The message, written lengthy earlier than Mamdani entered authorities, reveals him introducing himself with the simplicity of an unsigned artist searching for a break. “Hi Passion of the Weiss, I’m a rapper here in NYC and I’ve just released a new song titled Salaam,” he wrote.

He then described the observe as a meditation on “what it means to be Muslim here in America today—the fear, and the roots of that fear.” Mamdani requested if the publication may take into account writing in regards to the report, including, “It would be a dream if someone at Passion of the Weiss would write about this in any which way.”

He ended the e-mail with a SoundCloud hyperlink and the sign-off: “Much love and looking forward to hearing from you, Zohran.”

Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Former Soundcloud Rap Career Exposed

Weiss posted the resurfaced e-mail with the caption, “Just digging through old emails on a regular Wednesday morning,” setting off a wave of reactions. Fans and journalists shortly shared the screenshot, shocked that the brand new mayor of New York as soon as cold-emailed an influential hip-hop and tradition web site making an attempt to get his music heard.

The music on the heart of the second, “Salaam,” arrived throughout a turbulent chapter for Muslim Americans marked by journey bans and rising hostility. In the e-mail, Mamdani positioned the observe not as a industrial push however as a private reflection. The be aware revealed how deeply he engaged with id, concern, and belonging lengthy earlier than getting into public workplace.

For Passion of Weiss, the resurfaced e-mail highlighted the publication’s lengthy historical past of serving as a platform for rising artists. For Weiss, it provided a uncommon full-circle second: a blast from the previous involving a determine now main the nation’s largest metropolis.

And for Mamdani, the message marks an early snapshot of the creativity and conviction that now form his public picture. Before he was mayor, he was an artist looking for protection—hoping somebody would hear.

Zohran Mamdani takes workplace on January 1, 2026.