Powered by 8 - In partnership with Nike
Powered by 8
In partnership with Nike
On a gloomy Manchester night, alternative rapper RenzNiro and a crew of Manny locals come together to erect a gargantuan sound system in the nearby park. Rising up into the sky, the stack acts like a sonic fortress, defying cold skyscrapers symbolic of how the city’s changed.
The short film, directed by Rory Wood (AKA Rawtape), embodies his gloss-free style – one that speaks to the grit and strength of Mancunian subculture. Rory, a Preston native, cut his teeth in Glasgow, capturing squat parties and mákina MCs. From there, his lens turned to bigger names, shooting artists like Central Cee, Goldie, Slawn and Nia Archives. In this project, Rory returns to his subterranean roots, celebrating the secondary city’s musical avant-garde.
In their endeavour, RenzNiro and his pals work through the night. Signs are dotted around them, printed with warnings, such as “The regeneration game” or “Everything must go”. Flashing lights and a frenetic jungle track – a new release care of Renz – soundtrack their mission. By the time the sun rises, a tower of speakers stands tall, signalling their resilience against the developers’ steel and glass.
As a protagonist, RenzNiro is a fitting pick. A fixture in Manchester’s alternative rap scene, the Wythenshawe-raised musician is known for his commanding, unmistakably Northern delivery. He’s a moving narrator, too. Since starting in 2019, he’s built a dedicated following obsessed by his deliberate, off-kilter cadence. These days, his music’s taken an inward turn, ushering in collaborations with artists like Lauren Duffus and Manchester legends Space Afrika. His albums are often grounded with spoken-word reflections on the experience of racialised alienation.
Much like his lyrics, the film captures RenzNiro’s yearning for community and his relentless drive to rise – both literally and metaphorically. The heaven-kissing sound system becomes more than just a structure, but also a vision of the city on his terms.
- FILM DIRECTOR:
- RAWTAPE
- TALENT:
- RenzNiro
- THE FACE STUDIO:
- ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR:
- Kieren Carter-Birtchnall
- PROJECT DIRECTOR:
- Victoria De Zanche
- STRATEGY DIRECTOR:
- Leo Robins
- SENIOR PRODUCER:
- Katherine Bampton
- HEAD OF TALENT:
- Cal McRae
- MUSIC DIRECTOR:
- Davy Reed
- FILM CREW & CAST:
- DIRECTOR:
- RAWTAPE (Rory Wood)
- DOP:
- Elliot Holbrow
- PRODUCTION COMPANY:
- Smuggler
- EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
- Joel Spencer
- PRODUCER:
- Sidney Arthur
- LOCAL PRODUCTION:
- Antfarm
- PRODUCTION DESIGNER:
- Yousif Al-Karaghouli
- STYLIST:
- Zak Khan
- EDITOR:
- Fin Meluish
- VFX ARTIST:
- Finn Dove
- GRADE:
- Tim Smith @ Rascal
- MUSIC:
- RenzNiro
- SOUND DESIGN:
- Hugo Ellingham @ Brother
- TALENT:
- RenzNiro
- SUPPORTING CAST:
- Tia, Dunamis
- SOCIAL VIDEOGRAPHER:
- Kai Gillespie
- BTS PHOTOGRAPHER:
- Kitwah-K
Coming soon
Coming soon
Coming soon
