During Riz Ahmed's press run for Venom, late night audiences have learned just how instrumental rap has been in the life of British actor. He recently shared with Jimmy Kimmel how he found himself "having to freestyle rap for my freedom from being detained by military intelligence on a naval base in Pakistan." Now the man also known as Riz MC is back with an anecdote that illustrates the impact Eminem’s music had on him growing up.
Since Eminem created a new track for Venom, Late Late Show host James Corden asked Ahmed if his love of hip hop extended to the veteran MC. “Huge, huge Eminem fan. I mean, he just changed rap for me,” he said, recounting the first time he ever heard Slim Shady. “I remember the first time I heard any of his music it was one of these late night TV shows that would show these brand new music videos from America, and ‘My Name Is’ came on.”
Ahmed, half of the rap duo Swet Shop Boys, explained how he was so enamored by the rising rapper that he grabbed the nearest VHS tape and recorded the video so he could watch it over and over again. “I just put it in and recorded that video,” he said. “It was only later that I realized I taped over my parent's wedding video.”
The actor, who plays scientist Carlton Drake in Venom, assured the crowd only a small part of the wedding was lost forever in exchange for Eminem—such a negligible amount that he never actually got around to telling his parents. “They didn’t know until now, so hopefully they don’t watch this,” he joked, before offering up a half-baked apology. “Mommy, Baba, I’m really sorry, it’s Eminem’s fault.”
The latest Riz MC track and video, "Mogambo," dropped on Wednesday. In a nice bit of Venom synergy, it's inspired by a super villain in the 1987 Bollywood film Mr. India.
At another point in the Corden interview, Ahmed talked about one time he almost dapped up the Queen of England. Check that clip out below.
