Latest news with #YoungCardamom
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.
Forbes
25-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
3 Key Issues Surrounding Zohran Mamdani's New York City Tax Increase
New York City mayoral candidate and Democratic State Representative Zohran Mamdani campaigns in New ... More York City on April 16, 2025. Voters will head to the polls on June 24, 2025, to vote in the Democratic primary in the New York City mayoral election. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) As reported by Forbes, Zohran Mamdani won the New York City Mayoral Democratic Primary and is poised to become one of the most powerful mayors in the US. What makes his campaign unique is that Mandani ran on a more socialist-type platform, which raises taxes on some to pay for enhanced services. This article discusses who Mamdani is, what Mamdani proposes to alter the tax landscape of New York City, and three key issues with his plans to increase taxes on New York City taxpayers. Who Is Zohran Mamdani? Mamdani is a 33 year old politician. He was born in Uganda, and his family moved to South Africa before moving to New York City at the age of seven. Mamdani spent much of his life in New York City before attending Bowdoin College in Maine. Following college, Mandani started a hip-hop music career. According to Rolling Stone, he first appeared under the stage name of Young Cardamom and later changed it to Mr. Cardamom. The article also discusses that he did not become a rap sensation, but that Mamdani had many funny moments that showed that he was not taking himself too seriously. After his time as a hip-hop artist ended, Mamdani campaigned to become a representative in New York's 36th State Assembly district. He won in 2020, defeating a four-term incumbent, and was re-elected without opposition in 2022 and 2024. According to the New York State Assembly records, Mamdani was the primary sponsor on 20 bills, three of which have become laws. In 2024, Mamdani announced his candidacy for mayor of New York City in the 2025 election. He has defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo for the Democratic nomination. As of the morning of June 25th, Polymarket estimates his lead over incumbent Mayor Eric Adams to be 52%. Mamdani's Tax Plan According to Mamdani's campaign website, he has big ambitions to alter New York City's socio-economic landscape. These plans include freezing rent, making bus transportation free, building dedicated priority lanes for busses, creating a new department focusing on community safety, providing free childcare at no cost for every New Yorker between six weeks and five years old, creating city-owned grocery stores designed to keep prices low, building new affordable housing, and many more. Mamdani estimates these spending increases will cost $10 billion annually. This marks a staggering increase relative to the city's $115 billion annual budget. The New York Times reports that his socialist-leaning platform has drawn promotion from the likes of Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders, both of whom have openly endorsed his candidacy. Mamdani is also very transparent about how he plans to pay for these large spending increases. In his platform, he clearly lays out where $10 billion can come from. His two main funding sources are: 3 Key Issues Surrounding Mamdani's Tax Increase 1) The Numbers May Not Add Up In his platform, Mamdani transparently suggests that at the current corporate tax rate of 9%, New York City collects $6.5 billion annually in corporate income taxes. However, his platform then claims that raising the rate by 2.5% will then increase collections to $11.5 billion. While Mamdani's platform can be applauded for transparency, it does not connect the dots on where the numbers come from. Nationwide, collections from individuals tend to dwarf those from corporations. This notion is because of the simple fact that there are far more individuals and non-corporate owned businesses than corporate entities. Thus, even though major corporations earn significant amounts of money, it is unclear how a small increase in the corporate tax rate of 2.5% can have such a drastic effect on the tax collections for New York City. 2) Most Large-Scale Tax Changes Happen At The State Level Very few cities enforce their own individual and corporate income tax, making comparisons to how this increase will affect taxpayers opaque. In Mamdani's platform, he calls the tax increases 'A Tried and True Approach' and references how Massachusetts, Washington DC, and New York have all raised taxes on the wealthy and done so successfully. Mamdani also cites how state taxation differentially taxes corporations in New York, and how New York has had a history of increasing taxes on its taxpayers throughout the years. However, nowhere in the platform does Mamdani demonstrate a time when cities have done this effectively. As reported by The New York Post, the scale of Mamdani's plans rely on buyoff from the state legislature. In fact, The New York Times Podcast: The Daily discusses that providing free transportation and free childcare requires raising money from the state, and the state is very reluctant to do so at this time. Different from the Federal government, cities and states cannot go into debt. Thus, there is significant pressure on these spending increases to ensure that they are paid for, and the tax increases appear to require substantial state-level support. This notion has led outlets like Forbes to question whether Mamdani understands the realities of governance. 3) Wealthy Individuals And Corporations May Just Leave New York City In an interview with PIX 11, New York Governor Hochul provided a stunning critique over Mamdani's tax plans. Hochul discusses the concerns with raising taxes at a time when affordability is low, as well as the notion that the heightened costs are 'pushing New Yorkers to Palm Beach.' A natural question arises of whether New Yorkers would really leave because of taxes. While providing causal links to the question may be tricky, The Tax Foundation, points to the notion that most studies examining this topic suggest that state and local taxes affect migration. Academic work by Agrawal and Tester published in the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, provides evidence that this does, in fact, happen and the risk of capital flight has grown over recent years due to increased technology. A particularly problematic concern for New York City is that many of the academic studies in this realm focus on state taxation and how individuals and corporations might face a difficult decision of a physical move to an entirely different state. However, if New York City taxes become too high, the taxpayers might have a less tumultuous choice of simply relocating just outside of the city, a much easier move than moving to an entirely different state. If wealthy individuals and corporations choose to depart New York City due to the tax hikes, then it is unclear where the funds to pay for the increased spending will come from. Despite the substantial transparency provided in his platform, Mamdani does not appear to consider this important notion.
