‘My mayor Muslim, my bagel’s Jewish’: who’s behind the Knicks chant uniting New York?
Summary
A chant celebrating New York’s diversity and Knicks basketball success has gone viral. Created by Knicks fan MD Ahnaf Hossain, the chant mixes references to different religions and hip-hop culture, uniting fans as the Knicks near an NBA championship.Key Facts
- The New York Knicks lead the NBA finals 3-1, close to their first championship since the 1970s.
- A chant saying “My mayor Muslim, my bagel’s Jewish, My Christian Dior, Knicks in four” gained popularity online.
- The chant was created by 23-year-old Knicks fan MD Ahnaf Hossain and shared on a Kalshi-branded TikTok channel.
- The chant’s wording reflects New York City’s religious diversity and hip-hop influences, referencing artists like Pop Smoke and Jay-Z.
- After the Knicks lost one game, the chant was updated to “Knicks in five” with new lines including “The pope’s on our side.”
- The chant has tens of millions of views on TikTok and appears on fans’ clothing and hats.
- Some critics noted the chant video serves as an advertisement for Kalshi, a prediction market company.
- Experts explain the chant taps into hip-hop’s tradition of borrowing and mixing cultural ideas for creative expression.
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