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Zohran Mamdani, a former rapper born in Uganda to Indian parents, is currently leading the race for New York City mayor. While most candidates haven’t incorporated their musical past into their campaigns, Mamdani proudly includes his history as a rapper in his official records. He performed under the pseudonyms Young Cardamom and Mr. Cardamom, earning modest royalties from his performances.
In 2016, Mamdani performed as part of a duo with childhood friend Hussein Abdul Bar at a festival in their native Uganda. That same year, a music video featured Mamdani performing alongside HAB for the song “#1 Spice,” connected to the release of Mira Nair’s film “Queen of Katwe,” which his mother directed. The movie tells the true story of a Ugandan girl who rises to become a chess champion, and the music video included appearances by Lupita Nyong’o and other young actors.
A co-founder of the Nyege Nyege festival, Derek Debru, recalls Mamdani gaining media attention when his music videos circulated on TV, prompting Mamdani to meet a hip-hop producer and record his own songs. One notable track is a bilingual rap that references a popular Indian and East African flatbread, with lyrics: “I got the same history as chapati, origins of India, but born in UG. Rock brown skin, but I’m Ugandan. I can rap both in English and Luganda.”
Mam-dani declined to comment for an interview but was involved in a project with renowned Indian culinary writer and actress Madhur Jaffrey. In a playful street-food-cart music video, Jaffrey, dressed casually in a yellow hoodie, rapped and danced beside Mamdani, who wore an apron without a shirt underneath. Jaffrey amusingly remarked on her role, saying, “I have to make a murder as Lady Macbeth… so what’s a few dirty words between us?” during an appearance on Good Morning Britain.
Following his success in the Democratic primary, a friend from Uganda, Magnus Thomson—who was the sound producer for Mamdani’s collaboration with Jaffrey—initially thought Mamdani had been elected mayor. It took a few days for him to realize there was still a general election to win. Thomson, a Dane, appreciated Mamdani’s consistency in maintaining his democratic socialist beliefs.
In a July campaign video, Mamdani’s humor showed through when he made RZA from Wu-Tang Clan laugh by referencing Wu-Tang Financial, a comedic skit where Wu-Tang members played financial advisors. Mamdani emphasized that Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighborhood, where RZA’s home is located, should be a place residents feel proud to stay.
Derek Debru believes Mamdani’s past as a rapper contributes to his authenticity as a politician, noting that Mamdani embraces his background fully. “We knew who he was. It was really exciting to see a person like him own who he is without hiding it,” Debru said.
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