Long before Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani began his campaign to become New York City’s next mayor, he was a rapper named Young Cardamom (or Mr. Cardamom) who created raps — in six different languages — honoring his grandmother and the food seasoning. One of his music videos even featured Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o.

In 2016, Mamdani and close friend and collaborator Abdul Bar Hussein (who raps under the name HAB) released a six-track EP, Sidda Mukyaalo (No Going Back to the Village), which reflects the duo’s cultural heritage. Mamdani is of Indian descent; was born in Kampala, Uganda; and moved to the U.S. at age seven. He speaks English, Hindi, Urdu, Spanish, and Luganda.

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One of the duo’s most popular videos,“#1 Spice,” has them singing the praises of a food seasoning while wearing loud print fabric suits and dancing with African villagers, including Nyong’o (who grew up in Kenya). Mamdani’s mother, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Mira Nair, directed the video.

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Another one of their most popular songs, “Nani,” featured cookbook author and actress Madhur Jaffrey as a gangster grandma who smokes, slaps disrespectful men, and flips off the camera — all while a shirtless Mamdami, Nani, and his crew all dance in a crowded New York City food cart.

Though Mamdami began his rap career while in high school, music fans have recently begun streaming his old rap tracks on Spotify. And though he also described himself as a “B-list rapper,” considering that Politico pronounced him the winner of last night’s mayoral debate against disgraced former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Mamdami is perhaps proving that he may be a truly A-list politician.

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