Riz Ahmed quotes

Riz Ahmed is a British musician, actor, and activist recognized for his impactful work across music and film. A talented rapper and songwriter, he gained acclaim as part of the hip-hop group Swet Shop Boys and for his solo releases. He uses his platform to address social issues such as diversity, identity, and representation in the arts. Here are 13 of his quotes:

I have always been restless, had a lot of energy.

Riz Ahmed

I think that with piracy and tighter funds being around, people are realising that the game to play is to try and win people's respect with bold film making and then win a special place in people's collections, rather than just having the biggest opening weekends.

Riz Ahmed

First, you have stereotypes, and that will be the black drug dealer, the east Asian kung fu master, the Middle Eastern terrorist in 'True Lies.' Then you have stuff that takes place on culturally specific terrain, that engages with it, but actually subverts assumptions. 'Smashes' stereotypes. That's where I've come into the game.

Riz Ahmed

I don't think any of us like to be reduced to just one label.

Riz Ahmed

I think that in an Internet age, content is content. As long as you can stand up on the merits of what you're doing right at that moment and aren't just relying on your success in doing something else, it's all good; people will respect you.

Riz Ahmed

The camera or the microphone in the booth is merciless. If you don't believe what you're saying, it hears it. If you don't believe it, it sees it in your eyes, it hears it in your voice that there isn't the conviction there.

Riz Ahmed

Bandwagons roll through our lives. It's up to you whether you jump on them unquestioningly or jump on them to overturn them and subvert them.

Riz Ahmed

The only people who have doubts about the sincerity of my music are people who come to it relatively late, off the back of having seen me in a film. Acting is about being other people, and music is about being myself.

Riz Ahmed

My music is a very personal reflection of me, whereas, acting a role, that's a reflection of another character.

Riz Ahmed

You know my parents, man, they're just the most loving, encouraging... They're like those people who define themselves through their role as parents before people in their own rights.

Riz Ahmed

No-one gets a job at 16 and stays in it until 60 any more; we're connected to more people simultaneously than ever before, whether online or on our phones. We wear so many different hats within one day, one week, a lifetime.

Riz Ahmed