NYC Mayor-Elect Mamdani Taps Formerly Incarcerated Activist for Justice Panel

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has appointed rapper and activist Mysonne Linen to serve on his transition team’s criminal legal system committee. Linen, 49, was convicted in the late 1990s of robbery and weapons charges, serving seven years in state prison following two armed robberies involving taxi drivers in the Bronx.

His appointment has drawn national attention as Mamdani prepares to be sworn in on January 1. Linen, who raps under the name Mysonne and refers to himself as “the general,” has become a prominent voice in criminal justice reform since his release. While he maintains his innocence in the 1999 conviction, he was found guilty at trial after declining a plea deal.

The robberies occurred on June 8, 1997, and March 31, 1998, and involved the theft of both money and personal property from cab drivers Joseph Exiri and Francisco Monsanto. Linen was convicted of three counts of robbery, criminal possession of a weapon, and possession of stolen property.

Just before his arrest, his debut album was on track for release through Def Jam Recordings. That trajectory was interrupted by the conviction and prison time, but his public profile has grown in the years since through activism, public speaking, and writing.

Linen co-founded Until Freedom, an organization that focuses on racial justice, police reform, and advocacy in Black and Brown communities. In a post following the news of his appointment, the group stated, “We are proud that Until Freedom leaders have been chosen to serve on Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani’s transition team on committees for public safety and criminal justice respectively.”

The statement highlighted years of community work in gun violence prevention and policy advocacy, framing Linen’s inclusion as a reflection of grassroots expertise.

Linen has also written two children’s books aimed at educating youth on law and leadership: “I Know My Rights” and “Raising Kings: 10 Principles of Manhood.”

Still, his inclusion has received criticism from some groups. An organization called Jews Fight Back posted that Mamdani was giving policy influence to someone with a violent criminal record. However, Mamdani and his supporters say the choice is consistent with a broader push for inclusive representation and lived experience on matters of justice.

Mamdani, a democratic socialist and vocal critic of federal immigration enforcement, recently released a video advising immigrants of their legal rights when interacting with ICE. “ICE is legally allowed to lie to you, but you have the right to remain silent,” Mamdani said, encouraging residents to know their rights and challenge enforcement practices.

His comments followed protests on Canal Street in response to ICE agents conducting enforcement actions in the city’s Chinatown district. Similar demonstrations occurred there in October. Mamdani has pledged to build a city that actively protects its immigrant population, saying, “New York will always welcome immigrants, and I will fight each and every day to protect, support, and celebrate our immigrant brothers and sisters.”

As Mamdani rounds out his transition team ahead of his inauguration, Linen’s appointment underscores the administration’s focus on progressive policy and representation from individuals with direct experience in the systems they’re tasked with reforming.