Zohran Mamdani gets pumped up to Lil Wayne tracks every morning as he prepares to become New York City’s next mayor.
The mayor-elect dropped some surprising musical preferences during a recent Interview Magazine sit-down, revealing that his go-to morning playlist includes the legendary rapper, Kim Petras and Madonna.
“My wife prefers calmer music in the morning. I, for some reason, want to listen to Kim Petras or Lil Wayne or Madonna,” Mamdani said during the December interview. “At eight in the morning, it doesn’t make much sense.”
The admission takes on extra significance given Mamdani’s own Hip-Hop background.
Before entering politics, the 34-year-old Democratic Socialist made music under the stage names Young Cardamom and later Mr. Cardamom during the mid-2010s.
His rap videos recently went viral during the mayoral campaign, showing a different side of the politician who’s about to lead America’s largest city.
Mamdani won the 2025 NYC mayoral election in November, defeating several established candidates in what many called a stunning upset. He’ll be sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City on January 1, 2026, in a public ceremony at City Hall that’s expected to draw 40,000 spectators across seven blocks.
When asked about his fuel for tough days, Mamdani mentioned his weekly limit of sugar-free Red Bull before diving into more substantial motivations.
The incoming mayor has been busy building his administration team, announcing multiple appointments each week as January 1 approaches.
His inauguration will mark the beginning of what he promises will be a transformative administration focused on affordability, including plans to freeze rent for rent-stabilized apartments and provide universal childcare.
This article was originally published on allhiphop.com.
