NEW YORK \u2014 With applications for Mayor Zohran Mamdani\u2019s free child care program for 2-year-olds opening in June, the social media-friendly mayor announced Friday he is turning to Bronx-born rapper Cardi B to help promote it.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs Cardi B says: \u2018I can get \u2019em both. I don\u2019t wanna choose,’\u201d Mamdani said in a statement, quoting the debut single, \u201cBodak Yellow,\u201d that made her a household name.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor too long, families have been forced to choose between affordable care and staying in the city they love. Now, they can have both \u2014 free care in the greatest city in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
To announce the enrollment period, Mamdani released a short-form video<\/a> on social media with Cardi B launching a 2-K jingle competition, where people can write an original 15 to 30-second ditty urging parents to apply.<\/p>\n A zealous use of viral videos helped catapult Mamdani from a back-of-the-pack, virtually unknown Queens assemblyman, to the winner of last year\u2019s election. Friday\u2019s post was the latest example of how he is using social media<\/a> to help promote universal child care and to govern more broadly.<\/p>\n For the 2-K jingle competition, a panel of judges, including Cardi B, will review submissions, before voting opens up to the general public, according to a news release. The winning jingle will become the \u201cofficial 2-K theme\u201d and play on the radio.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had a question for you,\u201d Mamdani asks Cardi B in the video. \u201cWe\u2019re gonna have a competition to create a jingle. New Yorkers are gonna submit to their best jingle. And we wanted to know you would help judge that competition?\u201d<\/p>\n