From growing up in the New York City public school program to raising young kids of her own, Cardi B has a lot of reasons to back Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s 2-K initiative.
And on Friday (April 3), the mayor and the rapper partnered to launch a citywide contest as Mamdani searches for the perfect jingle to encourage families to apply for the 2-K program. The duo is seeking submissions for a 30-second original tune — which Cardi will help in selecting the finalists — before New Yorkers get the chance to vote on which song will win.
In a video that arrived with the announcement, the mayor meets up with the Bronx rapper, who exclaims upon meeting the politician, “Can you believe that?! We have a 34-year-old mayor! I feel like I’m a kid, and you’re, like, running New York!”
Mamdani then gets right to business. “Cardi,” he begins in the clip. “What do you think of free childcare?”
The Grammy-winning artist — who is a mom of four little ones — responds truthfully. “I feel like free childcare is very important,” she shares. “Sometimes us women we can’t really go forward because we don’t have nobody to help us take care of our kids.”
The mayor then makes his pitch. “This fall we’re starting to deliver universal 2-K, which is just like pre-K, just like 3-K, but 2-K for 2-year-olds. Free childcare, 2,000 seats in the fall, and there’s gonna be seats in the Bronx starting it up,” he explains. “Enrollment actually starts in June, and we had a question for you: We’re going to have a competition to create a jingle, so New Yorkers are going to submit their best jingle, and we wanted to know if you would help judge that competition!”
Cardi gives an enthusiastic yes before adding, “The mayor’s going to help you! And I’m gonna judge, and he’s going to give because he’s the one with the funds!”
Watch the pair’s announcement video above.
“As Cardi B says: ‘I can get ’em both. I don’t wanna choose,’” Mayor Mamdani said in a statement, quoting the rapper’s “Bodak Yellow,” which was a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 for three weeks in 2017. “With universal child care, New Yorkers won’t have to. For too long, families have been forced to choose between unaffordable care and staying in the city they love. Now, they can have both — free care in the greatest city in the world.”
Submissions for the jingle contest can be made via New York City’s website, where the rules and guidelines can also be found. Song submissions must be received by April 17; the winning jingle will become the official theme for the program, and will be played on the radio. Entrants are encouraged to share their original tunes online with the hashtag #NYC2KJingle and tag @nycmayor.
Mamdani first announced plans for the 2-K program in the second week of his mayoral term with the intent of providing free childcare for NYC families with 2-year-olds at home, regardless of financial or immigration status. This fall, the first 2,000 seats of the flagship program will roll out across four districts: Fordham (Bronx), Washington Heights (Manhattan), Southeast Queens and Canarsie (Brooklyn). Enrollment begins June 2 and closes June 26.
Cardi’s work with the Big Apple’s most progressive mayor yet comes after years of the Bronx native speaking out about politics and backing the Democratic party. She’s also known for showing love in different ways to her home city. For instance, Cardi recorded a series of subway safety and etiquette PSAs for the MTA in September.
The Grammy winner also knows as well as any mom of young children how difficult parenting 2-year-olds can be. So far, two of Cardi’s kids have gone through the proverbial “terrible 2s,” as she shares 7-year-old Kulture, 4-year-old Wave and 1-year-old Blossom with estranged husband Offset. She’s also Mom to a 4-month-old son with ex Stefon Diggs.
