50 Cent said he believes Mamdani’s intentions are good, but thinks his tax plan “is gonna run the big money out of the city.”

Stephanie Keith / Stringer and Kirill Bichutsky via Getty Images

Zohran Mamdani, the clear favorite in the New York City mayoral election, has rebuked 50 Cent’s criticism of his plans to tax the rich, but the rapper still isn’t on board.

In an appearance on MSNBC’s The Beat with Ari Melber, the Democratic nominee for the NYC mayoral election was asked to share his response to 50 Cent’s offer to pay him $285,750 to leave NYC. “He’s a critic,” said Mamdani. “I didn’t even know what my salary [as mayor] would be until I opened up Instagram and saw this thing that was like, ’50 Cent offers Mamdani X amount of money.’ I was like, ‘That’s a very specific amount of money.’”

He stressed that he believes taxing the top one percent earners in New York City more, two percent more, to be precise.

“Having them pay two percent more for an economic agenda that would transform every New Yorker’s life, including their own, is something that is worthwhile,” Mamdani said. “The reason I say including their own is when you see a city like ours that is underfunding its city agencies, that is pulling back on the most basic things like library services and trash cans, everybody feels the effects of that. And my job, as somebody who cares deeply about the public sector, is to ensure we are delivering public excellence.”

He added that while he has a “disagreement” with 50 Cent, he still considers himself a fan. “Every time I get a death threat, I still listen to ‘Many Men,’” he joked.

50 Cent shared a clip from the interview, as seen below, and shared his response. “I think his intentions are good, but his tax plan is gonna run the big money out of the city and if he defunds the police they are gonna purge,” he wrote. “All roads lead to SHREVEPORT!”

Earlier this year, Mamdani appeared on The Breakfast Club and discussed his proposed policies if he wins the mayoral election. He name-dropped 50 Cent during the interview and suggested the rapper wouldn’t be too happy about some of his tax plans. “I know if 50 Cent is listening, he’s not going to be happy about this,” he added. “He tends to not like this tax policy, but I want to be very clear this is about $20,000 a year.”

50 Cent shared a clip from the interview on Instagram and offered to pay Mamdani to leave the city. “Where did he come from 👀 whose friend is this?” wrote 50 Cent on Instagram. “I’m not feeling this plan no. I will give him $258,750 and a first-class one-way ticket away from NY. I’m telling Trump what he said too!”