50 Cent Declares “R.I.P. NYC” After Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani Walks Out to Ja Rule’s ‘New York’

The city that never sleeps might be dead — at least according to 50 Cent.

In a moment that could only happen in New York, the newly elected mayor, Zohran Mamdani, made his grand entrance to Ja Rule’s 2004 anthem “New York” during his victory celebration — and instantly reignited one of hip-hop’s most legendary feuds.

For most people, it was just a song choice. But for 50 Cent, it was personal.

Within hours, the Queens-born rap icon took to Instagram, posting an image of a tombstone engraved with the words “R.I.P. NYC” — a dramatic eulogy for the city that raised him. His caption was short and sharp:

“R.I.P. NYC!”

Fans immediately caught the reference. Ja Rule and 50 Cent’s bitter rivalry defined an era of early 2000s rap — from diss tracks to street confrontations — and remains one of the genre’s most infamous beefs. So for the city’s incoming mayor to step onto the stage to that song? Let’s just say, the irony wasn’t lost on anyone.

Politics Meets Hip-Hop History

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, 32, a progressive rising star from Queens, has already made waves with bold — and controversial — statements. His declaration that he would “uphold international law” and arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he set foot in New York drew global headlines. But it was his walk-out music, not his policy talk, that set off one of NYC’s most unexpected cultural flashpoints.

The symbolism was too rich to ignore: a new mayor from Queens walking out to Ja Rule’s “New York” — the same track that once stood as a defiant anthem in the middle of a war with 50 Cent, another Queens native.

For 50, who once ruled the charts with “In Da Club” and “Many Men”, the move felt like a betrayal from his own city.

“First, the politics are crazy,” one fan commented under 50’s post. “But Ja Rule? That’s what did it for him.”

The Longest Beef in Hip-Hop

The feud between 50 Cent and Ja Rule stretches back over two decades, sparked in the late ‘90s in the streets of Queens before spilling into music, media, and pop culture. Diss tracks like “Back Down” and “New York” turned personal animosity into platinum-selling art.

Though both artists have since moved on — 50 to business empires and television, Ja Rule to philanthropy and festival infamy — the rivalry remains one of rap’s most enduring storylines. And now, it seems, even city politics can’t escape its shadow.

A City Divided — Again

Social media exploded after 50’s post. Memes flooded Twitter and Instagram, pitting “Team 50” against “Team Ja” once more. Some fans sided with 50, arguing the new mayor should’ve chosen a “neutral anthem,” while others praised Mamdani’s unapologetic nod to classic NYC hip-hop.

“Only in New York could a political controversy turn into a hip-hop debate,” one user joked.

Ja Rule himself hasn’t publicly commented — yet — but fans are already anticipating his response. If history has taught us anything, it’s that when it comes to 50 Cent, silence never lasts long.

From City Hall to the Culture Wars

Mayor-elect Mamdani’s campaign focused on progressive reform, social justice, and international solidarity — but in a city as charged and expressive as New York, even his playlist became a political statement.

Whether it was an intentional jab, a symbolic choice, or just a moment of Queens pride, the move sparked conversation across communities far beyond politics.

As one hip-hop blogger put it, “You can tell a lot about a man by his walk-out song. And apparently, in New York, even the mayor’s music comes with history.”

50’s Final Word

For now, 50’s reaction stands as both a meme and a moment — the perfect blend of humor, nostalgia, and classic New York attitude. He didn’t rant. He didn’t threaten. He simply posted a tombstone and let the internet do the rest.

Whether or not New York is truly “dead,” one thing is clear: the city’s spirit — its drama, its pride, its rivalry — is very much alive.

Because only in New York could a mayor’s song choice resurrect a 20-year-old beef and make headlines around the world.