Transforming from a lesser-known rapper to a young NYC mayoral candidate gaining attention

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Zohran Mamdani once spent his days making tongue-in-cheek rap videos. This week, he knocked out a former governor to win New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary.

Since announcing his candidacy, the 33-year-old Queens lawmaker has gone from being virtually unknown outside of NYC to a national star — a feat accomplished in no small part by his embrace of social media.

If he wins the November general election, he’ll become the city’s first Muslim and Indian‑American mayor.

Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, has promised to cut living costs by introducing free childcare and bus rides, freezing rents in regulated apartments, and expanding affordable housing — all paid for with higher taxes on the city’s wealthiest residents.

His campaign has been powered by small donations, youth turnout, and endorsements from progressive heavyweights in the Democratic party, such as Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez and Bernie Sanders.

So, who is the man that United States President Donald Trump has just called a “100% Communist Lunatic”?

From Kampala to Queens

Zohran Kwame Mamdani was born in 1991 in Kampala, Uganda, to award-winning film director Mira Nair (Queen of Katwe, Monsoon Wedding) and Columbia University scholar Mahmood Mamdani.

His parents settled in Queens, New York, when Mamdani was seven years old, and he still calls the borough home.

He says he first took an interest in social justice issues while at college.

A man stands with his arm around an older woman on the red carpet.

Zohran Mamdani and his mother, Mira Nair. Credit: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Disney

Beatmaker to lawmaker

Before diving into politics, Mamdani rapped under the monikers Young Cardamom and Mr Cardamom.

When Mamdani first ran for the New York State Assembly, he poked fun at his short-lived music career, calling himself a “B‑list rapper”.

His 2019 track Nani was written as a tribute to his grandmother, with the music video shot around Jackson Heights food stalls and diners that fed his Queens childhood.

The song later found a fresh burst of attention and a much bigger audience as his mayoral campaign gathered momentum.

Between gigs, Mamdani worked as a foreclosure‑prevention housing counsellor, helping low‑income homeowners in Queens fight eviction.

Negotiating with banks that “valued profits over people” convinced him the housing crisis was a political choice, he said.

Mamdani says it was this job that inspired him to run for office.

In 2020, he unseated a four‑term incumbent and became the first South Asian man to serve in the New York State Assembly.

Zohran Mamdani says his career as a foreclosure-prevention housing counsellor inspired his career into politics. Credit: Heather Khalifa/AP

‘My friends, we have done it’

On 25 June 2025, Mamdani declared victory in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary after Andrew Cuomo conceded the race.

Given Cuomo’s background — which includes political appointments in former president Bill Clinton’s administration and a decade-long tenure as New York State governor — it was somewhat of an upset.

Mamdani said in his victory speech that his campaign had “made history”.

“In the words of Nelson Mandela, ‘It always seems impossible until it is done.’ My friends, we have done it,” he said.

Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral race has become one of the most watched political contests in the United States. Source: Getty / Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images

At the general election on 4 November, Mamdani will face incumbent Eric Adams who is running as an independent after a political scandal over federal bribery charges, which have since been dropped.

Cuomo also hasn’t ruled out a comeback run that could split the centre vote.

While Mamdani starts strong with energy and volunteers, he trails his rivals in big‑donor cash and faces a barrage of attack ads painting his views as too radical.

Shortly after his victory in the primary, Trump took to his Truth Social outlet to call Mamdani a “100% Communist Lunatic”.

“We’ve had Radical Lefties before, but this is getting a little ridiculous. He looks TERRIBLE, his voice is grating, he’s not very smart, he’s got AOC+3, Dummies ALL, backing him,” Trump added.