Riz Ahmed celebrates diversity with latest single

Riz Ahmed released his latest single Englistan. Stuart C Wilson / Getty Images
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Before making his debut in the 2006 independent drama The Road to Guantanamo, Riz Ahmed was busy building a music career as a politically conscious rapper under the name of Riz MC.

His acting career continues to go from strength to strength, with a leading role, alongside John Turturro in the new HBO drama The Night Of, which begins on OSN First Home of HBO on July 11.

A week earlier, he also reminded us of his underrated mic skills by dropping the video to his latest single Englistan. Shot in London, Ahmed is seen wearing a shirt that is a hybrid of the English and Pakistani cricket team jerseys.

Released to celebrate Eid, Ahmed said the song is a celebration of the UK’s cosmopolitanism – and a reaction to the rash racist attacks that have occurred after the Brexit referendum.

“To all the racists getting brave lately, we ain’t going nowhere,” he wrote on Facebook.

“To the extremists, we ain’t gonna be divided. Seems the world is tearing itself apart. Only way forwards is to celebrate not just what we have in common but our differences too. In that spirit, here’s the music video to Englistan – my love letter to the magical and messy multiculturalism of the UK.”

sasaeed@thenational.ae