New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani still has a lot of love for 50 Cent’s classic debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin’ despite their “one-sided beef.”
In the inaugural episode of Complex’s 360 with Jillian, Mamdani, who has found himself the target of Fif-delivered criticism both before and after taking office, was asked to name his “dream guest” picks for a hypothetical dinner party. After a shoutout to the late Fiorello La Guardia, his choice for the “greatest mayor” in NYC history, Mamdani threw 50 Cent into the mix.
“We could have a conversation around tax policy, a much-needed conversation,” Mamdani said, confirming that he hasn’t “personally” heard from Fif just yet.
Mamdani also confirmed that the Grammy winner and TV mogul is “still” one of his favorite artists, disagreements aside.
“My tax policies are not his favorites, but Get Rich or Die Tryin’ is still one of my favorites of all time,” he said.
The mayor’s affinity for Get Rich-era Fif is well-documented. At a recent commencement speech, for example, he quoted lyrics from breakout hit “In da Club,” namely a key line that was later repurposed on the artist formerly known as Kanye West’s “Good Life.”
The core of Mamdani and 50’s disagreement centers on his desire to institute fairer taxes that place the burden on the rich, not everyday people. As Mamdani sees it, this disagreement will likely persist between them, though it won’t hinder his appreciation for the music, including “Many Men,” another Get Rich classic.
“It’s a one-sided beef, yeah,” he told Complex. “I think we’re always gonna have a disagreement on that tax policy. I wanna increase tax on the wealthiest, he does not want that to happen. But I will still appreciate the song ‘Many Men,’ for whatever our disagreements are.”
Catch the full Mamdani interview up top.
