Latest news with #YoungCardamom
Forbes
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Does Young Cardamom Help Zohran Mamdani?
Zohran Mamdani is charming much of New York City, and young people all over the world. The Indian-African American, who identifies as Muslim, uses the affectionate "habibi" in his campaign videos, smiling goofily and using big hands while taking down the establishment. Almost exactly 10 years before he was grooming the city to become its first Muslim mayor, the would-be Democratic Socialist was speaking his mind under the rap alias Young Cardamom, dropped to Mr. Cardamom as a solo performer in 2019. Cardamom is named for a rather innocuous spice dominant in South Asian and Middle Eastern desserts. His sole remaining YouTube video extols the virtues of the world's greatest gangster, the Nani, or Desi grandmother, who slaps men in the reel. According to its review in the New York Times, the video was inspired by his grandmother, retired Delhi social worker Parveen Nair, shot for free in a Bangladeshi Kabab King. Such is his gift: to straddle the line of comic tragedy, of elite art and systemic class inequity. Family is a big part of Mamdani's trajectory. His musical breakthrough came for the Disney+ release of Queen of Katwe in 2016, directed by his mother Mira Nair, and starring Lupita Nyong'o. Mamdani's father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a Gujrati-born Muslim academic celebrated in Uganda, the setting for the true story used in the film. Lupita is the daughter of a Kenyan academic, Peter Anyang' Nyong'o, who once taught at the University of Nairobi before transitioning into politics. One of her first opportunities was on the production crew of Mira Nair's 2006 film, The Namesake. Nair has been quoted in Variety as saying that it was teenaged Zohran Mamdani who encouraged her to take the project and cast Kal Penn. Madamani saw past the "stoner" persona of Kumar in the cult classic Harold and Kumar go to White Castle, and the narrative significance to Muslim Americana. 'It was such a valuable, beautiful piece of advice,' Nair said of Mamdani's recommendation. She added, 'I always definitely hear him when [we] talk about the story I'm making, or who I'm thinking of, or who's good — or who's not.' At 23, Mamdani collaborated with rapper HAB, releasing an album in the Luganda language titled 'Sidda Mukyaalo', meaning, 'I Shall not Return to the Village', or "No Going Back to the Village." Mamdani told Okay Africa at the time that the title was inspired by a boda, or motorcycle driver, a few weeks prior, with the slogan written on the back of his jacket in Kampala."And it's true for the two of us as well, although for different reasons," Mamdani told the interviewer. "I can't go back to the village because, as an Asian Ugandan, I simply do not have any village. The city is all I have." Mamdani says he is a third generation Ugandan, presumably through his father, whose family fled colonial India in the early 1900s. Political opponents in the United States, including Black American Mayor Eric Adams, have lambasted Mamdani for identifying as partly African on his rejected Columbia University application, evoking parallels to the 'birther' movement, with paranoia surrounding Barack Obama's Hawaiian birth certificate during his successful presidential campaign. But Mamdani certainly walked the walk in Africa. As Young Cardamom, he and his partner HAB rapped in six different languages: Luganda, the language of Uganda, Hindi, the language of his parents, Swahili, Runyoro, and Nubi. He sought to find the complicated voice of a city, and continues to do so now in New York. Mamdani's mother, Mira Nair, has always amplified her filmmaking storytelling with bold musical choices. The 2001 film Monsoon Wedding features a robust blend of Indian sounds, from trance-like background character songs to poppy Bollywood choreography. In the 2012 film, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, a hauntingly good Pakistani Qawwali opens the mysterious and shadowy themes. In tandem with Mamdani's interest in music was his lens on the world through race. He said he was "mistaken for white growing up in Africa," but that, "in the the opposite." The language Mamdani determined for New York was not one of the African dialects he used back in even Hindi. It was the language of terror. "Security clearly understands me as brown and Muslim," he told Okay Africa about New York, "And so views me as a threat." Mamdani pointed out Young Cardamom and HAB's song Askari, about the security guards in Kampala and their implicit bias against Black faces. "This song came out of our personal experiences," he explained. 'Whenever any of my non-black friends or family come home, the gate swings open immediately. When it's a black friend or family member, it always takes a bit longer.' In 2017, one year after the Queen of Katwe soundtrack, Mamdani released Salaam under his middle name, Zohran Kwame. He has described himself as a "C-list rapper," and certainly, this solo track is musically uninspired. Lyrically, Mamdani references his mother in the track. But controversially, he also sends his "love" to the Holy Land Five, a group of Palestinian Americans who sent 12 million USD to Hamas and were imprisoned for terrorism. It is unclear whether Mamdani actually speaks Arabic, the origin of the word Salaam, which means "peace", although his wife, Rama Duwaji, is of Syrian origin. Despite the six languages of Young Cardamom, there is no mention of "Shalom," the Hebrew greeting for peace, linguistically from the same Aramaic root. In his 2019 Times' feature, it was noted that Mamdani was professionally focused on dispossessed people in New York at risk of losing their homes. The New York Post, which continues to lambast his platform, noted that as a member of the New York Assembly, he introduced a bill to end the tax-exempt status of the charities with ties to Israeli settlements "that violate international human rights law". In childhood, it was Mamdani who encouraged his mother to focus on more independent, Muslim-oriented stories. He told her to turn down Harry Potter, starring ethnically Jewish Daniel Radcliffe, and she rejected The Devil Wears Prada, starring Jewish convert Anne Hathaway and based on the autobiographical book by Jewish author Lauren Weisberger. Throughout his campaign, Mamdani has insisted he is not Anti-Semitic, and has received endorsements from Jewish politicians and regular New Yorkers. Rather, he insists he is asking larger questions about free speech and unlawful detainment, derailing biased power structures in the name of justice. Alas, music is no longer his primary vehicle for self-expression.
Indian Express
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
SoundCloud to city hall: Zohran Mamdani, ex-rapper on his way to become NYC's first Muslim mayor
Indian-origin New York Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's journey to the top of the American city's politics didn't begin in a boardroom or on Capitol Hill but behind a mic, spitting rhymes under the moniker 'Young Cardamom'. This week, the 33-year-old Queens lawmaker and former rapper clinched the Democratic primary by defeating former governor and heavyweight Andrew Cuomo. 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.'
Mint
26-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Zohran Mamdani Net Worth: New York Mayoral candidate lives on rent, has no car. Check how much he earns
New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's net worth stands at approximately $200,000 ( ₹ 1.71 crore), according to a Forbes report. This is far less than what Andrew Cuomo, his competitor, is worth, which Forbes pegged at $10 million. At an estimated $200,000, Zohran Mamdani's net worth is relatively modest compared to many political figures, especially those he targets with his policy proposals. Although Zohran comes from an affluent background, his mother, Mira Nair, is a celebrated filmmaker, and his father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a Columbia academic, he campaigns on tackling wealth disparities head-on. His advocacy for a $30 ( ₹ 2500) per hour minimum wage and targeting high-net-worth individuals underscores his authentic commitment to economic equity. According to a Forbes report, after Zohran became a naturalised US citizen in 2018, he ran for a state assembly seat and won in 2020. The job pays $142,000 annually. Today, he lives in a $2,250/month rent-stabilised Astoria apartment and doesn't own a car; he takes the subway to his debate appearances. In 2024, Zohran reported that he gets $1,000 in rap royalties, including the single 'Nani,' which he created using the moniker Young Cardamom. According to Zohran's financial disclosures in 2023, he acquired four acres of land in Jinja, a region of Uganda bordering Lake Victoria that contains the source of the Nile River, in 2012. He said the land's value is between $150,000 and $250,000. However, in a disclosure he filed as a mayoral candidate earlier this year, he said that he acquired the land in 2016 and that it remains vacant and unimproved. Since New York City disclosures do not require candidates to list cash accounts, Zohran Mamdani may be worth a bit more than the documents show. If elected, Zohran Mamdani would be the youngest mayor at age 34 and would get a salary bump of $260,000. He would also save on rent by moving into Gracie Mansion, the official mayoral residence on the Upper East Side, and could continue with his car-less lifestyle. Born in 1991 in Kampala, Uganda, to a Columbia University professor and an acclaimed filmmaker, Zohran Mamdani attended Bank Street, a prestigious Manhattan private school that now costs as much as $66,000 a year for elementary school students. He then went to the Bronx High School of Science, one of the city's best public schools, for this graduation. Zohran studied Africana Studies at Bowdoin College, a private liberal arts school in Maine that is also the alma mater of Netflix's Reed Hastings and former American Express CEO Ken Chenault.
Indianapolis Star
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indianapolis Star
Mr. Cardamom? Zohran Mamdani, NYC's Democratic mayoral candidate, was a rapper.
Zohran Mamdani turned heads after winning New York City's Democratic mayoral primary on Tuesday night. The election caught the attention of the country and in true internet fashion, a piece of Mamdani's past – a musical piece, at that – has been brought to light. Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic socialist who has strong stances on renters' rights, affordable developments and higher taxes for the wealthy, defied odds by pushing out frontrunner and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. But Mamdani's progressive views aren't the only surprising thing about him. Since winning the primary, videos and music associated with Mamdani's old rap career have gone viral. In a "past life," Mamdani was known under the monikers Mr. Cardamom and Young Cardamom. In 2016, Mamdani's song, #1 Spice, produced under the name Young Cardamom with Mamdani's childhood friend Abdul Car Hussein, who performed as HAB, was featured in Disney's "Queen of Katwe," directed by Mamdani's mother, Mira Nair. Starring Lupita Nyong'o, "Queen of Katwe" tells the story of 10-year-old Phiona who becomes fascinated with chess, introduced to her by a missionary visiting her hometown of Kampala, Uganda. "#1 Spice" is the first track in the movie. Mamdani's team did not immediately respond for comment about his rapping past when contacted by USA TODAY on June 25. But during a recent guest appearance on Kutti Gang, a New York comedy show, Mamdani did poke fun at independent artists. "Every brown boy lived on SoundCloud at one point," Mamdani said during the show, laughing. "I'm running on a very simple message. It's not about being on SoundCloud, though, respect." The sole video on Mr. Cardamom's YouTube channel is a 2019 music video for his song, "Nani," dedicated to his grandmother Praveen Nair, the founder of Salaam Baalak Trust, a nonprofit that supports underprivileged children in Delhi, India, according to The New York Times. The video, which stars American-Indian actress Madhur Jaffrey as Nair, had more than 279,000 views as of June 25. Produced when Mamdani was 27 years old, according to The New York Times, "Nani" tells the story of an underappreciated grandmother who describes herself as the "85 years gold" and the "best damn Nani that you ever done seen." Mamdani's musical career got its start when he was a junior at Bronx High School of Science, according to reporting by The New York Times. He ran for class vice president on a rapping campaign and unlike this week, lost. Around 2015, Mamdani began rapping under Young Cardamom. In 2016, Mamdani and Hussein recorded and released a six-song EP titled, "Sidda Mukyaalo". "Nani" is the only song available under Mamdani's Mr. Cardamom moniker, available on Spotify, Apple Music and of course, YouTube. "#1 Spice" and the full "Sidda Mukyaalo" EP are available for streaming on Young Cardamom's Spotify. Largely, Mamdani's past rap career has received positive reviews from NYC voters and those elsewhere following the election. The top comment on the "Nani" YouTube video reads, "That's Mayor Mr. Cardamom to you!" Another comment on the video reads, "I love how every other politician has a crazy scandal and Zohran's just out here with a track about his Nani (grannie)." Comedian and filmmaker Esau Hamadanyan poked fun at the mayoral candidate in a social media post on Wednesday. "Zohran Mamdani did what very few men can accomplish: Acknowledge your rap mixtape is not that good, and switch lanes," comedian and filmmaker Hamadanyan wrote. "(I love Zohran, just goofin."
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
How Zohran Mamdani used pop culture to make politics personal for South Asians in New York
When Zohran Mamdani launched his campaign for mayor of New York City, he didn't just knock on doors or shake hands at community centers — he spoke directly to the city's massive South Asian population through a language they understood deeply: Bollywood. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The 33-year-old democratic socialist, now poised to become the Democratic nominee after defeating political heavyweight Andrew Cuomo in a surprise primary upset, used film dialogues, iconic songs, and multilingual videos to connect with immigrant voters who rarely hear their cultures reflected in American politics. And it worked — spectacularly. Credit: Instagram/ Zohran Mamdani Politics meets pop culture Almost 3 weeks ago, Mamdani posted a video on his social media account where he could be heard appealing to the voters to vote for him in this election. This was not your average promotional video, it was filled with Bollywood pop culture and desi moments. While the video starts with a close up of Mamdani explaining how there is less than 20 days left to the elections- however soon he turns to bollywood reference to put his case forward. The video bursts with iconic moments from classic and modern Bollywood films. There's Deewar, with Amitabh Bachchan's unforgettable 'Aaj mere paas buildingein hain…' line — followed by Mamdani responding, arms wide like Shah Rukh Khan, 'aap'.There's Roti Kapda Aur Makaan, and there's even Apna Time Aayega, cheekily flipped into "Aapka Time Aagaya." But this isn't just nostalgia bait — it's smart politics. Mamdani used these references to explain real policy and voter strategy. He walked viewers through New York's ranked-choice voting system using none other than mango lassi as props — five cups, one for each ranking. It was quirky, charming, and instantly shareable. The language? A fluent blend of Hindi and Urdu. Deep roots, real connections Mamdani's outreach wasn't just performative — it was personal. Born in Uganda and raised in New York City from age seven, he's no stranger to blending cultures. His mother, filmmaker , made some of the most loved South Asian diaspora films — Monsoon Wedding, Mississippi Masala, The Namesake — but Mamdani carved his own path. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Before politics, he released music under the name Mr. Cardamom (and previously Young Cardamom), including the single Nani in 2019 featuring cookbook legend Madhur Jaffrey as his grandmother. But by 2015, he was already on the ground organizing, starting out as a campaign volunteer, joining the Democratic Socialists of America in 2017, and working behind the scenes for years. Bollywood as strategy, not sideshow With over 600,000 South Asian Americans living in New York — the second-largest South Asian population in the U.S. — Mamdani's Bollywood strategy was more than clever. It was essential. In neighborhoods like Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Kensington, and Curry Hill, where Hindi, Punjabi, Bangla, and Urdu are spoken at home, Mamdani's videos made voting feel less like a civic duty and more like a cultural moment.
