"Rs 2.2 Crore, One-Way Ticket": Rapper 50 Cent's Offer To Zohran Mamdani

Rapper 50 Cent has taken aim at Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York mayor polls, over his proposed tax policies, offering the candidate a "first class one-way ticket" out of the city.

Mr Mamdani, an assemblyman from Queens and self-described democratic socialist, won in Tuesday's Democratic primary, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo. His poll pitch focuses on making life more affordable for working-class New Yorkers, with promises to freeze rent on stabilised units, provide free public buses, and set up city-owned grocery stores. To fund these, he plans to raise taxes on the city's richest residents and big corporations.

On Wednesday, Queens native and Grammy-winning rapper 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis James Jackson III, posted a clip of Mr Mamdani outlining his tax plan.

"Where did he come from? Whose friend is this? I'm not feeling this plan. No. I will give him $258,750 (over Rs 2.2 crore) and a first class one-way ticket away from NY," the rapper wrote on Instagram.

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The comment came after Mr Mamdani name-dropped 50 Cent on The Breakfast Club podcast, acknowledging that his tax policies may not sit well with celebrities and wealthy figures.

"I know if 50 Cent is listening, he's not going to be happy about this. He tends to not like this tax policy, but I want to be very clear this is about $20,000 a year," Mr Mamdani said.

He said his tax plan targets corporations making millions in profit, not just revenue, and includes a flat "2 per cent tax increase" on the top "1 per cent of New Yorkers", specifically those earning a million dollars or more annually.

The rapper, whose net worth is estimated near $1 billion, fired back on Instagram, writing, "I'm telling Trump what he said too."

Zohran Mamdani elaborated on his tax plans during a CNN interview with Erin Burnett on Thursday. Responding to concerns that the wealthy might leave the city if taxes go up, Mr Mamdani cited a 2023 Fiscal Policy Institute report that found the top one per cent of earners leave New York at one-fourth the rate of other income groups and often relocate to other high-tax states like New Jersey and California.

Zohran Mamdani argued that quality of life, not taxes, is the driving factor behind such moves and said his policies are designed to benefit working-class New Yorkers without causing economic flight.