50 Cent didn’t hold back when he criticized New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani over his proposed tax hike and public safety strategy, warning it could drive wealth out of the city and leave the streets vulnerable.
On Monday night (November 3), the Hip-Hop mogul posted a clip from Mamdani’s appearance on MSNBC’s The Beat with Ari Melber, writing in the caption, “I think his intentions are good, but his Tax plan is gonna run the big money out of the city and if he defunds the police they are gonna purge.”
Zohran Mamdani Responds To 50 Cent
The post came after Mamdani appeared on Melber’s show to address the backlash he’s received from 50 Cent and others over his economic agenda.
The Queens-based politician responded with a mix of humor and policy breakdowns, even referencing the rapper’s mock offer to pay him to leave town.
“He’s a critic! I didn’t even know what my salary would be until I opened up Instagram and saw this thing that was like, ’50 Cent offers Mamdani x-amount of money.’ I was like, ‘That’s a very specific amount of money. Oh my god!’” Mamdani said during the interview.
Looking directly into the camera, Mamdani delivered a message to 50 Cent: “I continue to think that having the top one percent on New York City who are making more than one million dollars a year, having them pay two percent more for an economic agenda that would transform every New Yorkers’ life, including their own, is something that is worth while.”
He argued that the city’s wealthiest residents would also benefit from better-funded public services.
“The reason I say including their own is when you see a city like ours that is underfunding its city agencies, that is pulling back on the most basic things like library services and trash cans, everybody feels the effects of that,” Mamdani said.
Pressed by Melber about 50 Cent’s offer, Mamdani laughed and recalled the exact number: “$258,000 and a first-class one-way ticket out of New York.”
While 50 Cent raised concerns about Mamdani’s stance on policing, the candidate has not called for abolishing the NYPD.
Instead, he’s proposed creating a Department of Community Safety to handle non-criminal issues like mental health crises and social services, aiming to take some responsibilities off the police force.
Mamdani supports expanding programs like B-HEARD, which sends social workers and EMTs to mental health-related 911 calls, and has participated in listening sessions with rank-and-file officers to better understand their challenges.
His campaign focuses on reforming public safety rather than dismantling it, pushing for more investment in community-based solutions and accountability in city spending.
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