In his inauguration speech, Mayor Zohran Mamdani shouted out the Knicks, Jadakiss, and a favorite uptown pizza spot. He had both Mandy Patinkin and Babbulicious perform. It was an event packed with cultural references and insider nods to New Yorkers.
Mamdani loves to taut his cultural fluency, peppering his policy talk with popular references. Not so long ago, our young mayor himself was once a rapper known as Mr. Cardamom, and his wordsmithery has been a clear element of his quick rise.
As Mamdani governs, we’ll be tracking the references he makes in interviews, online, and in the streets. Catch him talking about Scorsese, Spiderman, or the Strokes? About the ’86 Mets or the blackout in ’03? About Spike Lee or Cardi B? Zabar’s or Supreme? Email us at [email protected]. We’ll be updating this post for the next four years. (Or eight, depending on how things go.)
Ms. Rachel
Jan. 9, 2026
Even if you don’t have a toddler, chances are you’re familiar with the children’s entertainer Ms. Rachel. She has a massive audience on YouTube, owing to her benevolent presence, easygoing approach to educating, and catchy tunes. She’s also been an outspoken advocate for the rights of children, particularly Palestinian children. Though the war in Gaza was not discussed when Ms. Rachel joined Mayor Mamdani at a Manhattan preschool to announce his plans for universal child care for children under 2, her presence echoed his support of Palestinians.
Lucy Dacus and Taylor Swift
Jan. 5 and 7, 2026
The indie musician Lucy Dacus performed the socialist anthem “Bread and Roses” at Mamdani’s inauguration. Mamdani gave her a subtle shoutout about a week later in his first press conference with digital creators, saying he’d go after so-called “junk fees” charged by ticketing agencies. “I’m talking about … the $30 that comes out of nowhere when it’s time to buy those Lucy Dacus tickets.” With tickets at or near $100 for her upcoming shows (before fees), the savings would be appreciated. Dacus, for what it’s worth, lives in Los Angeles. She has no current upcoming shows in New York.
In a previous address about junk fees, at a gym in Long Island City, Mamdani replaced Dacus with a more mainstream reference. “When you scrimp and save for a Taylor Swift concert that you have been looking forward to all year, only for a massive corporation to add hundreds of dollars at the final moment, that is disrespect.” Perhaps he didn’t think the gym rats were indie rock fans.
Robert Moses
January 3, 2026
During the Adams administration, backroom dealing scuttled plans to make Greenpoint’s McGuinness Boulevard a less dangerous thoroughfare. One of Mamdani’s first actions in office was to declare that he’ll back a redesign of the multilane road. While speaking to a crowd gathered at the site, he received a round of boos while quoting notorious NYC planner Robert Moses. Well, sort of. Moses was the one getting booed, as Mamdani quoted him to prove a point of how viciously he carved up the neighborhood.
“Robert Moses said,” Mamdani began to loud jeers as people seemingly believed he’d be citing Moses with reverence, “‘When you operate in an overbuilt metropolis, you have to hack your way with a meat axe.’ There are few places where that axe was sharper, or where that axe left such deep injury.” By then, the crowd had quieted down. Mamdani, who owns “The Power Broker,” has admitted he’s never read it.
