On New Year's Day, the Brampton, Ontario-based artist closed out the oath ceremony with his hit “Gaddi Red Challenger,” changing the lyrics, originally about the GTA, to mention New York.
Zohran Mamdani has tapped in to Canada’s growing Punjabi music scene.
On New Year's Day, 2026, Mamdani was sworn in as the mayor of New York City. The first mayor of Indian-Ugandan descent and Muslim faith included a performance from Brampton, Ontario rapper Babbulicious who took the stage to close out the oath ceremony.
As confetti rained down, the artist, also known as Babbu Singh, performed one of his biggest hits, “Gaddi Red Challenger.” The track showcases a mix of Punjabi and English languages, celebrating everyday life and the humour of the South Asian diaspora, while blending traditional Punjabi elements with modern hip-hop and rap soundscapes.
advertisement
Released in 2022, the track — which served as the debut single from the Brampton native — has garnered over 29 million streams on Spotify. It was produced by Baaj Music and J-Statik, the latter of whom has previously collaborated with Punjabi-Canadian hitmaker Karan Aujla on his earlier work.
“Gaddi Red Challenger" is a viral hit, with over 14 million views on YouTube.
In the original version, Babbulicious wears his Brampton pride on his sleeve, with lyrics that loosely translate to “Brampton is where I’m from.” The video includes shots of Toronto’s CN Tower and downtown Mississauga.
For Mamdani’s inauguration, Singh put a spin on the track for the occasion — changing the lyrics to mention New York and some of its most populated boroughs, including Harlem, Astoria and the Bronx.
In clips shared to social media, Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, can be seen on stage, grooving to the song in front of an enthusiastic crowd. At one point, a smiling Mamdani is singing along in Punjabi.
He really did that. @Babbulicious @Zohran Mamdani #Mayor #NYC #fyp #foryoupage #Punjabi
On Instagram, Singh posted photos from his time in New York, including an embrace with Mamdani, as he thanked him for the invitation to perform: “Thank you Mr Mayor for having me perform at the inauguration.”
It’s a great kickoff to the new year, following a period of growth in the Punjabi-Canadian music scene as homegrown artists, including Aujla, Shubh and the late Sidhu Moose Wala, alongside global stars like Diljit Dosanjh, had major feats on the charts over the last year.
