British artist and activist Riz Ahmed has paid a tribute to everyone we miss and the ones we lost because of the novel Coronavirus. American fans may best know Ahmed for his roles in movies such as Nightcrawler, Jason Bourne, the Star Wars story Rogue One, and Venom.
But he has shown his talents in other arenas, recently sharing a candid spoken-word performance titled “I Miss You” on his Youtube channel. Channeling his poetic side to reflect on the Covid-19 episode, Ahmed acknowledges different sentiments in the face of the pandemic and the difficulties facing millions of people.
Movie and TV series lovers may only know him for his acting credits and awards. But this spoken-word performance captures Ahmed in his comfort zone, delivering stanzas and social commentary akin to those in his rap performances.
Independent film success carried Riz Ahmed to the central stage
Riz Ahmed first made his name as an actor in independent productions like Michael Winterbottom’s 2006 film The Road to Guantanamo. He also starred in the London crime thriller Shifty in 2008.
Both movies brought Ahmed festival success and recognition. But his role in Guantanamo, depicting one of the Tipton Three—a trio of Muslim British nationals detained in Afghanistan and kept in Guantanamo on terrorism charges— also brought trouble.
After returning to England from premiere of the movie at the Berlin Film Festival, the actors were detained at Luton Airport. Authorities asked whether they had joined “to further the Islamic cause.”
Next came a number of successful roles in independent films. Then, his Hollywood breakthrough in the urban drama and thriller Nightcrawler. This success opened new doors to the Star Wars and Marvel universes.
At the 2017 Emmy Awards, Ahmed won the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie award for his role in The Night Of. This made him the first Muslim male to win an Emmy in acting.
This year, Ahmed took the starring role in Sound of Metal, which follows a young husband-and-wife metal band as they tour the US. The film has already earned significant praise, as well as Oscar buzz.
Arts and the underground scene gave Ahmed life in Oxford
Born to British Pakistani parents in 1982, Ahmed studied philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford University. He studied right around the time security and terrorism dominated the public discourse in Western societies. Oxford, Ahmed says, was “a big culture shock in many ways.”
“I became quite depressed and isolated and I felt like I was unable to relate to many people,” recalls Ahmed. “I spoke and dressed differently.”
At first, this cultural discomfort made him consider leaving Oxford. But Ahmed’s enthusiasm for music and underground culture led to a fortunate turnaround. Soon, he emerged as a rising star in the British rap and underground music scene.
Ahmed then asked himself what he would like to see exist in Oxford. Deciding to make it happen himself, he started a club night called Hit & Run. This soon “drew in quite a mixed crowd both from the universities there and people who lived in Oxford, who had nothing to do with being students.”
“I guess it became a kind of meeting point for a lot of like-minded people who also felt that they didn’t fit into the dominant culture, which is very much a kind of elitist, white, dinner-jacket culture, the black-tie culture.”
“That really saw me through it, both financially and socially. It saved me really,” says Ahmed. The club nights also helped launch Ahmed’s music career. Specifically, he participated in freestyle rap battles and performances to hone his skill.
Ahmed’s “I Miss You” message goes out to those we miss, and others
In later years, Ahmed fused his rap performances with those on the theater stage. For example, he took a role in Asian Dub Foundation’s opera, Gaddafi, among others. He collaborated with the BBC for an original TV series, Englistan, based on his mixtape about the story of a British Pakistani family.
Similarly, in March 2020, Ahmed released the concept album The Long Goodbye. This introspective and critical album looks into the UK’s relationship with Asians, and the rise of xenophobia and nationalism.
Watch Ahmed’s spoken word performance of “I Miss You” here.
