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Zohran Mamdani Praised Hamas Funders in Rap—Is His Mayoral Bid Finished?
Jared Evan
Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist and NYC mayoral candidate, is under fire after a shocking revelation about his past resurfaced just days before the primary, the NY Post reported.
In a 2017 rap song, Mamdani openly expressed admiration for the “Holy Land Five,” the leadership of a defunct nonprofit convicted of funneling over $12 million to the terrorist group Hamas.
In the track titled “Salaam,” Mamdani, performing under his former rap alias “Mr. Cardamom,” proclaimed: “My love to the Holy Land Five. You better look ’em up.”
The lyrics were uncovered by the antisemitism watchdog group Canary Mission and publicized in a one-minute video released Friday.
“This is not a misstep; this is deliberate,” Canary Mission stated. “Mamdani sent his ‘love’ to convicted Hamas funders. Let that sink in.”
The Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, once the largest Muslim charity in the U.S., was shut down by federal authorities in December 2001, three months after 9/11. Its leadership—Shukri Abu Baker, Mohammad El-Mezain, Ghassan Elashi, Mufid Abdulqader, and Abdulrahman Odeh—was convicted in 2008 on 108 counts, including providing material support to Hamas, tax fraud, and money laundering. Sentences ranged from 15 to 65 years in prison.
“This is not pro-Palestinian aid. This is not humanitarian,” said Andrew Cuomo, Mamdani’s leading opponent in the race, during an unrelated event in the Bronx. “This is him saying he loves—those are his own words—he loves the Holy Land Five, who are convicted funders of Hamas. It’s disgusting and despicable.”
Cuomo’s condemnation reflects a growing backlash against Mamdani, who has consistently polled as a strong second in the Democratic mayoral primary. Critics argue this revelation is part of a larger pattern of troubling associations.
In another part of the same song, Mamdani rapped: “No ban. No wall. Build it up. We’ll make it fall.” Canary Mission slammed the lyric as dangerous, stating: “No ban, no wall—that’s an open door for criminals and chaos.”
Wake up, NEW YORK!!
Zohran Mamdani is currently second in the running for NYC mayor.
He is a Muslim Socialist—and aside from a brief rap career, working for his mom, and playing activist, he has nothing to show for it.
Don’t let him fool you with empty promises and free sh*t.… pic.twitter.com/laEDsJHYSd
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) June 19, 2025
Pro-Israel activist Sara Forman, executive director of the New York Solidarity Network, was unsurprised by the Canary Mission video. “Zohran’s entire political career has been rooted in anti-Zionism,” she said. “What’s surprising is that it has taken until the end of a long mayoral campaign for everyone to wake up and realize he has been telling us his positions all along.”
The Holy Land Foundation’s activities have left a deep scar. Before its closure, the group raised $57 million between 1992 and 2001, with at least $12 million traced to Hamas. Federal authorities have consistently maintained that the charity served as a front for financing terrorism under the guise of humanitarian work.
🚨 In the lyrics to one of his rap songs, Zohran Mamdani praised the Holy Land five.
These five men were convicted of fundraising for Hamas in the largest terror financing trial in American history.
✅ NOW you can say he supports Hamas.
— Jason Curtis Anderson 🇺🇸🎗️ (@JCAndersonNYC) June 20, 2025
Mamdani’s campaign declined to comment on the controversy. However, Curtis Sliwa, a Republican mayoral candidate, was quick to weigh in, saying: “It’s alarming that a mayoral candidate has a history of praising Hamas. New Yorkers reject hate and extremism, and they should reject any candidate who refuses to do the same.”
The backlash raises serious questions about Mamdani’s fitness for office. While his supporters may downplay the lyrics as artistic expression, critics argue they reflect dangerous ideological leanings that have no place in New York City’s leadership.
As Election Day approaches, Mamdani’s silence speaks volumes. The revelation has transformed a competitive primary into a referendum on his past, leaving many to wonder: Can he survive this scandal, or is this the end of his campaign?
He has more recently said that he agrees Hamas should lay down their arms and that he does not support Hamas. It appears that he evolved from his earlier position. Did he possibly like that group because he thought they were helping Palestinians?