Mayor Mamdani and Nas reflect on New York hip-hop roots

Hip-hop, as we know it, began in New York back in 1973. It began humbly, growing in local parties and especially within street culture.

Over time, the genre exploded into global mainstream music.

Zohran Mamdani, mayor of New York and former rapper Young Cardamom (Mr. Cardamom), opened up about hip-hop's roots in the city with one of the genre's all-time greatest artists, Nas.

In the video released by his office, the mayor said the city shouldn't stop being the inventor of hip-hop but should also take steps to help it flourish.

"New York City can't be content with being the birthplace of hip-hop -- we want it to still be the home."

Nas, likewise, agreed, "Hip-hop unveils the truth. Hip-hop tells you exactly what your city looks like, sounds like and feels like."

He added that hip-hop offered a platform for people to voice their frustration over the living standards they were experiencing in the city.

"It was an outcry from people who demanded things to change and to tell the world what we were going through. And that came from a city that was going through a whole lot."

Mamdani also added that New Yorkers should not believe they need to leave their neighbourhoods to achieve their goals.

Nas, meanwhile, added that many young New Yorkers need alternatives so they can avoid the mistakes previous generations made.

"There's more to life than just surviving. It's all about the youth and how we get them to avoid the mistakes that so many people made."

"I know so many people from this neighbourhood that had so much potential, but there was nothing showing them a different way," he concluded.