Riz MC Wins Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series at 2017 Emmy Awards

Riz MC, who's known as Riz Ahmed in Hollywood, has made history for winning his first Emmy in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series category. The British rapper earns the Emmy for his role in The Night Of, and becomes the first South Asian man and the first Muslim to win an acting Emmy.

Not only did he make history for his Emmy win, but he also had fierce competition to earn the award, having beat out Robert De Niro, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ewan McGregor, and Geoffrey Rush, as well as his fellow The Night Of co-star John Turturro. During his acceptance speech, the Pakistani entertainer speaks out on the HBO series shedding light on the corruption of the justice system, while also sharing how humbled he is by the major win.

"This is a tremendous honor to be recognized along so many actors who I’ve watched for so long,” Ahmed says during his speech. “If this show has shown a light on some of the prejudice in our society, some of the injustice in our justice system, then maybe that’s something.”

Following his feat, while speaking with the press, the "Immigrants" activist also discusses how his win may not change the  "systemic issue of inclusion" and representation in the entertainment world.

"I don't know if any one person's win, or one person snagging a role, or one person doing very well, changes something that's a systemic issue of inclusion," he explains. "I think that's something that happens slowly over time. If there's enough isolated examples of success over time then the dots start joining up and it is not as slow a process as it sometimes is."

If you recall, Riz was also nominated for a 2017 Golden Globe earlier this year, but did not win the award. He's also one half of the rap group Swet Shop Boys with Heems. Read our interview with them last year if you missed it.

See Riz MC talk to the press about his Emmy win in the video below. Congratulations to the rapper on a huge accomplishment.

See New Music Releases for September 2017