“In the ’80s we were called black, at least politically black. In the ’90s we were ‘Pakis.’ But after 9/11, suddenly we were Muslims. What you start getting is this rising conservatism of the Muslim community in Britain. People’s parents used to watch Zee TV, now they’re watching Islam Channel. I saw so many people who used to be D.J.s, rude boys. They chopped up their vinyl, grew beards. So you had the retreat of British Muslims from culture post-9/11. Because people all have to pick a side.”
Riz Ahmed by Sharif Hamza for The New York Times Magazine (September 2018).

