INTRODUCING: RenzNiro

Manchester artist and producer RenzNiro has announced his new mixtape No Weapon Shall Prosper, a project shaped over years, setbacks and steady self-belief rather than one quick burst of momentum. Led by new single ‘ACW’ featuring prettyboyface, the tape brings together grime-adjacent lyricism, gqom-inspired movement, live instrumentation and a cast of collaborators spanning Manchester and beyond. It’s a record rooted in resilience, sharpened by reflection, and built with the kind of patience that turns fragments into something far more expansive.

With No Weapon Shall Prosper, RenzNiro sounds more self-assured than ever — bridging scenes, pulling together unlikely collaborators and pushing his sound into darker, more cinematic territory without losing the directness that’s always defined his work. We caught up with him to talk about the meaning behind the mixtape’s title, the long road to finishing ACW, and why taking his time ended up changing the project for the better.

“No Weapon Shall Prosper” feels like a statement as much as a title — what does that phrase mean to you at this point in your life and career?

To be honest, I named the project after the beat that I started for Silverspoon (a song on the project)before it was finished & it’s stepped into the name I gave it. It references the bible verse Isaiah 54:17. Just as the project was about to be finished, the computer and hard drive with everything on it was stolen. Me & Wudini had to stem split and rework the majority of the project from previous MP3s we had. It was super tough but we rolled with it and ended up making something special. It feels like it was a test to see if we’re really about it or not! I believe that if you really want something, the setback either become irrelevant or part of the game. You’re gonna move heaven and earth to make it happen.



You’ve described the mixtape as something built over time rather than in one moment — how did that long, iterative process shape the final sound and message?


- Being able to take my time and grow with the project has been a big blessing. I think with time I’ve been able to see what was working, what wasn’t, who I needed to add to the project and develop it into something that represents the journey I’ve been on as an artist. I was gonna rush to put it out after Laissez-Faire to maintain ‘momentum’ but my manager pushed me to develop the work further and the result is something that I’m so proud of. Through taking my time, I’ve been able to really unpick and get to grips with what I want this project to feel like and I’ve gotten way more confident in my work and taste as a producer. Over the process I’ve been able to see just how much the people around me believe in me and are rooting for me and I’ve realised just how blessed I am to have people like them in my corner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMaLs4BXF-Y

‘ACW’ has gone through multiple versions before landing where it is now — what were you searching for in that process, and when did you know it was finished?


With the other versions I kept the lyrics, but I wasn’t too sure about the beat, so I kept reworking it, then restarting. Then during one session with Wudini, I showed him “Prada Le Balenciaga”, “Di’kota Tsa Swervo” by MfanaTouchline, who I was listening to a lot at the time & we were both losing our minds inspired by it. We made the beat with that fresh in our minds and I just started spitting the ACW and immediately we knew that this was it.


Collaboration plays a big role on this project, bringing together artists from different scenes — what draws you to certain collaborators, and how do you make those worlds connect?


Most of the time I work with people that I know personally. Everyone that has contributed to this project is someone that has deeply moved me with their work and an artist that I feel honoured to work with. It’s really easy for me to act as a bridge between two sounds that might not make sense immediately, and it’s a challenge I embrace. I think taking my time to actually live with the music I’ve made and what different artists have added, allows me to make better decisions and guide the work to its finishing point


There’s a strong sense of Manchester running through your work, but also a wider, outward-looking energy — how do you balance representing your city while pushing beyond it?

I’m just being myself and where I’m from is a vital part of what makes me, me. Naturally, through travelling and performing in different places, I’ve experienced a lot of new things that have inspired me and go back into the music