Nabil Abdul Rashid

Mohamed Nasir Nabil Abdul Rashid ibn Suleman Obineche (born 3 September 1985) is an English comedian of Nigerian descent. In 2010, at the age of 25, he became the youngest black comedian to perform stand-up at the Hammersmith Apollo.

Nabil Abdul Rashid
Born (1985-09-03) 3 September 1985
North London, England
MediumStand-up, television
NationalityBritish
Years active2008–present
GenresObservational comedy, Satire, Sketch comedy, Improvisational comedy
Subject(s)Racism, Islamophobia, Fascism, Islamic humour, Culture, Society, Gang culture, Stereotypes, Human interaction
Websitenabilabdulrashid.com

Early life

Abdul Rashid was born in North London, England[1][2] to a medical doctor father and a politician/businesswoman mother.[3]

During the 1940-1950s, Abdul Rashid's father studied medicine in Soviet Union (now Russia), whilst the Soviets were training African doctors. His father married his first wife, an Afghan woman, during the Russo-Afghan War. His father then moved to England and opened up a hospital. He then moved back to Nigeria, where he met Abdul Rashid's mother.[4]

After moving back to England, in 1990,[5] Abdul Rashid and his family moved to Kaduna,[6] Northern Nigeria. He travelled around the world at young age and had a private school education. He attended Essence International School.[7]

In 2006,[1][8] he moved to back to England[3] to live in South Croydon, Surrey.[1][9] In 2012, Abdul Rashid graduated with a BA in Drama and Applied theatre from St. Mary's University College in Twickenham.[10][11]

Career

In 2010, at the age of 22, Abdul Rashid became the youngest black comedian to perform stand-up at the Hammersmith Apollo.[1] He entered the "Which Religion Is Funniest?" competition, after reaching the Top 10 spot, he was crowned joint winner of the national competition, judged by David Baddiel and Omid Djalili,[12] and he was chosen to perform at the premiere of the film The Infidel.[3]

Abdul Rashid has performed at Comedy Cafe, Comedy Store, Jongleurs and Choice FM Comedy Club.[3]

From 2009 to 2010,[5] Abdul Rashid wrote, acted and directed on The Show Sho Show,[3] which aired on Channel AKA.[2][8] He has written for comedians on panel shows[5] and worked on a sketch show with the producers of Little Miss Jocelyn and 3 Non-Blondes.[3]

Abdul Rashid has toured with his religious comedy show Don't Panic, I'm Islamic![12] In July 2011, he toured four UK cities[13] in the Peace Youth and Community Trust's (PYCT) first Muslim Comedy Tour, alongside comedians Jeff Mirza, Nazim Ali, Humza Arshad and Prince Abdi.[14][15][16] In November 2011, he took his Asia vs. Africa Comedy Clash show to ten cities around the United Kingdom. In May 2012, he spent two weeks using theatre to educate children in Malawi on HIV.[10]

Abdul Rashid delivers a comedy workshop[12] encouraging inner-city children to use comedy as an alternative form of expression children at schools across London.[10]

In January 2013, Abdul Rashid co-founded Norbury Comedy Club with Ola Gbaja. A show is due to take place every Sunday in partnership with Baba Foundation restaurant.[17][18][19]

In April 2013, Abdul Rashid appeared on Channel 4's 4thought.tv.[20] In October 2014, he performed on BBC Local Radio.[7][21][22]

In July 2015, Abdul Rashid performed at Eid Special Comedy Night at The Comedy Store in London.[23][24][25]

In December 2016, Abdul Rashid appeared on two-part BBC Two documentary Muslims Like Us.[26]

In May 2020, Abdul Rashid appeared on Britain's Got Talent (series 14) and got a Golden Buzzer from Alesha Dixon which took him straight to the final.

Comedy style

Abdul Rashid switches from surreal to satirical in his dichotomy of being a middle-class educated man yet simultaneously a street-smart urban youth while avoiding clichés when dealing with topics such as being a black Muslim in South London. He switches accent and languages, speaking French, Patois, Urdu and Somali and Chaucer and blends them into his material.[3][27]

Views

In August 2011, Abdul Rashid responded on YouTube[28] to David Starkey's comments on the BBC's Newsnight programme, made during a discussion about the England riots, claiming that "the whites have become black" and that "a particular sort of violent, destructive, nihilistic, gangster culture has become the fashion".[29] Abdul Rahid responded with a historically realistic response.[30][31][32]

In May 2013, Abdul Rashid responded on YouTube to the murder of Lee Rigby in Woolwich on 22 May 2013, outlining the media double standards and far-right wing groups using the circumstances as propaganda to justify their own views.[33]

Personal life

Abdul Rashid suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.[10][11] He also campaigns for fighting against knife and gun crime.[5][9]

In September 2011, Abdul Rashid got married. His wife is British Pakistani-Punjabi.[34] They have a daughter (born 16 November 2014).

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See also

References
  1. "Nabil Abdulrashid at the hammersmith apollo (premier of "the infidel)". halfhausaman. 6 March 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  2. "Nabil Abdulrashid wins comedy store gong show (king gong) part1". halfhausaman. 9 March 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  3. "Nabil Abdulrashid". comedy cv. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  4. "Nabil Abdulrashid at the brighton Komedia". halfhausaman. 1 August 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  5. "The C.O.W.S. w Nabil Abdul Rashid". The C.O.W.S. 30 August 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  6. "Nabil Abdul Rashid (Comedian) speaks on London Riots – Voices of the Youth". Upshot TV. 12 August 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  7. "The Comedy Night: Nabil Abdulrashid". BBC. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  8. "Nabil Abdul Rashid – Comedy set". Upshot TV. 25 October 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  9. "Nabil Abdulrashid – Freestyler". Film London Microwave. 25 October 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  10. "Nabil Abdulrashid". Rising Star 2011. 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  11. "Rare Rising Stars 2011 – Nabil Abdulrashid – 6th place". Rare London. 23 March 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  12. "Watch This Face – Nabil Abdul-Rashid". Emel. June 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  13. "British Muslim Comedy Tour in Your City, "Innit Bruv"". Muslimness. 20 July 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  14. Dakin, Melanie (14 July 2011). "Humza Arshad and Jeff Mirza head up charity comedy tour". Croydon Guardian. Croydon. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  15. Dakin, Melanie (14 July 2011). "Humza Arshad and Jeff Mirza head up charity comedy tour". Watford Observer. Watford. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  16. Dakin, Melanie (14 July 2011). "Humza Arshad and Jeff Mirza head up charity comedy tour". Harrow Times. Harrow. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  17. "Pair of Jokers open Norbury Comedy Club". Your Local Guardian. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  18. "Pair of Jokers open Norbury Comedy Club". This Is Local London. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  19. "Pair of Jokers open Norbury Comedy Club". Epsom Guardian. Epsom. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  20. "Is your faith holding you back?". 4.Thought TV. Channel 4. 10 April 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  21. "BBC Local Radio announces African-Caribbean comedy night hosted by BBC London 94.9 presenters". BBC. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  22. "BBC showcases black comedy". Chortle. 15 September 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  23. Chakelian, Anoosh (10 March 2015). "HaLOL: can the UK have a laugh about Islam?". New Statesman. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  24. Rahim, Sameer (21 July 2015). "HaLOL Comedy Night, Comedy Store, review: 'challenging'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  25. Rahim, Sameer (16 July 2015). "London Comedy Store to host its first ever Muslim Eid comedy show". Asian Voice. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  26. Waheed, Alia (4 December 2016). "Islamist, gay man, teacher: TV housemates bid to show the diversity of British Muslims". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  27. "Ones to watch". Flavour Magazine. 20 November 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  28. ""Whites Have become Black" : Nabil goes in". Upshot TV. 15 August 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  29. Starkey, David (19 August 2011). "UK riots: It's not about criminality and cuts, it's about culture... and this is only the beginning". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  30. "Nabil Abdul Rashid Responds to David Starkey Whites Have become Black". NME. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  31. Salami, Minna (26 August 2010). "Race relations in the UK after the riots". Afropolitan. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  32. "What Does It Mean To Be A London Brother?". London: London Brother. 11 September 2011. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  33. "Nabil Goes In: Woolwich Attack Response (Video)". Jadaliyya. 26 May 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  34. "Nabil Abdul Rashid – The University of Northampton ISOC – November 2012". ISOC Northampton. November 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
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