Nabil Abdul Rashid

Early life

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

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.

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

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

Career

In 2010, at the age of 22, Abdul Rashid became the youngest black comedian to perform stand-up at the Hammersmith Apollo. 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, and he was chosen to perform at the premiere of the film The Infidel.

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

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

Abdul Rashid has toured with his religious comedy show Don't Panic, I'm Islamic! In July 2011, he toured four UK cities in the Peace Youth and Community Trust's (PYCT) first Muslim Comedy Tour, alongside Jeff Mirza, Humza Arshad and Prince Abdi. 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.

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

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.

In April 2013, Abdul Rashid appeared on Channel 4's 4thought.tv. In October 2014, he performed on BBC Local Radio.

In July 2015, Abdul Rashid performed at Eid Special Comedy Night at The Comedy Store in London.

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

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.

Views

In August 2011, Abdul Rashid responded on YouTube 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". Abdul Rahid responded with a historically realistic response.

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.

Personal life

Abdul Rashid suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He also campaigns for fighting against knife and gun crime.

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