Zohran Mamdani taps ex-con rapper who served 7 years for armed robbery as criminal justice adviser on transition team: ‘Insane’
Mayor‑elect Zohran Mamdani has tapped a former rapper—who spent seven years in state prison on an armed‑robbery charge—to serve on his team that will shape New York City’s criminal‑justice agenda. The decision has sparked debate, especially given Mamdani’s own outspoken positions on policing and foreign policy.
Mysonne Linen, now 49, grew up in the Bronx and was once a rising name in rap. In 1999 he was convicted as part of a crew that robbed two taxi drivers, a crime that followed the scheduled release of his debut album through Def Jam. Although he faced a possible 25‑year sentence, he ultimately served seven years before emerging from prison and turning his life around, turning to community activism.
Mamdani, who campaigns as a democratic socialist, placed Linen on a “criminal legal system” committee within his transition coalition as the newcomer gears up for the mayor’s office. “This is a testament to our decades of work advocating on behalf of black and brown communities and our expertise in gun violence prevention, legislative advocacy and criminal justice reform,” Linen wrote on Instagram last month. “We are building something different.”
The move, however, has drawn criticism from groups uneasy about Mamdani’s “anti‑cop and anti‑Israel rhetoric,” remarks that stirred up controversy during the campaign. “Mayor‑elect Zohran Mamdani just appointed a convicted armed robber to help shape NYC’s crime and policing policy,” a Twitter user from Jews Fight Back posted on X. “Insane. New York City is being handed over to radicals, extremists and outright terrorists,” the account added, warning that “this is going to get even uglier.” The tweet even featured a photo of Linen posing with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
Neither Linen nor representatives for Mamdani responded to requests for comment at the time this story was written.
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