Ashley Thomas, born 4 February 1985 in Chiswick, London, is a British rapper and songwriter known professionally as Bashy. He began rapping in the late 2000s, releasing the mixtape The Chupa Chups Mixtape in 2008, followed by the EP Bashy.com the same year, which established his presence on pirate radio and underground circuits. In 2009 he issued his debut studio album Catch Me If You Can, which earned a MOBO nomination for Album of the Year that same year. Bashy followed with the single "When the Sky Falls" in 2010 and "Fantasy" in 2010, both receiving airplay on UK urban stations. The 2012 single "Grim" and the 2013 track "These Are the Songs" continued his chart presence. After a hiatus focused on acting, Bashy returned to music with Being Poor Is Expensive released on 12 July 2024; the album won the 2025 MOBO Award for Album of the Year and Bashy secured the MOBO Award for Best Hip Hop Act that same year. His collaboration on "White Flag" with Gorillaz in 2010 remains a notable crossover, and his single "How Black Men Lose Their Smile" received an Ivor Novello nomination for Best Contemporary Song. Bashy’s career reflects consistent output across albums, singles, and high‑profile collaborations within the UK rap scene.
