Rapper 50 Cent has sparked an online storm after declaring, “New York is over,” reacting to Zohran Mamdani’s historic victory in the city’s mayoral race on Tuesday.
Mamdani, a 34-year-old state assemblyman, made history by becoming New York City’s youngest mayor since 1892. He is also the city’s first Muslim mayor, and the first mayor born in Africa. His win over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa marked a political shift in the city’s leadership. Moreover, Mamdani’s win energized the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, a much needed shift, especially after Donald Trump made a comeback with his second term.
During his celebratory speech Tuesday night, Mamdani reflected on his unconventional path to City Hall. “The conventional wisdom would tell you that I am far from the perfect candidate,” he told the cheering crowd. “I am young, despite my best efforts to grow older. I am Muslim. I am a democratic socialist. And most damning of all, I refuse to apologize for any of this.”
More than two million New Yorkers cast their ballots, the city’s highest turnout in over 50 years, according to the Board of Elections. With 90 percent of votes counted, Mamdani was holding about a nine-point lead over Cuomo, sealing what analysts have called one of the most surprising wins in recent New York political history.
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Mamdani’s campaign included sweeping promises, including free city bus service, complimentary child care, city-run grocery stores, and a Department of Community Safety meant to replace police responses with mental health professionals in certain emergency situations.
While his supporters flooded social media with celebration, not everyone was pleased with the result. Rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson was among the loudest critics. The Queens-born mogul took to Instagram shortly after results were announced, sharing an image of a box containing a beer, a cap, and a bottle of cognac. The caption read: “New York is over pack it up, let’s go! THE MAN’S First job is Mayor MAMDANI run New York. @bransoncognac I need a drink! @50centaction.”
Minutes later, he doubled down with another post showing a tombstone that read, “RIP NYC FOUNDED 1624 DIED 2025.”
His reaction quickly went viral, drawing both laughter and backlash. One user commented, “Man pay your 2% and shut up.” Another one added, “Seeing you rich folk crying is what helps us sleep at night. You’ll be just fine.”
A third user chimed in, “How you raised poor and on food stamps and still sell out. Money really the root of all evil …smh.” Another one said, “America died Jan 6th.” More comments followed, with one person commenting, “If the rich are angry about something politically, it’s usually because it’ll help those people who aren’t.”
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Another user criticized the rapper directly, saying, “50 acts like he didn’t grow up with public benefits or services that benefitted him and doesn’t want to pay a small amount more to help the children of NYC.”
One person focused on Mamdani instead and said, “NYC is great again!” Mamdani, who faced criticism throughout his campaign due to his lack of experience, will now have to start assembling his incoming administration and strategizing how to achieve the ambitious but divisive agenda that led him to victory.
While Mamdani’s agenda remains praiseworthy, how he will pay for these programs remains unclear. Gov. Kathy Hochul has already pushed back against Mamdani’s proposal to raise taxes on the wealthy, further raising the question of how Mamdani would fund his promises.
