SoundCloud to city hall: Zohran Mamdani, ex-rapper on his way to become NYC's first Muslim mayor
Mamdani's journey from rapping about samosas to rallying voters at town halls isn't just a personal pivot – it's a cultural shift. The Ugandan-born artist-turned-activist has repurposed his lyrical flair into a political platform, amplifying voices long left out of the city's power corridors.
Long before policy debates and campaign rallies, Mamdani was making music videos in Jackson Heights, rapping under the aliases Young Cardamom and Mr Cardamom. His breakout track, Nani, a tribute to his activist grandmother Praveen Nair, was released in 2019 and featured the iconic Madhur Jaffrey. The song, shot amid the bustle of Queens' food stalls, has resurfaced in a big way, racking up over 2,79,000 views on YouTube in recent days.
But Mamdani's first notable fame came even earlier. In 2016, his track '1 Spice,' produced with childhood friend Abdul Car Hussein aka HAB, landed in the opening credits of Disney's Queen of Katwe, a film directed by his mother Mira Nair who is known to be a filmmaker. The track, rich in flavor and rhythm, is a nod to his Ugandan-Indian roots and now it's echoing through campaign rallies.
According to USA Today, 'I'm running on a very simple message,' Mamdani joked in a recent appearance on Kutti Gang, a South Asian comedy show in NYC. 'It's not about being on SoundCloud, though respect. Every brown boy lived on SoundCloud at one point,' he stated.
Between music gigs, Mamdani worked as a foreclosure prevention housing counselor in Queens, a role that involved battling banks and helping working class families keep their homes. 'It was in those offices, watching people lose everything, that I realized the housing crisis was not inevitable, it was political,' he said.
In 2020, Mamdani unseated a four term incumbent to become the first South Asian man elected to the New York State Assembly. Just five years later, he now stands on the point of leading America's largest city.
In his victory speech on Wednesday morning, Mamdani struck a tone of urgency and optimism. 'I will fight for a city that works for you, that is affordable for you, that is safe for you. We can be free and we can be fed. We can demand what we deserve.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
18 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Nitin Gadkari shares plan to make Delhi congestion-free, says new links will halve traffic
Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari, at the inauguration of the Delhi sections of the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) and Dwarka Expressway on Sunday, said that the opening of these two links is likely to halve traffic jams in Delhi. He also outlined the Union government's upcoming infrastructure plans to improve connectivity between high-speed corridors in Delhi-NCR, which will improve logistics in the region and reduce costs. PM Modi, CM Rekha Gupta and Union minister Nitin Gadkari. (HT) 'The people of Delhi-NCR will get a lot of relief from these two projects. If I say that 50% of traffic jams in Delhi will reduce due to the UER-II and Dwarka Express highway, I don't think it will be surprising,' he said. Crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for directing his ministry to develop world-class infrastructure, he said, 'At that time, the situation in Delhi was not good. There were traffic jams decided to make Delhi a world-class city and made a plan to make it congestion free.' Gadkari said plans are underway to link UER-II with the Delhi-Katra Expressway, link Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab with the Delhi airport, and the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway with UER-II. 'The upcoming Delhi-Dehradun Expressway is also connected from UER-II. Travel time from vehicles coming from the Dehradun side to the Delhi airport will come down from 2-2.5 hours to just 45 minutes. A road link will also connect Noida, Faridabad with the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, which will also work as a bypass for east Delhi,' the minister said. He said that a direct link from southwest Delhi to the Noida-Faridabad road will be built, and a tunnel road connecting Shiv Murti–Mahipalpur (Dwarka Expressway) with Nelson Mandela Road (Vasant Kunj) will be built. Elevated corridors on the AIIMS-Mahipalpur-Gurugram routes will reduce snarls on the inner and outer ring roads. Gadkari said all these road projects will also reduce the cost of logistics to make Indian goods competitive in the global market. Citing studies by multiple IITs, Gadkari said the logistics cost has reduced by 6% due to the improvement of roads and by 2026, the logistics cost will be in single digits. The union minister said of the ₹65,000 crore worth of projects envisioned to ease congestion in Delhi, projects worth ₹48,000 crore have been completed in the past decade. He said three out of the six greenfield expressways connecting Delhi are ready, and the remaining three, including the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, will be completed by December 2026. The other two are the Delhi-Katra Expressway and the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway. The Dwarka Expressway, Delhi-Meerut and Delhi Peripheral Ring Road have already been completed. Recalling litigation that held up the peripheral ring road, he said: 'With great difficulty, even after many problems, we completed the project, and heavy incoming traffic to Delhi was diverted.' He said the Delhi Meerut Expressway, signal-free corridors between Mukarba Chowk and Sonepat, and Dhaula Kuan and Gurugram, eased the twin problems of pollution and congestion. Gadkari said the two projects inaugurated on Sunday were envisioned in the Delhi Master Plan of 2001, but previous governments did not act on it. According to details shared, the upcoming tunnel project between Shiv Murti and Nelson Mandela Marg will be 5km long, and consist of two ducts with three lanes each. It will pass under Delhi's southern ridge at a depth of 20-40 metres. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will provide cross-passage and lay-by zones at every 500-metre interval, according to an NHAI report. The project is likely to cost ₹3,500 crore. The AIIMS to Mahipalpur-Gurugram elevated corridor is likely to be 20km long and cost around ₹5,000 crore. According to an NHAI decongestion report shared with the Delhi government, the highway connecting UER-II with Delhi-Katra Expressway will be around 20 kilometres long and is likely to cost around ₹4,000 crore. Once complete, it will serve as an alternative to the NH-44. Similarly, the UER-II extension to the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway will start from Alipur and end near Tronica City, covering around 17km. This extension is likely to cost around ₹3,350 crore and would provide faster connectivity to commuters from Haryana and Rajasthan heading towards Dehradun. 'It will decongest Delhi by diverting long distance and freight traffic from central roads easing pressure on NH-48, NH-44, Ring Roads and Barapullah elevated corridor,' the report reads. A further eastern extension of the UER-II, which will act as a new bypass for east Delhi, connecting Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad, will be around 65 kilometres long and ₹7,500 crore. 'The highway will connect major roads such as Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, Delhi-Meerut Expressway, Noida-Greater Noida Expressway and DND-Faridabad highway. It will provide connectivity to towns such as Loni, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Noida with North, Northwest and West Delhi,' the report reads.
Time of India
32 minutes ago
- Time of India
Educationists' forum urges CM to examine concerns on SEP
Chennai: The State Platform for Common School System (SPCSS) on Saturday urged the chief minister M K Stalin to examine concerns expressed on State Education Policy (SEP) for school education and hold direct consultations with all members of the high-level committee, organisations, and individuals who presented their suggestions for strengthening it. "Student organisations, educational bodies, and educationists have come out with various suggestions to improve and strengthen the policy. The hallmark of democracy is to hear and respond to criticism," said P B Prince Gajendrababu, general secretary of the SPCSS-TN, in his representation to the chief minister Stalin. "If the policy is implemented without addressing any of the issues raised by various forums, it will have a disastrous effect on the govt-funded school education system that was built on the principles of social justice," he further said. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai | Gold Rates Today in Chennai | Silver Rates Today in Chennai The representation also mentioned the non-availability of the high-level committee report in the public domain and the announcement of the policy without placing the draft for discussion, which has denied the democratic space for people. "A policy on school education should provide a roadmap for equitable access to education for all and a smooth transition from school education to higher education," SPCSS stated. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Regarding the concerns, it mentioned the concept of model schools, VETRI schools, and the involvement of volunteers in curricular activities as being against the concept of Samacheer Kalvi (uniformed access to education) and principles of social justice. "A policy cannot sustain inequalities, and it is against the provisions of the Constitution," the representation said. It also called for designing the SEP for higher education more carefully and for strengthening and expanding govt higher education institutions. "The policy on higher education should be clear in ensuring full funding for all govt, govt-aided colleges, and state universities. The full grant should be provided by the govt. The university and affiliation system should continue. Each university has its uniqueness," it further said. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Follow Lord Krishna's path to work for nation's welfare: CM
Lucknow: Urging devotees to follow Lord Krishna's path of Dharma while working for society and the nation's welfare, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath underlined the need to preserve Sanatan heritage alongside modern development. Arriving at Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura on Janmashtami, Yogi offered prayers to Thakur Keshavdev and Mata Yogmaya, followed by a pooja at Krishna Chabutra inside the sanctum sanctorum. After visiting Bhagwat Bhawan, he addressed the devotees, chanting 'Vrindavan Bihari Lal ki Jai' and 'Jai Shri Radhe,' as the premises reverberated with devotional echoes. Addressing the devotees, he urged them to remain vigilant against negative forces that seek to weaken the country. CM Yogi emphasised the need to respect the symbols of Sanatan Dharma, including rivers like the Ganga and Yamuna, Gaumata, Gayatri, and sacred pilgrimage sites, saying they are integral to the nation's identity and their preservation is citizens' shared responsibility. Extending greetings, Yogi said that Braj Bhoomi is the land of Lord Vishnu's complete incarnation as Lord Krishna and his divine 'leelas'. From Ayodhya to Mathura, he noted, these places stand as enduring symbols of the country's spiritual said that for the past eight years, he has had the privilege of participating in Janmashtami celebrations and Barsana's Rangotsav. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo He added that his govt is committed to restoring the glory of Mathura, Vrindavan, Barsana, Gokul, Baldev, Govardhan and Radha Kund, and developing them as global pilgrimage destinations. An ardent cow devotee, Yogi said that just like Krishna, the state govt is ensuring complete care of destitute cattle and providing Rs 1,500 to farmers per month who rear such cows. Yogi praised the Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad for driving the development of the Braj region under the guidance of public representatives. "It is our duty to link this 5,000-year-old heritage with modern progress," he said. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
