Recent tax documents reveal that Zohran Mamdani, the mayor of New York City, continues to earn income from his brief stint as a multilingual rapper. Despite his rapid ascent as a prominent political figure, the increase in his music-related earnings has been modest: last year, he received $1,643 in music royalties, a slight rise from $1,267 in 2024.
The 34-year-old Democrat, who performed under the names Young Cardamom and Mr. Cardamom, humorously suggested on Thursday that New Yorkers could support him by streaming his music on Spotify. “Many people claim to be listening,” he remarked. “But in reality, they aren’t.”
Mamdani began his musical journey in high school, producing songs with social themes in his twenties that tackled issues from Indian cuisine to colonial history. He has referred to himself as a “C-list rapper,” inspired by his childhood idols, including the indie-rap collective Das Racist.
The tax records, disclosed to journalists on Thursday, indicated that the majority of Mamdani’s earnings for 2025 were derived from his position as a state Assembly member, where he earned $131,296. Additionally, his wife earned $10,010 from her graphic design work, leading to a combined household income of approximately $145,000.
This year, as mayor, Mamdani’s salary is expected to be $258,750.
Mamdani is not the first New York City mayor to receive royalties from the entertainment industry. Former mayor Michael Bloomberg reported earning between $2,000 and $10,000 in residuals from various media appearances, including roles in the TV show Law + Order, the 2008 special A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa, and the 2011 film The Adjustment Bureau, featuring Matt Damon, according to his redacted tax return from 2012.
