They say you shouldn’t quit your day job, and for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, that sentiment rings particularly true. While the 34-year-old leads the city following his election last November, recently released tax documents—reported by the New York Times on April 16—reveal that his primary income is anchored by his mayoral salary, which sits in the mid-$250,000 range. His previous career as a hip-hop artist, while gaining significant traction, isn’t currently a primary financial pillar.
According to the tax filings, the couple reported a combined 2025 income of $145,000, with the vast majority stemming from Mamdani’s legislative salary of $131,296. His musical past contributed a modest $1,643 in royalties, much of which originated from international markets.
Despite these modest royalty payouts, Luminate data indicates a surge in popularity for Mamdani’s discography throughout 2025. His 2016 EP, Sidda Mukyaalo—a collaboration with musical partner Abdul “HAB” Hussein—saw a massive uptick in interest, accounting for 58,000 official on-demand U.S. streams last year alone. Remarkably, that single year represents 74% of the project’s total lifetime streaming volume.
His catalog experienced a similar trend across other tracks: the 2019 single “Nani” pulled in 219,000 U.S. streams in 2025, while the 2016 anthem “#1 Spice,” famously featured on the Queen of Katwe soundtrack, generated 243,000 U.S. streams during the same timeframe.
Mamdani’s foray into music under the aliases Young Cardamom and Mr. Cardamom saw his streaming numbers correlate closely with his political profile. As he campaigned for the city’s highest office, listeners flocked to his catalog. In the weeks surrounding his rise to the presumptive Democratic nomination in June 2025, his streaming figures experienced a staggering 582% increase compared to the previous month.
The Sidda Mukyaalo EP remains a testament to his creative roots, blending six languages and celebrating his Ugandan heritage.
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