Award-winning British actor Riz Ahmed is likely best known for his roles in films like The Night Of, Star Wars: Rogue One, and the upcoming Venom, but he also moonlights as a highly political rapper under the moniker Riz MC. Along with fellow socially conscious rapper Heems and producer Redhino, Riz is one-third of the group Swet Shop Boys, but occasionally, he likes to go it alone, as he does on his latest single, “Mogambo.”
Named for the super villain in the classic 1987 Bollywood movie Mr. India, “Mogambo” is a fiery anthem imploring activists to stand up to oppressors in the fraught global climate wherein immigrants have been demonized and dissidents are viewed as criminals. The outspoken actor/rapper also addresses a wide variety of other social issues in the video, including challenging traditional views of masculinity and sexism.
Directed by New York-based filmmaker Bassam Tariq in Pakistan, the video follows an outdoor wrestling match, where men and boys shout and cheer for other men and boys in briefs in close physical combat. Riz and Tariq make sure to focus in on who is left out of the spectacle as well — women are left at home to talk and smoke, banned from participation in sporting events.
Riz also recently made an appearance on The Late Late Show With James Corden to chat about Venom and how his love for hip-hop got him in trouble growing up.
With “Mogambo,” Riz raises a fist against the rising tide of xenophobic sentiment, reminding those in power that those they view as “cockroaches” will likely be outlived — nothing kills a cockroach, and the marginalized aren’t going anywhere, either.
