Mayor Adams Calls In For Live Interview On WBLS 107.5 FM's "Caribbean Fever"

February 23, 2025

Dahved Levy: Caribbean Fever 107.5, WBLS, and I will be interrupting you. We've got a very special guest tonight. Hello, hello, hello, sir. Hello.

Mayor Eric Adams: Yes, sir. How are you, brother? Rocking you, rocking you.

Levy: How are you doing, Mayor Adams? How are you doing, sir?

Mayor Adams: I'm feeling fine. I feel blessed. And as I say all the time, I will bless the Lord at all times.

Levy: Sir, I want to read something to you, right? Jumaane Williams, New York City Public Advocate, has for nearly six months now been on alert for a call that could be any time for him to be the mayor. The 48-year-old is in a unique position. 

Many New Yorkers don't know really who he is or the role that he plays as a public advocate or that the public advocate even exists. But he may be on the cusp of becoming the city's leader. When you hear this and you see these things written, what does it do to your soul, sir? What do you feel deep inside?

Mayor Adams: Well, a couple of things. And think about it for a moment, Dahved. The people elected me, the people of the city elected me for my days of 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care, my days [in the] state senate advocate for the people of this city, being the first Black borough president and moving the borough forward, and now the role I've done as mayor. 

And I ask everyone, tell me three things that Jumaane Williams has done in the three years he has been the public advocate. No one knows what he has done. The guy sleeps until 12 p.m. and then comes out and just criticizes every successful thing we have accomplished. And instead of getting elected into office the way I did, the good old-fashioned way of hard work, he wanted to be just appointed into office. He's allowed his voice to say, I should step down so that he can become the mayor if I were to do so. I would never surrender my—

Levy: Mayor, it's like a person saying he wants to piggyback on what you've accomplished.

Mayor Adams: Without a doubt. You know, I made it clear 15 months ago that I was going to focus on fighting for the people of this city. They want to fight me. I'm going to fight for New York's working-class people. They want to talk about me. I'm going to talk about the issues that working-class people need. And that's what I've done. I'm consistent. And so all those who think I'm going to abandon my role, they got another thing coming. I'm going to continue to be the mayor of the greatest city on the globe, and that's New York.

Levy: Talking about the greatest city, MTA chair optimistic that congestion pricing will prevail. Where do you stand as far as congestion pricing is concerned? New Yorkers are very concerned about this. Should they be?

Mayor Adams: Well, you know, people... I've never seen anyone raise their hand and say, let me pay more for something. And we were clear when this first came out. We felt there should have been waivers for those working-class New Yorkers. But this is a state issue. Governor Cuomo passed it. The legislators decided. The MTA were able to get federal support. This is not a city issue. I wish it would have gone through the city, the City Council and the Mayor's Office, but it didn't. They have to come to a solution of what to do with congestion pricing. It is not something that is within my power or authority.

Levy: Sir, you know, I was in the Caribbean the other day, and I went to a rum shop. You know, you go to a local rum shop to hear what the people are saying. They're talking politics. They're talking entertainment. And a guy said, well, I don't know, because is he a Republican or a Democrat? And why do people think that he has changed parties to please President Trump? So they're asking, they're asking, sir, are you a Democrat or are you a Republican? Are you splitting yourself down the middle until it's beneficial to you to go to one party or the other?

Mayor Adams: Well, listen, I'm a Democrat. I ran as a Democrat for Senate, Democrat for borough president, Democrat for mayor. I'm a true blue Democrat, but I'm also a true blue working class person. And I didn't take an oath to a party. When I took a pledge, I took a pledge to the flag of the United States of America. 

And I think there's partisan politics getting in the way of producing real results for working class people. If you're worried about being thrown out of your home, you're not asking, is it a Democrat or Republican that's coming to save me? If you want your street safe, you're not asking, is it a Democrat or Republican? When the election is over, we should get to working for working class people. So although I'm a true blue Democrat, I'm also a true blue, blue collar person.

Levy: Mayor, you're something else. Sir, I got one more question for you. In your wildest dreams, could you ever believe that you would be in this situation? And how has this situation altered or changed your life?

Mayor Adams: No, no, I did not believe I would be here Dahved. Just being all candid and honest. I've always carried myself to follow the law, do what's right, [inaudible]. You don't spend 22 years enforcing the law and then become an adult and break the law. 

I would never use any office that I hold for my private benefits over the benefits of people. I fight for New Yorkers. And you're hearing, think about this for a moment, and even your listeners, you heard this large chorus of Eric should be removed, Eric should step down. Ask yourself why. What is the reason they're saying that? Did they say that because I was convicted of a crime? Did they say it because some way I violated my oath to office? Like, where is this coming from? 

You have two people who are leading that charge. Both of them will receive the seat of mayor if I were to be removed or were to step down. Another person that's potentially running for office that would also want to be the mayor. So you have all those who have been criticizing me since I took office are now continuing to criticize all the things we've done around homelessness, housing, public safety, more jobs, becoming the history of the city. 

I could go on and on and on. So I really want New Yorkers, don't listen to all the noise. Ask yourself, New Yorkers, what did Eric do that you are saying he should step down and take the rights from the voters who decided they wanted me to be the 110th mayor, the second African-American in the history of the city? I'm still trying to figure out, what is this call for? What did I do that we should usurp the power of New Yorkers who voted for me? There's an election in November. Let the electorate decide who will be the mayor, not the political loudmouths deciding. Isn't that the American way?

Levy: Yeah. Sir, I know you're busy and you gotta go. I'm giving you the last word, sir. Go ahead.

Mayor Adams: I want New Yorkers to look at what the last 15 months has been like for me. And did I stop fighting for New Yorkers? From the time this was announced, we've passed City of Yes. We continue to see substantial decreases in crime. We have more jobs in the city's history. More small businesses are operated. 

We put over 150,000 young people into pre-K and 3-K. Never been done before. We continue to break records in housing. We do an Axe the Tax for the Working Class, for those who are making 150 percent below the poverty line. They would not pay any city income tax. You can just start listing the working class agenda, $30 billion back in the pockets of everyday New Yorkers. 

Don't read the headlines. Don't buy into what they are attempting to do to take away your power. New Yorkers and those who listen to your show, they're working class people. I am you. I am one of you. The anger is coming from, finally, one of you is the mayor of the City of New York. And I serve you well, and I'm going to continue to do that.

Levy: Thank you very much, sir. Have a good night. 

Mayor Adams: Thank you, brother. Rocking you, Dahved.