Democratic socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani faced fresh scrutiny after CNN aired a cringeworthy clip of his 2019 rap video during a live interview. The Mamdani rap moment, featuring the Queens assemblyman’s performance as “Mr. Cardamom,” left him visibly uncomfortable and reignited concerns over his fitness for public office.
Host Erin Burnett opened the segment with footage of Mamdani’s amateur performance, prompting the 33-year-old to grimace and admit, “Didn’t think it was going to be on CNN.” While Mamdani attempted to pivot toward his campaign message, the moment overshadowed his response to critics who say he is “not ready now” to lead America’s largest city.
Mamdani’s hip-hop past is not just embarrassing—it’s politically toxic. In one 2017 track titled “Salam,” he praises the “Holy Land Five,” convicted in 2008 of funneling over $12 million to Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization. “My love to the Holy Land Five. You better look ‘em up,” Mamdani rapped.
The resurfaced lyrics raise serious questions about Mamdani’s judgment and his links to extremist sympathies. Even rapper and businessman 50 Cent weighed in, offering Mamdani $258,000 to drop out of the race and “leave New York for good.”
“I would say a campaign offers a glimpse into what an administration would look like,” Mamdani claimed on CNN. For many voters, that glimpse—complete with pro-Hamas lyrics—is more than enough.
