| Ashley Walters | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Asher D |
| Born | 30 June 1982 |
| Origin | Peckham, London, England |
| Genres | UK garage, grime, hip hop |
| Occupations | Rapper, musician, actor |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Associated acts | So Solid Crew, Mutya Buena |
Ashley Walters (born 30 June 1982), also known as Asher D, is an English rapper, musician and actor.
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He was born in Peckham, London and raised by his mother, Pamela Case, a local government officer.[1] He attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School, in London, from the age of 6. After graduating from the Sylivia Young Theatre School, Walters starred in some of the more popular stage productions at the time.
He has two sons and two daughters with partner Natalie.[2]
Musically, he is best known as Asher D in the group So Solid Crew. He enjoyed relative success as a lyricist, particularly for their number 1 hit "21 Seconds". After the group split, he went on to focus on other projects, most recently 2006's In Memory of the Street Fighter, featuring the single "Andrea".
Asher D released a studio album in 2008 on AD82 records, entitled The Appetiser, a twelve track affair produced by both Asher D and Laurence Ezra.
With Dewi Bruce Konuah, he co-owns a production company, AD82 Productions, specialising in talent in the British music and film industries.
Following an argument with a traffic warden in July 2001, he was found to be carrying a loaded Brocock air pistol modified to fire live ammunition. He was arrested and, in 2002, jailed for eighteen months, in a young offenders' institute. Having spent the previous nine months in custody, he subsequently served an additional nine months to complete his sentence.[3][4]
Asher D is also an actor, appearing under his full name, Ashley Walters. He appeared in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles at age 10 and Grange Hill at age 14 (in the role of "Andy"). He appeared in Bullet Boy, where he played Ricky who just came out of jail to start a new life/role, and was named Best Newcomer for the role, at the British Independent Film Awards. He also appeared in Get Rich or Die Tryin' alongside rapper 50 Cent.
He played the role of "Wolf" in film Stormbreaker, and "Danny" in the film Life and Lyrics from which he has received many plaudits. He has filmed WΔZ, alongside Selma Blair and Melissa George, and Sugarhouse Lane. He played Lacey in the BBC Three drama pilot West 10 LDN.
Walters appeared in six episodes of the fourth series of BBC TV drama Hustle, playing the character Billy Bond.
One Flew In (18 April 2007) - Billy Bond
Signing Up to Wealth (25 April 2007) - Billy Bond Getting Even (2 May 2007) - Billy Bond A Designers Paradise (9 May 2007) - Billy Bond Conning the Artists (16 May 2007) - Billy Bond Big Daddy Calling (23 May 2007) - Billy Bond
MTV series Top Buzzer and played the role of "Al B" in the 2006 production House of 9 alongside Dennis Hopper.
Walters has appeared on stage at the National Theatre in Roy William's Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads[5] and the Royal Court Theatre in Levi David Addai's Oxford Street.[6] Another feature film, Tuesday, sees him playing a jewel thief alongside John Simm, Philip Glenister and Cristian Solimeno. He appeared in Bola Agbaje's play Off the Endz at the Royal Court Theatre during February and March 2010.
He made appearances in police drama The Bill and firefighting drama London's Burning.
Walters' Grange Hill history and autobiography, was referenced by the comedian Stewart Lee on 16 March 2009, on the BBC2 show Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle in the episode themed on "Toilet Books". He also appeared in 2009's TV adaptation of Small Island and as Jack Holt in the ill-fated drama Outcasts (TV series) on the BBC in February and March 2011.
For the BBC Learning project "Off By Heart Shakespeare", Walters delivered one of Shakespeare’s best known speeches, "But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?" from Romeo and Juliet.[7]
In October 2011, Walters starred in the Arjun Rose slasher 'Demons Never Die'
From 31 October 2011, Asher D (Ashley Walters) was the main character (Dushane) in one off drama (4-DAY) 'Top Boy' alongside Kano (Kane Robinson)- (Sully) and Scorcher- (Kamale).