I went through a range of emotions; took me a minute to process the lyrics, melodies, beats, overall production and the messages throughout that were clear but not necessarily what my ears were ready to receive, some of which my heart even tried to reject. I just wasn't prepared for what Bashy delivers on this highly anticipated project following a 10-year hiatus.
Each track is so beautifully layered and incredibly thought-provoking.
Some lyrics made me laugh, some almost made my tough clart cry. Others had me reflect, deeply. I was questioning the woman I've become, how I show up for others, if I'm always positively impacting with my own work/art and the subsequent impact returned to me. I found myself thinking about my professional moves, my relationship with money, who I was in past romantic relationships and of any harm potentially caused by certain behaviours or words I may have used.... My entire existence basically, real talk! In a very welcomed way, I must add.
Being Poor Is Expensive is littered with storytelling about the creator himself which had me begin to think that I know Ashley Thomas, the man behind the artist known as Bashy. I don't. Well, I do, but not very well.... Despite his busy schedule, we had a brief conversation about the album and it is clear that he has been happily overwhelmed by the positive reception. He told me, "this album really feels special" and when I shared with him the impact the album has had on me personally, he said, "this is the impact I'd hoped for".
I cannot imagine for one second that you've not heard of Bashy however, I think this statement taken from his 2007 interview with British Hip Hop tells you all you need to know about his music - "I just talk about life, and many other different things, scenarios, situations, topics, dreams..... and talk about it over different styles of music; whether that be hip hop, grime, dubstep – whatever. It’s like a puzzle. I got the pieces then I got to find the track. I talk about life, about situations that people can relate to… I’m tryna ask questions all the time. That’s my subject matter. Vast. I’m Ashley, Bashy’s just an extension of me".
Since his Chupa Chups album (2007), albeit far more cheeky back then, Bashy has been a driving force for encouraging deep personal reflection and a voice calling for significant change in society as a whole as well as within ones self. His 2024 album, Being Poor is Expensive, as is the standard with everything he does, is astonishing. He truly is something special. Beyond!
Follow/Connect with Bashy and buy his new album here:
Written by Charley Jai - @charleyjaiuk
Being Poor is Expensive artwork - Bashy.
Black and white photography - Joseph Sinclair for 1883 Magazine.
All details and information correct and up to date at the time of publishing.