Bloomberg Cites Jay-Z, Bicyclist

Michael Bloomberg showed off his knowledge of rap music at an event with Jay-Z this morning to discuss the city’s plan to close some streets in Manhattan to motorists.

A reporter at the Foley Square event prefaced a question to Jay-Z by noting that one of his songs describes how his mother said he taught himself to ride a bike at a young age, and asked if he planned to participate in the program, which starts this Saturday [clarified].

“This is from, ‘Mother I Made It’?” asked Bloomberg, referencing the little-known song "Mother I Made It," which was never released as a single or music video, from a Jay-Z album called Kingdom Come.

“Yeah, I believe so,” said Jay-Z. He went on to say he rides a bike "throughout the city,” but declined to specify where. “I don’t’ want the guys with cameras to follow me, so I’ll tell you where after,” he said.

He didn’t, but Jay-Z did pose for photographs with a number of fans, including one man who kept yelling, “Jay-Z for President!” The rapper is supporting Barack Obama and even recorded a robo-call for him that played in Ohio before the primary.