Warner Chappell Signs Global Deal With British Rapper, Songwriter and Actor Ashley Walters

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Warner Chappell Music

Warner Chappell Music, the music publishing arm of Warner Music Group, has signed a worldwide publishing deal with British rapper, songwriter and actor Ashley Walters. The agreement covers Walters’ future works and his back catalogue including the number one smash and seminal UK garage song ’21 Seconds’ by So Solid Crew.

Walters, who also goes by his stage name Asher D, shot to prominence in the early 2000s as part of the garage and hip-hop collective So Solid Crew. The single ’21 Seconds’ became the first garage song to reach number one in the UK, selling more than 100,000 copies in its first week and landing in the Top 20 selling singles of 2001. Walters has gone on to release a number of independent albums and mixtapes and has also enjoyed huge success as an actor, most notably playing the lead character, Dushane, in the hit Channel 4 and Netflix drama Top Boy.

Ashley Walters said: “I’ve been working on a lot of new music recently and have some really exciting projects lined up. Now is a great time to partner with Warner Chappell as I look to collaborate with the best writers and producers around.”

Amber Davis, Head of A&R, Warner Chappell Music UK, added: “Ashley is a pioneer of the UK music scene. He inspired and influenced a whole generation of artists and writers, some of whom are on our roster, so it’s a huge honour to be able to look after these iconic songs. I’m also really looking forward to working with Ashley on his new music, he’s got some amazing ideas, and I can’t wait to see them develop.”

Guv Singh, CEO, Catalyst Management and Nim Jani, Co-Founder and MD, Catalyst Management, concluded: “We’re delighted to be able to partner with Warner Chappell again on another exciting artist and project. We’ve enjoyed a successful relationship working together on Steel Banglez, Swifta Beater and Tom Zanetti and we believe we can replicate that with Ashley. He’s been a great addition to our roster and can’t wait to get going.”

Walters was born and raised in South East London and showed an interest in the entertainment industry from an early age. He appeared in the TV show The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles at the age of 10 and later starred in Grange Hill at 14 years old.

After the success of ’21 Seconds’, which one a BRIT Award for British Video, Walters and So Solid Crew followed it with two more Top 10 singles, ‘They Don’t Know’ and ‘Haters’, from their debut album They Don’t Know. The album, which was released in 2001, charted at number six.

Walters went on to release three solo albums under the moniker Asher D – Why Me?, Street Sibling and In Memory Of The Street Fighter. He continued to act during this time, and in 2004 he was named Best Newcomer at the British Independent Film Awards for his role in the film Bullet Boy.

In 2011, Walters was cast as Dushane in Channel 4’s Top Boy. The show became an instant hit and was praised for portraying London’s gritty underworld, while also highlighting the struggles faced by underprivileged families in the inner city. The third season was reprised and backed by Drake and Netflix and aired in 2019. In 2017 Walters received the British Urban Film Festival honorary award for 25 years outstanding contribution to film and television.

Walters co-founded SLNda, a film and television production company to develop and produce authentic, culturally diverse and forward-thinking content that can resonate with audiences globally. He also co-owns Kingdom School of Arts CIC – a not for profit, part-time actors training centre based in London and Birmingham. It was established to support new talent from every background and to diversify the working pool of British actors in the industry.

Walters is signed to Catalyst Management, which is the home to some of the most exciting UK artists around. It also has started working with sport stars and festivals.

October 5, 2020 12:00am ET by Pressparty  

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