Videos by According2HipHop
It’s not every day you see a mayoral candidate discussing affordable housing with RZA backstage at Madison Square Garden. But that’s exactly what happened when Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, pulled up to Wu-Tang Clan’s farewell show—and walked out with a major co-sign from some of hip-hop’s most respected voices.
In a new campaign video that feels more like a rap documentary than a political ad, Mamdani is seen chopping it up with members of Wu-Tang Clan, Run the Jewels, Jadakiss, and more. At one point, he even shares a candid conversation with RZA about the cost-of-living crisis in Brownsville, the Brooklyn neighborhood where the Wu founder was raised.
“I think a big part of it is to make Brownsville a place that you don’t have to leave,” Mamdani says in the video. “There are too many people for whom stability, space, raising a family—you can only do it outside of New York City.”
RZA nods in agreement: “OK, I liked that. That’s a pretty good answer. Alright, so it’s a mission.”
“It’s Wu-Tang Financial,” Mamdani jokes, dropping a Chappelle’s Show reference mid-campaign pitch.
It’s a rare moment where hip-hop and politics collide with genuine respect. Mamdani—a former rapper himself—isn’t just name-dropping the culture. He’s in the room, getting validation from the very voices who’ve helped shape New York’s sonic identity.
But not everyone is buying in.
50 Cent, never shy about his political takes, made it clear he’s not rocking with Mamdani’s vision for NYC. After the candidate told The Breakfast Club that 50 “would not be happy” with his proposal to raise taxes on the city’s wealthiest residents, Fif responded on Instagram—and he didn’t hold back.
“Where did he come from? Whose friend is this?” the Queens mogul wrote. “I’m not feeling this plan. No. I will give him $258,750 and a first-class one-way ticket away from NY. I’m telling Trump what he said too!”
For Mamdani, the Wu-Tang endorsement might not move Wall Street, but it definitely moves culture. And in a city where rap royalty often shapes the narrative, that co-sign could be just as valuable as any donor check.
