I won’t speak about the glamorous Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) inauguration in this post — that event deserves a quieter, clearer moment, away from all the noise.
Instead, I want to talk about something else that caught the attention of many Egyptians last Saturday, right after the GEM’s glamorous opening ceremony.
That “something” was none other than a campaign ad by New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, targeting Arab American voters with a video in which he spoke Arabic.
أنا اسمي زهران ممدان وعم رشّح حالي لأكون العمدة الجديد في مدينة نيويورك pic.twitter.com/ptfVdpansX
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) November 1, 2025
Speaking in a mix of Levantine and Egyptian accents, Mamdani visited a bodega — most likely Yemeni-owned, as many are — and greeted the resident cat with the Egyptian phrase “Ezayak ya basha” (How are you, Pasha?).
He also stopped by a Palestinian falafel shop, which, unsurprisingly, infuriated several pro-Israeli Zionists online.
But aside from that “Ezayak ya basha” moment, there was another scene that meant a lot to many of us — a subtle reminder of Egypt’s enduring soft power. In the background, one could hear a familiar tune: Mona Abdel Ghany’s 1987 hit “Yalla Ya As-hab” (Come Along, Friends).
Even though Mamdani studied Arabic in Egypt and his wife is Syrian American, I doubt either of them recognized that song. Clearly, someone on his campaign team is Egyptian — and has excellent taste in nostalgic 1980s pop.
But this wasn’t the only unexpected Egyptian pop culture cameo in New York City’s most heated mayoral race of the 21st century.
Just last month, we witnessed what could only be described as a meeting of the titans: Egypt’s Mohamed Ramadan meeting with former New York Mayor Eric Adams. (Yes, as you probably guessed from this post’s title.)
On September 7, 2025, Egyptians suddenly found photos and clips of Adams and Ramadan discussing “the fight for New York’s future.”
Does Ramadan even hold U.S. citizenship? Or does he have the slightest idea about New York’s political scene?
Anyway, the meeting somehow led to the two becoming Shisha/hookah buddies.
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| Ramadan and Adams as Shisha buddies in New York |
On September 10, 2025, Adams hosted Ramadan at Gracie Mansion, the official residence of the New York City mayor, where the singer appeared at one of his campaign rallies — under the guise of an Arab Heritage Reception.
And yes, Adams showed up wearing a tarboush (fez). Why? Nobody knows.
After the event, Ramadan told the Egyptian press that he “felt the warmth and appreciation of Americans — not only for him personally, but also for Egypt, the Arab world, and the African continent.”
“I was pleased to accept the invitation from my dear brother, New York Mayor Eric Adams,” he said. “I truly felt his immense love for my country and for the Arab world.”
The next day, September 11, 2025 — yes, 9/11 — Adams and Cuomo, along with their campaign teams, were busy spreading Islamophobic smears about Mamdani online. The irony practically wrote itself.
On September 25, 2025, Ramadan and his “brother” Adams met again — this time at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The very next day, September 26, Adams announced that he was dropping out of the race before publicly endorsing Cuomo — in what I can only describe as a last desperate hail Mary to save Cuomo’s chances, since Adams didn’t have a chance according to most polls.
Maybe someone in Adams’s campaign genuinely believed that Mohamed Ramadan — “Egypt and the Arab world’s number one” — could somehow sway the polls in his favor.
After all, Ramadan tagged Adams’s campaign account on Instagram.
Why would an Egyptian actor take part in the election rally of a foreign politician? Nobody knows — and nobody even bothers to ask.
Did he take campaign money from Adams? Wouldn’t be the strangest headline with Ramadan involved.
It seems Egyptians have simply had enough of wondering, “What on earth — and in heaven — are you doing, ya Ramadan?”
I won’t lie — Ramadan dominates Egypt’s TV ratings, music charts, and social media trends.
He’s a star not just for his work but for his endless controversies. This summer, we had his Coachella performance or rather, outfit.
And with just a quick Google search, Adams’s team could’ve found out that Ramadan’s presence in New York wasn’t a coincidence — he was likely there to escape yet another scandal.
This time, it involved his young son, Ali, who is of school age (around 10–12).
The incident centred on an accusation of physical assault against a peer at a private sports club in Sheikh Zayed / 6th of October City.
The case quickly became national news after the Juvenile Misdemeanor Court initially ruled to place Ali in a social care facility due to his failure to appear in court.
Although Ramadan’s defense team later reached a settlement with the victim’s family, the court emphasized that reconciliation did not overturn the verdict, as the ruling was issued because of the no-show — which the court seemed to view as an act of contempt.
The Appellate Court ultimately upheld the decision to place Ali in care, even as his lawyers pursued a final appeal.
So it’s no surprise that Ramadan has been spending more time in the U.S. lately. And honestly, it’s understandable — as a father, he likely doesn’t want to see his son subjected to any form of detention. Still, his lawyers appear to have underestimated the consequences of missing that court date.
In the end, the court’s decision seemed intended more as a lesson for Ramadan himself than for his son.
His controversies are practically non-stop.
And, as usual, Ramadan’s trademark arrogance — paired with his team’s lack of awareness — meant they didn’t even bother to Google Eric Adams before posing for photos.
Had they done so, they might have realized Adams isn’t exactly the kind of mayor you’d want to be seen with.
From accepting bribes from Turkey to being openly Zionist and Islamophobic during this campaign, Adams has managed to earn a place among New York City’s most disgraceful mayors.
In any case, Adams’s choice to use Mohamed Ramadan as a supposed shortcut to win over Muslim and Arab American voters was, frankly, pathetic. Ramadan might be “number one” in Egypt — but he’s definitely not number one in New York.
So, congratulations to Zohran Mamdani in advance. I genuinely hope he won’t turn out to be another disappointment like so many Democrats before him.
If he wins, it’ll be a real American dream moment in the middle of Trump’s ongoing nightmare — a victory for immigrants, Muslims, socialists, and young people who still believe they can make a difference.
Personally — and publicly — I pray to see the day when Egyptians can elect their own mayors the same way. I know it sounds like an impossible dream, especially now, but I still hope to witness a new generation of mayors and governors with Mamdani’s kind of energy.
A Mamdani-style mayor in Egypt would mean true decentralization — something the country arguably hasn’t experienced since ancient Egypt, when provincial governors had real autonomy due to the lack of instant communication with the capital.
At this point, though, a Palestinian state on the June 4th borders feels more achievable — at least for now.
Another day, another time, I’ll talk about Mohamed Ramadan’s meeting with Lara Trump.
Updated: Mamdani won — and on this occasion, I’d like to share this remix of Yalla Ya Ashab by Sharmoofers, dedicated to “No.1” Mohamed Ramadan and Eric Adams, the Shisha buddies.
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