Hear the music from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's swearing-in
- - Hear the music from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's swearing-in
Mike Snider, USA TODAY January 2, 2026 at 1:33 AM
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A wide multicultural swath of New Yorkers voted Mayor Zohran Mamdani into office two months ago. So, it made sense that the music serenading those at Mamdani's swearing-in and block party event on Thursday, Jan. 1, was a diverse, mixed playlist of tunes.
New York-based disc jockey DJ mOma served as master of musical ceremony playing welcome music ahead of the inauguration and during a seven block-long street party.
"I'm just so happy and proud to be part of it," DJ mOma said in a post on Instagram. He spun a medley of world music, soul, hip-hop, R&B, and rap – so appropriate as Mamdani nearly a decade ago was a rapper who went by Mr. Cardamom.
People attend a block party to mark the inauguration of Zohran Mamdani as the new Mayor of New York City, at Canyon of Heroes along Broadway, in New York City on Jan. 1, 2026.
His set included an international selection of sounds including tracks ranging from Jennifer Lopez's 2001 song "Play" to "Thari Mummy Ne Chawe Pawno Delhi Walo" by Bharatraj Masinia, a singer from India's Rajasthan region.
Jay-Z and Stevie Wonder got multiple plays in the set. Jay-Z tracks included "Beware," a remix of the 1998 song from the British-Indian recording artist Panjabi MC, itself a remix of an original song is performed by Indian bhangra singer Labh Janjua, and, of course, "Empire State of Mind," his duet with Alicia Keys. Also in the playlist: "As" and "Another Star," from Wonder's 1976 album "Songs in the Key of Life."
Popular hits from Bad Bunny ("NUEVAYol") mixed with the seventies pop track "Dancing Queen" from ABBA. Walkup music continued during the swearing-in with snippets heard of "Everyday People" by Sly & the Family Stone and "This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)" from Talking Heads.
Here's a playlist of welcome music played at the swearing-in of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
DJ mOma said he hadn't expected to play music for the event. But he got a call from the mayor and said it was a "huge honor."
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Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & [email protected].
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's swearing-in music playlist
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