Introducing... former So Solid Crew rapper Ashley Walters, aka Asher D, now making his film debut in Bullet Boy.

Ashley Walters was serving time in prison for a gun offence when he heard about the script for Bullet Boy, Saul Bibb's street drama set amid the violence of inner-city gun culture. Now, at 22, he is pursuing a career as an actor and, in his first film, art mirrors life as he plays an ex-con trying to stay out of trouble in a gun-infested neighbourhood. CHARLES HUTCHINSON fires the questions.

Can this cautionary tale about gun culture make a difference?

"If you instil the right morals in your child, they should know what's right and wrong. And if there's a gun, they should know not to use it. Having gone through it myself, I'm able to tell my son, 'I'm there for you son and if you have any problems, come to me'."

Do you believe it is possible to break the cycle of gun crime?

"It's going to take everyone's effort and initiative rather than a few people. The problem is that it happens in certain areas, ghettos, whatever you want to call them. It never gets out to the rest of the world. It's like no one else ever hears about it, so when they see films like this it's a shock, like 'wow, this actually goes on'. To me it's another day of reality.

"The message of this film is strong. I don't think you'll come away going 'that's just another gangster movie' because there's a very strong message there."

You have turned your life around since your prison stretch. How easy has that been?

"I knew it performing was what I wanted to do, whereas the guys who don't have the same life and same opportunities as me, I think it's hard not to get sucked into criminal activities and the things that are going on in the streets.

"At the end of the day, it's about money and survival. It's all very well saying 'I want to be a lawyer', but maybe it takes five or ten years to do that and people want money now. They're in a situation where they're poor now. We have to give them more opportunities but not a lot of people want to hire criminals. As a child or a young man, if I didn't have my music or acting, there wouldn't have been a lot else for me to do."

What are your plans for your music career?

"So Solid as a unit has come to an end at the moment. I'm not saying that it won't pick up again, but as it stands, So Solid aren't really producing music anymore as a unit. A lot of members are focusing on their solo careers, such as myself. I'm planning to launch my own independent record label and release a solo album."

If Hollywood beckons, would you go?

"There's a lot for me to do here yet. We've got an industry that's kind of thriving at the moment. I'd like to be here to see it explode. I'm just trying to keep myself in the industry anyway I can, have a long career and take care of my family."

Bullet Boy (15) opens on April 30 at City Screen, York.

Updated: 15:30 Thursday, April 28, 2005