About

Zohran Mamdani is the New York City mayor-elect and member of the New York State Assembly for the 36th district in Queens. Mamdani is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and won the 2025 New York City (NYC) mayoral election as the Democratic candidate, defeating Republican Curtis Sliwa and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent. Born to Ugandan and Indian-American parents in Uganda, Mamdani entered New York City politics in 2015 and later took office in the New York State Assembly in January 2021. He met his wife, Rama Duwaji, shortly after and the two eloped in early 2025.

Mamdani's 2025 run for mayor of New York City sparked viral memes and reactions on social media sites like Twitter / X, Reddit, TikTok and Instagram, among others, particularly after his win in early November 2025.

Background

Zohran Mamdani (33) was born in Kampala, Uganda, and moved to New York City with his family at the age of 7. He attended Bronx High School of Science and received a Bachelor's Degree in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College, graduating in 2014.

Mamdani was elected to the New York Assembly in 2020, representing the 36th Assembly District and its neighborhoods of Astoria, Ditmars-Steinway and Astoria Heights.^[2][3]

On June 25th, 2025, Mamdani won New York City's Democratic mayoral primary, defeating former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, among other candidates.^[1]

Late on November 4th, Mamdani declared victory in the 2025 NYC mayoral election, defeating Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and former Governor Cuomo, who ran as an independent.^[3] The win was widely covered in the media over the following days, as well as sparking considerable discourse online.

Online History

Rap Career

After graduating from Bowdoin in 2014, Zohran Mamdani began rapping under the moniker Young Cardamom. On September 5th, 2015, Mamdani uploaded the music video for his and HAB's song "Kanda (Chap Chap)" to YouTube,^[4] gaining over 166,100 views in 10 years.

Zohran Mamdani shared several music videos under his Young Cardamom name on YouTube^[5] in the following years.

In 2025, ahead of the 2025 NYC Democratic mayoral primary, his rap videos resurfaced in viral tweets, like on June 13th, 2025, when X^[6] user @_uncle_gworl tweeted, "I was today years old when I learned Zohran Mamdani once had a fledgling rap career…" receiving over 14,000 likes in five months.

Campaign Videos

On July 31st, 2024, Zohran Mamdani was a guest on the Instagram^[7] page Subway Takes (@subwaytakes) in which his "take" was that NYC Mayor Eric Adams was a terrible mayor and was making NYC more expensive. The video received over 53,500 likes in a year.

The same video was shared on the Subway Takes TikTok^[8] page, gaining over 194,200 likes over the same timeframe.

On October 23rd, 2024, Mamdani announced his run for NYC mayor with a Reel shared on his Instagram,^[9] @zohrankmamdani, gaining over 7,300 likes in a year.

On October 25th, he shared the video on his TikTok^[10] account, @zohran_k_mamdani, gaining over 390 likes in a year. A few months later, on December 7th, 2024, he reposted the video on TikTok,^[11] receiving over 61,600 likes in 11 months.

Heading into 2025, Mamdani's campaign videos attracted more views, like on May 18th, he shared a TikTok^[12] focusing on bodega owners, among other small business owners in NYC, gaining over 961,400 likes in six months.

On October 20th, 2025, Wired^[13] published an interview with Mamdani, calling him "the Internet's Mayor."

By November 5th, 2025, Mamdani had amassed over 2.2 million followers on TikTok^[14] and over 5.9 million followers on Instagram.^[15]

Online Presence

Zohran Mamdani garnered a notable online presence as he began running and campaigning for NYC mayor, particularly in 2025, ranging from discussions, memes and other types of content across social media.

On March 12th, 2025, X^[16] user @mahoneyw tweeted a video of Zohran Mamdani confronting Border Czar Tom Homan in Albany, New York, gaining over 6.2 million views and 18,000 likes in eight months.

The video was also posted by X^[17] user Libs of TikTok, who wrote, "He just appeared to ASSAULT police and screeched like a maniac to protest Tom Homan deporting criminal illegal aliens. Seems totally normal and stable…" receiving over 2 million views and 46,000 likes in eight months.

In the following weeks, ahead of the NYC Democratic mayoral primary, viral posts about Mamdani continued appearing online.

For instance, on May 29th, 2025, X^[18] user @BNeidhardt quote-tweeted one of Mamdani's campaign ads, writing, "Zohran closed a 40-point gap to within single digits by campaigning on lower costs… Democrats need to CONSOLIDATE behind Mamdani." Over six months, the post gained over 21,000 likes.

Before and after Mamdani won the NYC Democratic mayoral primary in late June 2025, several viral memes and posts surfaced online related to the event.

For instance, on June 24th, X^[19] user @Nomads4Pritzker tweeted, "White boys who say 'inshallah' showing up to pull the lever for Mamdani," gaining over 23,000 likes in five months.

On June 23rd, 2025, X^[20] user @Geiger_Capital tweeted the Norman Rockwell painting Freedom of Speech, captioned, "I don't think America's largest city should be run by a Muslim Socialist," gaining over 82,000 likes in five months.

Later on June 23rd, X^[21] user @3lfares quote-tweeted the post, attaching a shirtless, buff edit of the man in Freedom of Speech, captioned, "I think America's largest city should be run by a Muslim Socialist," receiving over 172,000 likes in five months.

Before and after the 2025 NYC mayoral election day on November 4th, 2025, several posts and memes about Zohran Mamdani surfaced online.

For instance, on November 4th, X^[22] user @ehjovan quote-tweeted an announcement post about Mamdani's election victory, writing, "Something shifted. Shit's about to get real woke." Over one day, the post received roughly 153,000 likes.

Also on November 4th, X^[23] user Bailey Moon (@Baileymoon15) tweeted, "We're allowed to lib out for 24 hours," gaining over 35,000 likes in a day.

Notably, days before, Moon stirred backlash and controversy for a quote-tweet about Mamdani ahead of the election.

Zohran Mamdani Saying "Turn the Volume Up"

During his victory speech at the Brooklyn Paramount on November 4th, 2025, Zohran Mamdani issued a message to President Donald Trump, saying, "So, if there is any way to terrify a despot, it is by dismantling the very conditions that allowed him to accumulate power. This is not only how we stop Trump, it’s how we stop the next one. So, Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: turn the volume up."

X^[24] user @atrupar posted the relevant clip from the speech, gathering over 4 million views and 120,000 likes in a day.

Donald Trump appeared to respond to the message or Mamdani's win in general, writing, "…AND SO IT BEGINS!" on TruthSocial^[25] and gathering over 36,000 likes in a day.

Several internet users reacted to the message, with X^[26] user @thinkpiecetribe tweeting a GIF of a Lebron dunking a basketball on November 4th, writing, "ZOHRAN SAID TURN THE VOLUME UP BITCH ASS NIGGA!!!!"

Also on November 4th, X^[27] user @jackunheard tweeted, "🚨WTF? Communist Zohran Mamdani sends a DIRECT threat to President Trump following his election win in New York City: “Turn the volume up.” He’s about to FA and FO," gathering over 7,000 likes in a day.

Various Examples

Related Memes

Bailey Moon 'Do Not Vote for Zohran Mamdani / Too Bad I Did Today'

Bailey Moon 'Do Not Vote for Zohran Mamdani / Too Bad I Did Today' Quote-Tweet refers to a viral quote-tweet from Twitter / X user Bailey Moon (@Baileymoon15) in late October 2025, who quoted a tweet reading, "Do not vote for Zohran Mamdani," concerning the 2025 New York City mayoral election, with a selfie, captioned, "Too bad I did today." Moon is seen smiling with her brown hair in a ponytail. The tweet sparked viral discourse and backlash from X users who were opposed to Mamdani's campaign. Mamdani's supporters, and some other onlookers, largely pushed back on the backlash by calling it an overreaction with misogynistic undertones.

Search Interest

External References