Former So Solid Crew rapper Ashley Walters is to make his Royal Court debut.

The actor, who grew up in Peckham and now lives in Catford, is to star in Oxford Street, a new play by young black playwright Levi David Addai.

It is about sports store security guard Kofi and his workmates, who all have ambitions to get more from life. Kofi is played by Nathaniel Martello-White while Walters plays a new staff member who knows him from the past.

The 25-year-old - who was jailed at the height of his rapping success for possessing a gun - made his stage debut at the National in Roy Williams's Sing Yer Hearts Out For The Lads in 2004. "I did a few musicals when I was young but I never went to Rada and never had a theatre background," he said.

"The Royal Court is one of the biggest theatre companies and was definitely at the top of my list of places I wanted to work in. Oxford Street is right up my street, no pun intended."

Dawn Walton, the director of Oxford Street, said: "He's a natural talent and was clearly perfect for the part."

• Oxford Street runs from 2 to 31 May.