Doc Brown (rapper)

Last updated

Doc Brown
Doc Brown.jpg
Brown in 2011
Background information
Birth nameBenjamin Harvey Bailey Smith
Also known asDoc Brown
Born (1977-09-21) 21 September 1977 (age 46)
Kilburn, London, England
Genres Comedy, hip hop
Occupation(s)Actor, comedian, rapper, screenwriter, songwriter, producer, voiceover artist
Years active2000–present
Website docbrown.co.uk

Benjamin Harvey Bailey Smith (born 21 September 1977), professionally known as Doc Brown, is an English actor, comedian, rapper, screenwriter, songwriter, producer and voiceover artist. He portrayed DS Joe Hawkins in the television series Law & Order: UK . He is also known for portraying Nathan Carter in the CBBC television series 4 O'Clock Club from 2012 to 2015, and Imperial Security Bureau agent Lieutenant Supervisor Blevin in Andor .

Contents

He voiced a number of episodes of the popular show Funny Animals: Unleashed, aired via 4MUSIC.

Early life

Doc Brown was born Benjamin Harvey Bailey Smith, son of a Jamaican born British citizen, Yvonne Bailey, and an Englishman, Harvey Smith, who was 30 years his wife's senior. Raised in the Willesden area of north-west London, Smith is the younger brother of novelist and essayist Zadie Smith; [1] [2] they also have a younger brother Luke, who performs as a professional rapper under the name Luc Skyz. [3] [4] Smith attended Hampstead School. [5] Explaining his stage name, he has said: "Doc Brown's been my nickname since school, after the scientist in Back to the Future , because I was gangly and geeky. When I started doing rap battles in my teens, it became my hip-hop handle and it's stuck." [6]

Music

Doc Brown began performing as a battle rapper in 2000, appearing at the Dingwalls nightclub in Camden Lock, and later at the "Jump Off" competition in Soho. [3] He released his debut album “Citizen Smith Volume 1” in 2004. [7] This was followed by “The Document” and “Citizen Smith: Volume 2: Nothing to Lose” released in 2005 and 2006 respectively, before he went on a hiatus in his solo musical career. He formed the British hip hop group Poisonous Poets alongside rappers Lowkey, Stylah, DJ Snips, Therapist and Tony D, releasing a mixtape in 2005. [8] In 2015 he released “Empty Threats”, his first album in a decade, this time solely based on comedy rap, a first in his discography. [9] He returned to his original rapping style on his fifth album “Stemma”, released in 2017. During the past two albums, he collaborated with Ricky Gervais on the soundtrack to the 2016 film David Brent: Life on the Road, performing alongside Gervais as David Brent on the tracks “Lonely Cowboy, “Equality Street”, “Ain’t no Trouble” and on his solo track “Cards We’re Dealt”. [10] [11] Since then, Doc Brown has released collaboration material with Andy Burrows, [12] The Jazz Defenders, [13] Verb T and Romesh Ranganathan. [14]

Film and television

Smith appeared in the BBC series Rev and Miranda , as well as Channel 4's The Inbetweeners , and the CBBC series Big Babies . In 2013 he guest starred in the Channel 4 comedy-drama series Derek as a young man sentenced to community service in a nursing home. [3]

He appeared in Ben Miller's film Huge, and co-starred in Other Side of the Game. He wrote music for the 2011 Joe Cornish film Attack the Block . [3]

Smith created a teen comedy-drama for the BBC called 4 O'Clock Club . [3] He starred in the show in series 1, and made guest appearances in series 2–4. Since series 5, his brother writes the raps. The show has currently run for 118 episodes.

Most recently, Smith has delved deeper into dramatic acting, starring in the Frank Spotnitz television show Hunted , a thriller for Cinemax. He went on to shoot an episode of Midsomer Murders and in 2014, he played DS Joe Hawkins in the final series of ITV's Law & Order: UK. He had a viral song, "My Propertea", on the TV show Russell Howard's Good News . He has also appeared in new Ann Summers series Brief Encounters .

In 2016, he guest-starred on the BBC One television film Damilola, Our Loved Boy as a taxi driver. [6] He also participated in the second series of the comedy game show Taskmaster , finishing fourth.

In February 2017, he appeared on Dave's Crackanory reading "Devil's Haircut" by Sarah Morgan. That October, he was a guest on Episode 100 of The Gaffer Tapes: Fantasy Football Podcast . [15] In late 2017, he played DS Evans in Sky One's Bounty Hunters . [16]

Smith has been a guest presenter several times on the BBC Radio 5 Live film review show hosted by Simon Mayo and Mark Kermode. [17]

In 2018, he appeared in the Doctor Who episode "The Tsuranga Conundrum". [18]

In 2020, he played Richie Hansen, an abusive husband, in the second series of BBC TV drama The Split .

In 2022, he played Lieutenant Supervisor Blevin in five episodes of the first series of the Star Wars TV series Andor . [19]

In 2023, he played Simon Blake, in a four-part series of BBC TV drama The Sixth Commandment . His song “Smash That” featured in episode 3. [20]

Other work

Ben Smith's children's picture book, I Am Bear, illustrated by Sav Akyüz, has been described as "a rap-style read-aloud story". It was published by Walker Books in February 2016. [21]

As of May 2014, Ben has been the producer of The Football Ramble Live.

In April 2024, he appeared on the football trivia podcast Career We Go.

Personal life

Smith is a supporter of Crystal Palace F.C. [22] He has two daughters. [23]

Discography

YearTitleLabel
2004Citizen Smith: Volume OneBust-A-Gut Productions
2005The DocumentJanomi
Poisonous Poetry (with Poisonous Poets)Self-released
2006Citizen Smith: Volume Two: Nothing to LoseHiptones
2008Another Way (unreleased)Unreleased
2015Empty Threats
2017StemmaBust-A-Gut Productions

Filmography

YearShowRoleNotes
2007 Never Mind the Full Stops Panel memberGame show
2009 Miranda Hotel Receptionist1 episode
2010 Big Babies Budge13 episodes
Rev Ikon1 episode
The Inbetweeners Steve1 episode
2011 Little Howard's Big Question Plithy Nondeploom1 episode
2012–2015 4 O'Clock Club Nathan23 episodes; also creator and songwriter
2012 Hunted Tyrone7 episodes
2013 Derek Deon1 episode
Imagine HimselfCredited as Ben Bailey Smith
2013–2014 Strange Hill High Mitchell26 episodes
2014 Midsomer Murders ZachCredited as Ben Bailey Smith, 1 episode
Law & Order: UK DS Joe HawkinsCredited as Ben Bailey Smith, 8 episodes
The Football's On HimselfGuest panelist
Live at the Apollo HimselfPerformer, Series 10 Episode 2
Give Out Girls Andy6 episodes
Jack and DeanPedestrianEpisode: "Freaky Mouth Pizza"
2014-2017 British Academy Children's Awards PresenterFour ceremonies
2015Ghost Fighting CorporationDetective StokerPilot of unreleased series
The John Bishop Show HimselfPerformer, 1 episode
2016 David Brent: Life on the Road Dom Johnson
Fleabag Workshop Leader1 episode
Taskmaster Himself5 episodes
Brief Encounters Johnny6 episodes
Film 2016 [24] Host1 episode
2017 Bounty Hunters DS Evans5 episodes
2018-2020 Thunderbirds Are Go Jensen Hunt (voice)1 episode
Doctor Who Durkas CiceroEpisode: "The Tsuranga Conundrum"
101 Dalmatian Street Sid Squirrel, Spencer Sausage Dog (voice)Recurring role
2019 Cleaning Up Blake6 episodes
Britannia Rufus3 episodes
TeddlesBlocksEpisode: "Tidy Up Time"
2020 Silent Witness Lt Col Ben Carmichael2 episodes S23 Ep9 & 10 "The Greater Good"
The Split Richie Hansen6 episodes
Des DC Brian Lodge3 episodes
2021 Cinderella Town Crier
2022 Persuasion Charles MusgrovePost-production
Andor Lieutenant Supervisor Blevin5 episodes
2023 The Sixth Commandment Simon Blake4 episodes
Boiling Point Darren1 episode
Significant Other Damien [25]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zadie Smith</span> British novelist, essayist, and short-story writer (born 1975)

Zadie Smith FRSL is an English novelist, essayist, and short-story writer. Her debut novel, White Teeth (2000), immediately became a best-seller and won a number of awards. She became a tenured professor in the Creative Writing faculty of New York University in September 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Clunes</span> English actor (born 1961)

Alexander Martin Clunes is an English actor, director and television presenter. He is best known for portraying Martin Ellingham in the ITV comedy-drama series Doc Martin and Gary Strang in Men Behaving Badly. Clunes has narrated a number of documentaries for ITV, the first of which was Islands of Britain in 2009. He has since presented a number of documentaries centred on animals. He has also voiced Kipper the Dog in the animated series Kipper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Butterworth</span> English actor and comedian (1915–1979)

Peter William Shorrocks Butterworth was a British actor and comedian best known for his appearances in the Carry On film series. He was also a regular on children's television and radio. Butterworth was married to actress and impressionist Janet Brown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Eldon</span> British actor and comedian

Kevin Eldon is an English actor and comedian. He featured in British comedy television shows of the 1990s including Fist of Fun, This Morning with Richard Not Judy, Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge, Big Train, Brass Eye and Jam. In 2013, Eldon appeared in his own BBC sketch series It's Kevin. He has also appeared in minor speaking roles in the HBO series Game of Thrones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Scott (actor)</span> Irish actor (born c. 1976)

Andrew Scott is an Irish actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen, he has received numerous accolades, including a BAFTA Television Award and two Laurence Olivier Awards, along with nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nina Wadia</span> English actress (born 1968)

Nina Wadia is an English actress and comedian. She is known for portraying Zainab Masood in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, Aunty Noor in Citizen Khan, Mrs Hussein in the BBC comedy Still Open All Hours and for starring in the BBC Two sketch show Goodness Gracious Me.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Bardon</span> English actor (1939–2014)

John Bardon was an English stage and screen actor. He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 1988 for Kiss Me, Kate, sharing the award with co-star Emil Wolk. He was best known for playing the patriarch of the Branning family, Jim Branning, in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, for 15 years from 1996 to 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Mellor</span> British actor (born 1976)

William Mellor is an English actor, singer and model. He is known for his roles as Jambo Bolton in Hollyoaks, Gaz Wilkinson in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Warren Stamp in EastEnders, DC Spike Tanner in No Offence, Steve Connolly in Broadchurch, Georgie in Barking! and Ollie Curry in White Van Man. He appeared in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street as Harvey Gaskell. In 2024, he appeared as sub-postmaster Lee Castleton in the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, about the British Post Office scandal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James D'Arcy</span> British actor

James D'Arcy is an English actor and film director. He is known for his portrayals of Howard Stark's butler, Edwin Jarvis, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe television series Agent Carter and the 2019 film Avengers: Endgame, and murder suspect Lee Ashworth in the second season of the ITV series Broadchurch. D'Arcy also co-starred in Christopher Nolan's war movies Dunkirk (2017) and Oppenheimer (2023). He wrote and directed Made in Italy (2020).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reece Shearsmith</span> British comedian (born 1969)

Reeson Wayne "Reece" Shearsmith is an English actor, writer and comedian. He was a member of The League of Gentlemen, with Steve Pemberton, Mark Gatiss, and Jeremy Dyson. He later created, wrote and starred in the sitcom Psychoville, with Pemberton, as well as the dark comedy anthology series, Inside No. 9. He has had notable roles in Spaced and The World's End.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ralph Brown</span> English actor

Ralph William John Brown is an English actor and writer, known for playing Danny the drug dealer in Withnail and I, the security guard Aaron in Alien 3, DJ Bob Silver in The Boat That Rocked aka Pirate Radio, super-roadie Del Preston in Wayne's World 2, the pilot Ric Olié in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, and Henry Clinton in Turn: Washington's Spies. He won the Samuel Beckett Award for his first play Sanctuary written for Joint Stock Theatre Company in 1987, and the Raindance and Sapporo Film Festival awards for his first screenplay for the British film New Year's Day in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Fitzmaurice</span> English actor, comedian and writer (born 1969)

Neil Simon Fitzmaurice is an English actor, comedian, and writer. He is best known for his role as Jeff, the love rival of protagonist Mark Corrigan, in the Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show. He has written for a number of other sitcoms, including Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights and Benidorm.

Sally Jane Lindsay is an English actress and television presenter. She rose to fame playing Shelley Unwin in the long-running ITV soap opera Coronation Street (2001–2006). Her other roles include Lisa Johnson in the Sky One comedy-drama Mount Pleasant (2011–2017), Alison Bailey in the ITV police procedural Scott & Bailey (2011–2016), and Kath Agnew in the BBC sitcom Still Open All Hours (2013–2019). Since 2021, she has starred as Jean White in Channel 5's The Madame Blanc Mysteries (2021–present), which she co-created and produces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Stevens</span> English actor (born 1982)

Daniel Jonathan Stevens is an English actor. He first drew international attention for his role as Matthew Crawley in the ITV acclaimed period drama series Downton Abbey (2010–2012). He also starred as David in the thriller film The Guest (2014), Sir Lancelot in the adventure film Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014), The Beast/Prince in Disney's live action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast (2017), Lorin Willis in the biographical legal drama Marshall (2017), Charles Dickens in the biographical drama The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017) and Russian Eurovision singer Alexander Lemtov in Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020). From 2017 to 2019, he starred as David Haller in the FX series Legion. In 2018, he starred in the Netflix horror-thriller Apostle, and since 2023, he has starred as Korvo Opposites in the animated series Solar Opposites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hampstead School</span> Community school in London, England

Hampstead School is a large comprehensive school in the London Borough of Camden, England. The school building is one of the oldest in the borough. It has about 1,300 students between the ages of 11 and 19 attending the Lower School and the Sixth Form College.

Robert Daws is an English actor, and crime fiction author. He is best known for his television roles, including Tuppy Glossop in Jeeves and Wooster (1990–93), gruff cricketer Roger Dervish in the comedy Outside Edge (1994–96), mini-cab firm owner Sam in the sitcom Roger Roger (1996–2003), and East Yorkshire GP Dr Gordon Ormerod in the period medical drama The Royal (2003–11).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vaughn Taylor (actor)</span> American actor (1910–1983)

Vaughn Everett Taylor was an American actor. He became known for his roles in many anthology series, including Kraft Television Theatre (1947–1957) and Robert Montgomery Presents (1950–1954). He also appeared in films such as Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) and Psycho (1960).

Julie Graham is a Scottish television and film actress. She is best known for her multiple roles in The Bill, as Sheron Dawson in Benidorm, and Gail in Two Doors Down.

<i>4 OClock Club</i> British childrens television series

4 O'Clock Club is a British comedy drama and musical children's television series set in a secondary school, which premiered on 13 January 2012 on CBBC.

"The Tsuranga Conundrum" is the fifth episode of the eleventh series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. It was written by showrunner and executive producer Chris Chibnall, directed by Jennifer Perrott, and first broadcast on BBC One on 4 November 2018.

References

  1. ↑ Barton, Laura (4 March 2005). "We are family: Award-winning novelist Zadie Smith talks to up-and-coming British rapper Doc Brown, better known to her as Ben, her younger brother". The Guardian . Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  2. ↑ Duerden, Nick (6 February 2013), "Ben Bailey Smith: Out of the shadow, into the limelight", The Independent.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Biography". Doc Brown website. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
  4. ↑ "Biography". Luc Skyz. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  5. ↑ Hamilton, Chloe (15 October 2013). "Back to school: A visit to Hampstead School". The Independent .
  6. 1 2 Hogan, Michael (14 April 2013), "Doc Brown: 'I'm an accidental comedian. That makes me dangerous'", The Observer .
  7. ↑ "Citizen Smith – Volume 1 CD". Doc Brown. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  8. ↑ "UKHH Artist: Poisonous Poets: Profile, Streaming, Music, News - HHIE". Hip Hop In English. 14 April 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  9. ↑ Jones, Grant (13 February 2024). "Doc Brown :: Empty Threats – RapReviews" . Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  10. ↑ Brent and Johnson - Equality Street [Official Music Video] , retrieved 19 February 2024
  11. ↑ David Brent: Life on the Road (2016) - Soundtracks - IMDb , retrieved 19 February 2024
  12. ↑ "Doc Brown & Andy Burrows - Light Your Way｜pwm". note（ノート） (in Japanese). 22 March 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  13. ↑ "Home". The Jazz Defenders. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  14. ↑ "Verb T & Vic Grimes - Four Oh! Feat. Doc Brown & Romesh Ranganathan (Remix) (Digital)". High Focus Records Limited. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  15. ↑ Week 9: The Gaffer Tapes 100th Episode Special #FPL 17/18. The Gaffer Tapes: Fantasy Football Comedy Podcast, Episode 31, 18 October 2017.
  16. ↑ "Bounty Hunters - Character Guide".
  17. ↑ "Kermode and Mayo's Film Review | with Ben Bailey Smith and Clarisse Loughrey". BBC Radio 5. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  18. ↑ "Series 11 Episode 5 - The Tsuranga Conundrum". www.radiotimes.com.
  19. ↑ Sanguino, Juan (14 September 2022). "Ben Bailey Smith, the actor who shot a 'Star Wars' series almost without knowing it: 'I had never worked like this'". El Pais.
  20. ↑ "The Sixth Commandment - the cast and crew discuss the making of the new factual drama series". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  21. ↑ Kellaway, Kate (31 January 2016), "Hey, kids, there’s a new bear on the block", The Observer.
  22. ↑ "Doc Brown: South London Is In My Blood". Crystal Palace F.C. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  23. ↑ As told to Rich Pelley (18 July 2022), Pelley, Rich (18 July 2022). "'I've denied it for years, but Taylor Swift really can write': Ben Bailey Smith's honest playlist". The Guardian.
  24. ↑ "BBC - Presenters confirmed for Film 2016 - Media Centre". www.bbc.co.uk.
  25. ↑ Whittock, Jesse; Shackleton, Liz (14 November 2022). "Mark Heap Joins ITVX Comedy 'Significant Other'; 'Drag Race' Heads For Asia; 'What Happened To Dorothy Bell?' Casting (Exclusive); Nippon TV ATF Formats — Global Briefs". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.