Zohran Mamdani Still Earns Royalties from His Brief Rap Career
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani's 2025 tax return reveals modest earnings and policy contradictions
Tax records for 2025 obtained by Business Insider reveal that the New York City mayor reported $1,643 (approximately €1,450) in music royalties—an increase from the $1,267 (around €1,120) he declared for 2024.
Long before Mamdani was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020, he pursued a short-lived rap career under the stage name "Young Cardamom."
Mamdani filed his taxes jointly with his wife, Rama Duwaji. The documents show she earned $8,860 (about €7,820) from graphic design work and claimed several deductions, including $500 (roughly €440) for art supplies, $250 (around €220) for web hosting, $300 (approximately €265) for small equipment and software, and $100 (about €88) for shipping costs.
The couple also received a tax refund of $7,011 (around €6,190)—$5,704 (roughly €5,040) from the federal government and $1,307 (about €1,155) from New York State. According to the latest IRS data, the average refund for single filers this year is $3,462 (approximately €3,060), with married couples typically receiving higher amounts.
In total, the pair reported a combined income of $143,634 (about €126,900) for 2025. The bulk of that—$131,296 (around €116,000)—came from Mamdani's salary as a state assemblymember, supplemented by $1,599 (approximately €1,413) in capital gains.
Mamdani Pushes for a Wealth Tax on Second Homes
The disclosure comes as Mamdani advocates for a new wealth tax on second homes valued at over $5 million (about €4.4 million). He launched the campaign symbolically outside billionaire Ken Griffin's penthouse, which overlooks Central Park.
Mamdani's next tax return will likely look very different: As mayor, he now earns $258,750 (around €228,600) annually—over $100,000 (approximately €88,300) more than before. He also saves on rent: Like most of his predecessors—with the exception of Mike Bloomberg—Mamdani has moved into Gracie Mansion, the official mayoral residence on the Upper East Side.
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