The filings provide a public accounting of Mamdani’s finances as he transitions from the state Assembly to City Hall, where his annual salary rises to $258,750 — nearly double the $131,296 he earned as a state legislator last year.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani earned $1,643 in music royalties from his early rap career in 2025, according to tax filings shared with reporters Thursday. The 34-year-old Democrat, who performed under the names “Young Cardamom” and “Mr. Cardamom,” saw only a modest gain from $1,267 in royalties the prior year.
Mamdani joked Thursday that fans wanting to bolster his music income should “go to Spotify.” He added: “A lot of people say they’re listening. They’re not listening.”
The bulk of Mamdani’s 2025 income came from his $131,296 salary as a state Assembly member. His wife reported $10,010 in graphic design income, bringing the couple’s joint reported income to roughly $145,000. As mayor, Mamdani is set to earn $258,750 this year.
Mamdani began rapping in high school and released socially conscious material in his 20s covering subjects ranging from Indian flatbread to colonialism. He has described himself as a “C-list rapper” following in the footsteps of childhood heroes including the indie-rap group Das Racist.
He is not the first New York City mayor to declare entertainment income. Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s redacted 2012 tax return showed he received between $2,000 and $10,000 in residuals from prior appearances as himself in the “Law & Order” franchise, the 2008 TV special “A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa,” and the 2011 film “The Adjustment Bureau.”