups Mixtape quickly set him apart as one of the most talented and exciting MCs to come out of London. Seminal track Black Boys (2007) became an instant classic with its insightful look at Black role models within the community.

Sonically, Being Poor is Expensive pulls on a distinctly British-Caribbean soundscape which folds in genres, artists and songs which shaped Bashy, with nods to icons such as Gabrielle and Spragga Benz; samples from MJ Cole to Wookie, Dave and legendary British Reggae group Aswad, as well as North West London artists Gappy Ranks and Tubby T. Being Poor is Expensive is an era-defining album that combines a rich cultural and musical heritage, reality and history into a bold, uncompromising record, a musically rich Black British origin story, from one of the country’s most skilled and respected rappers.