Ashley Anthony Chin (also known as Muslim Belal) (born 21 August 1982) is an English actor, screenwriter, spoken word performance poet and former rapper of Jamaican descent.

Early life

Chin was born in Gypsy Hill, London, England.^[1][2] His parents are from Jamaica, he was named after his paternal grandfather who was Chinese.^[3] He grew up with his mother, Andrea Ellis, and elder sister, Kareena Chin, in a South London council estate.^[4] He was raised as a Christian,^[3] however spent his youth mixed up in gang culture.^[5] Chin achieved an A grade in GCSE drama and left school at the age of 15.^[4][6] In 1999, Chin and his family moved to Thornton Heath, Croydon, Surrey.

In 2001, he and a friend set up a music studio,^[7] for a music band, where Chin used to play keyboards and different sound boards.^[8] The former street gang^[9] and musical collective and was called SMS ‘South Man Syndicate’ (later known as South Muslim Soldiers),^[10] and he was known at the time as Smalls.

In 2002, at the age of 19, Chin converted to Islam.^[8] In 2004,^[11] he travelled to Egypt and lived there for a year to study Islam.^[7]

Career

Acting

In 1999, Chin began his acting career in the BBC film Storm Damage directed by Lennie James.^[12] He then made his theatre debut as the role of Young Mal in Roy Williams’ Lift Off at the Royal Court Theatre.^[13] In 2007, he played Razer in Bola Agbaje’s Laurence Olivier award-winning play Gone Too Far!^[14][15] – a role which he subsequently reprised in 2008.^[16][17][18] He also played the role of Carl Wilkins in Roy Williams’ There’s Only One Wayne Matthews at the Polka Theatre.^[19][20] In August 2007, he played the role of Seales in BBC Radio 4’s radio adaptation of E. R. Braithwaite’s novel To Sir, With Love.^[21][22]

On television Chin has appeared in The Bill,^[23][24] HolbyBlue,^[20] The Fixer,^[25] Law & Order: UK^[26] and Waking the Dead.^[27] On film he has played supporting roles in Cherry Tree Lane^[28][29] and Anuvahood,^[30] and also a cameo in Sket.^[31] He was also selected as the 2010 Trailblazer at the Edinburgh International Film Festival for the role of Asad in Cherry Tree Lane.^[20][32]

In 2011, Chin co-wrote^[33][34] and starred in Victim with Michael Maris.^[35][36] On 22 June 2012, the film was released in UK cinemas.^[37][4] In April 2012, Chin co-starred in The Boxer, a seven minute short film, alongside Paul Barber.^[38] From October to December 2012,^[39] he is set to play the role of Escalante in Frank McGuinness’s Damned By Despair (English translated version of Tirso de Molina’s 1625 play El Condenado por Desconfiado) at the Royal National Theatre.^[40][41][42]

Poetry and music

Since his conversion to Islam Chin has adopted the name Muslim Belal. In December 2005, under this stage name he performed at the first Global Peace and Unity Event in the ExCeL Exhibition Centre organised by Islam Channel.^[43] In July 2008, he performed at the Islam Expo in Olympia.^[44] In February and March 2009, he toured with other Nasheed artists including Mecca2Medina and Poetic Pilgrimage on the ‘I am Malcolm X Tour.’^[45][46]

He then released “From The Streets To Islam,” a CD in which he is being interviewed and responds to the questions by rapping. This was a preview to launching his first album “Pray Hard,” released August 2009, under Halal Dawa Records.^[7] In October and November 2009, he supported Shaam on their UK tour.^[47] In October 2010, he performed at the Global Peace and Unity Event,^[48] where he also released his second album “The Transition.”^[49] He is currently working on his third album “Black Slave.”^[10] His poetry combines spiritualism with social issues and his own personal history.^[50]

Chin also works as a life coach and delivers workshops and talks at youth clubs, universities and events.^[5]

Personal life

Chin is single, has never been married, and has a daughter, Sumaya (born 2009). His mother and elder sister have also converted to Islam.^[51] He is a Manchester United Football Club fan.

In June 2010, Chin performed Umrah (the second largest Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia).^[52]

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Radio

Discography

Pray Hard (2009)

Track list

The Transition (2010)

Track list