New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani repeatedly marked Independence Day by posting a photograph of a rap group whose members once released lyrics praising 9/11 hijacker Mohamed Atta and comparing themselves to the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.
Mamdani posted the same photograph of Harlem rap group The Diplomats, also known as Dipset, alongside a “Happy 4th” message in 2021, 2023, and 2024, according to a review of his social media history first reported by Just The News.
The posts have resurfaced as Mamdani faces renewed scrutiny over his record and rhetoric surrounding September 11, amid the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
The photograph comes from Dipset’s “Dipset Anthem” music video and prominently features members Cam’ron and Juelz Santana, with Santana wearing an American flag-themed outfit.
Zohran used to do 9/11 dog whistles by posting a pic of the rap group The Diplomats each July 4.
Their most famous lyric praises 9/11: “I worship the prophet, the great Mohammed Omar Atta, for his courage behind the wheel of the plane. Reminds me when I was dealin’ cocaine.” https://t.co/Vqausy7wNM pic.twitter.com/dJwhViteJv
— Drew Pavlou 🇦🇺🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼 (@DrewPavlou) September 12, 2026
The group’s history, however, includes lyrics and comments about September 11 that generated controversy shortly after the attacks.
In a 2002 interview with New Musical Express, Santana defended a lyric from a then-forthcoming Diplomats song that referred to Mohamed Atta, the lead hijacker of American Airlines Flight 11, which crashed into the World Trade Center’s North Tower.
The original lyric said, “I worship the prophet / The great Mohammed Omar Atta / For his courage behind the wheel of the plane.”
Santana told NME that he was not endorsing terrorism but said he admired Atta’s “courage” and “love for what he believed in.” He also questioned why the September 11 attacks had occurred, blaming American foreign policy for contributing to the circumstances surrounding the attacks.
The lyric was subsequently changed before the album’s release to refer to Muhammad Ali instead of Atta.
Other Dipset lyrics from the group’s 2003 album “Diplomatic Immunity” also invoked the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and September 11. The group referred to itself as the “Dipset Taliban” and “Harlem’s Al-Qaeda,” while another song included a reference to the falling World Trade Center towers.
Santana also later released lyrics comparing himself to Atta. The material has continued to draw attention years after its original release, including during a 2022 interview in which Santana again discussed his admiration for what he described as Atta’s willingness to sacrifice himself for his beliefs.
Mamdani himself had a failed rapper phase. In 2017, he released a song titled “Salaam” in which he referred to the “Holy Land Five,” the five leaders of the Holy Land Foundation who were convicted in federal court of providing material support to Hamas. He described the song at the time as being about what it was like to be a Muslim in America and in New York City.
The Dipset controversy also comes as Mamdani’s handling of September 11 has become a recurring issue in his public life.
The mayor has faced criticism over his political associations and statements concerning Israel, Hamas, and the phrase “globalizing the intifada.” He has said the phrase was intended as a call for Palestinians to achieve their rights and has rejected interpretations that he intended to endorse violence.
Mamdani has also repeatedly emphasized the experience of Muslim New Yorkers after September 11. On the 25th anniversary of the attacks, The New York Times prominently featured coverage examining Islamophobia and Mamdani’s position as New York’s first Muslim mayor.
In 2021, Mamdani posted “Happy 4th” alongside the Dipset photograph. He used the same image and message again in 2023 and 2024. In 2025, after he had become the Democratic nominee for mayor, he changed course, posting “Happy 4th” alongside photographs from a Democratic Club barbecue in Queens rather than the Dipset image.
Odd, that after becoming a major-party nominee for mayor, and then mayor of New York City, Mamdani stopped using the image.
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