London rapper and accomplished actor Rizwan Ahmed, also known by his hip-hop alias Riz MC, set off pointed, political discourse in the U.K. right out the gate, debuting in 2006 with the satirical yet tongue-in-cheek single, The Post 9/11 Blues. A second-generation Pakistani, Ahmed was raised in north London's Wembley area but went to a private school outside of the city in Hertfordshire. Inspired equally by jungle and hip-hop, he first got involved with music directly in his mid-teens, cutting his teeth on pirate radio and in many freestyle battles. As a Politics, Philosophy, and Economics (PPE) major at Oxford University, Ahmed started a hip-hop/jungle club night called "Hit&Run" and was part of a 12-person jazz-house and electronica ensemble called Confidential Collective.
© 2008