NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani is still earning royalties from rap music

AP News — Apr 16, 22:18 PM

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is still earning royalties from his past career as a multilingual rapper.

Tax filings show he made $1,643 in music royalties last year, a slight increase from $1,267 in 2024.

Mamdani has performed as “Young Cardamom” and “Mr. Cardamom.” He's joked that New Yorkers should stream his music to boost his income.

He began rapping in high school, focusing on socially conscious themes.

Most of his 2025 earnings came from his $131,296 salary as a state Assembly member.

His wife contributed $10,010 from graphic design work, totaling a joint income of roughly $145,000.