In an unprecedented mashup of US politics and the hip hop music scene, New York mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani and rapper 50 Cent have jumped into a war of words. The unlikely duo started butting heads shortly after the Indian-American newcomer in politics swept New York’s Democrat mayoral primary this week.
The clash between Mamdani and 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis James Jackson III, is gaining traction as the 49-year-old hip hop icon unleashed his fury on the former in a social media post. “Where did he come from? Whose friend is this? I’m not feeling this plan,” the artist wrote on Instagram Wednesday (US time). “No. I will give him $258,750 and a first class one-way ticket away from NY.”
The “In da Club” hit-maker seemed extra fired up and inspired to unload his wrath on Mamdani after the Democrat socialist name-dropped the rapper during his appearance on an episode of “Breakfast Club Power 105.1 FM” two weeks ago.
How Zohran Mamdani poses a threat to rapper 50 Cent
The 33-year-old New York State rep’s campaign policies include freezing rent on rent-stabilised apartments and giving way to more affordable housing. Additionally, he plans to raise the NYC’s minimum wage to $30 by 2030. If elected, hopes to use his platform to hit it out against the “big guys” with his proposition of a 2% tax on residents making more than $1 million annually, in addition to hiking the corporate tax rate to 11.5%.
Foregrounding his grand vision during the recent radio outing, Mamdani, who briefly tried to make it as a rapper himself in the past, hinted at the possibility of targeting the wealthy with hiked taxes.
“We’re talking about corporations that are making millions of dollars, not in revenue, but in profit. And the second is taxing the top 1% of New Yorkers. We’re talking about people who make a million dollars a year or more, taxing them by just a flat 2% tax increase,” he said at the time.
Directly addressing the “Many Men” rapper, Mamdani went on to say, “I know if 50 Cent is listening, he’s not going to be happy about this. He tend to not like this tax policy, but I want to be very clear this is about $20,000 a year.” The Uganda-born politician quipping at the expense of the New York rapper, whose professional entanglement extends to TV, film and numerous brands, makes a lot more sense if we turn back to Us Weekly‘s August 2024 report suggesting that Cent “is on brink of billionaire status.”
50 even admitted to how things change at the billionaire level. “When people publicly say you’re a billionaire, they come for what you have,” he told the entertainment and lifestyle tabloid. “The IRS might suddenly decide they want 58 percent of your money. The ambulance chasers, the attorneys — it’s an army of ’em after you. Then you’d have to protect yourself because you have deep pockets.” Although he shunned the “billionaire” tag at the time, he agreed to being described as “very rich” instead.
Given Mamdani’s plans to raise tax, 50 Cent is already on the politician’s radar whether he likes it or not.
50 Cent jumps behind Trump for cover
How does the rapper intend to counter the NY mayoral candidate? Well, he is hoping that US President Donald Trump would come to his aid. “I’m telling Trump what he said too!” he added in the social media post.
Mamdani, who’s already declared himself to be Trump’s “worst nightmare,” leads with a significantly different political ideology as the president — as also reflected in his pro-LGBTQIA+ and pro-Palestinian stance as well. The Republican leader unleashed his scathing criticism of the Indian-American rep after his Democrat poll win.
\”He looks TERRIBLE, his voice is grating, he’s not very smart, he’s got AOC+3, Dummies ALL, backing him, and even our Great Palestinian Senator, Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, is grovelling over him,” he wrote on Truth Social.