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Jack Harlow

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Jack Harlow
Harlow in 2022
Harlow in 2022
Background information
Birth nameJackman Thomas Harlow
Born (1998-03-13) March 13, 1998 (age 26)
Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
Years active2011–present
Labels
Websitejackharlow.us

Jackman Thomas Harlow (born March 13, 1998) is an American rapper from Louisville, Kentucky.[2] He is signed to Don Cannon and DJ Drama's record label Generation Now, an imprint of Atlantic Records. He is also the co-founder of his own musical collective, Private Garden. His first major breakthrough came with the release of his 2020 single, "Whats Poppin", which peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100. On December 11, 2020, he released his debut studio album, Thats What They All Say, which debuted and peaked at number five on the US Billboard 200. In 2021, Harlow released a collaboration with Lil Nas X, "Industry Baby", which reached number one on the Hot 100, becoming Harlow's first chart-topper. His 2022 single, "First Class", became his second number-one on the Hot 100 and first to debut atop the chart.

Early life

Jackman Thomas Harlow was born on March 13, 1998, in Louisville, Kentucky.[3][4][5] He is the son of Maggie Harlow (née Payette), a businesswoman, and Brian Harlow, and was raised on a horse farm.[6][7] He has one younger brother, Clayborn "Clay" Harlow (born 2000). He is of French and Irish descent.[8] Harlow’s grandfather used to live down the street from designer Tommy Hilfiger.[9] Harlow moved from Shelbyville to Louisville with his family as a child and began rapping at age 12. He and his friend Copelan used a Guitar Hero microphone and a laptop to record rhymes and songs. They made a CD entitled Rippin' and Rappin' and sold copies at their school, Highland Middle School. When he was in seventh grade, Harlow acquired a professional microphone and made his first mixtape, Extra Credit, using the moniker "Mr. Harlow." He formed a collective called "Moose Gang" with various friends; during this time, he worked on two mixtapes that were ultimately never released, Moose Gang and Music for the Deaf.

Career

2011–2018: Early mixtapes and Private Garden

In November 2015, Harlow released his first commercial album, the EP The Handsome Harlow. It was released on Gill Holland's sonaBLAST! record label.[3][10] Throughout high school, he often played sold-out shows at Louisville venues like Mercury Ballroom, Headliners, and the Haymarket Whiskey Bar.[3][4] In March of that year, he opened for Vince Staples in Louisville.[11]

In June 2016, less than a month after graduating from Atherton High School, he released the mixtape 18, which was the first album on his label and music collective, Private Garden.[12][13] The collective also features Harlow's frequent collaborators, the Homies, composed of Louisville rappers and producers Ace Pro, 2forwOyNE, Shloob, Quiiso, and Ronnie Lucciano.[3] Over the course of the next year, Harlow performed at South by Southwest, Bonnaroo Music Festival, and the Forecastle Festival.[citation needed]

In the summer of 2017, Harlow released the single "Routine".[3] In October of that year, he released another single, "Dark Knight", with an accompanying music video. He credits Cyhi the Prynce with helping him work through his writer's block and finish the song.[14][15] "Dark Knight" became the lead single on Harlow's mixtape Gazebo, which was released in November 2017.[4] Harlow went on a 14-city Gazebo Tour in support of the album. The Homies opened for Harlow, and the tour ended in January 2018.[16][17] In May 2018, Harlow opened for indie rock band Portugal. The Man on select tour dates.[18][19] The next month, he was featured alongside Lil James and Sixteen on the Skeme song "Get Sumn".[20]

2018–2020: Generation Now Records, Loose, and Confetti

After moving to Atlanta, Harlow worked at the Chick-fil-A in the Georgia State University cafeteria to supplement his income. A month after working at the cafeteria he was introduced to DJ Drama at Mean Street Studio.[21]

In August 2018, it was announced that Harlow had signed to DJ Drama and Don Cannon's Generation Now record label, in conjunction with Atlantic Records. He also released a video for his single "Sundown" on the day of the announcement.[22][23] On August 17, Harlow released his major label debut mixtape, Loose.[24] The album featured guest verses from CyHi the Prynce, K Camp, 2forwOyNE, and Taylor.[25] In November 2018, Harlow embarked on a North American tour in support of Loose which ended in December.[26][27][28] That month, he also released a video for the song "PickYourPhoneUp", featuring K Camp.[29] Loose was nominated for Best Mixtape at the 2019 BET Hip Hop Awards.[30] On August 21, 2019, Harlow released the single "Thru the Night" featuring fellow Louisville native Bryson Tiller. He then released the 12-track mixtape Confetti, which features Tiller, 2forwOyNE and EST Gee.

2020–2021: Thats What They All Say

On January 21, 2020, Harlow released the single "Whats Poppin", as the lead single from his second extended play (EP), Sweet Action.[31] The song was widely shared on the TikTok social media platform,[32] and the Cole Bennett-produced video has surpassed 135 million views as of May 2021.[33][34][35] On Harlow's 22nd birthday, March 13, 2020, he released the EP.[36] On April 29, 2020, Harlow released a collaboration with G-Eazy, "Moana". On June 24, 2020, Harlow released the remix of "Whats Poppin", which features DaBaby, Tory Lanez, and Lil Wayne. The remix propelled the song to reach number two on the Hot 100.[37] On August 11, Harlow was included in XXL's 2020 Freshman Class.[38] On October 22, 2020, Harlow released the single "Tyler Herro", the lead single from his debut studio album, That's What They All Say.[39] The song received a music video that stars Harlow and the NBA player of the same name. The song was praised for the "easy, weightless charisma" of Harlow's lyrics and delivery.[40] On December 2, 2020, Harlow announced the album. The second single, "Way Out", which features Big Sean, was released on December 9, 2020. The album was released on December 11, 2020. It also includes "Whats Poppin" and its remix.[41][42] On March 27, 2021, Harlow appeared as the musical guest on the 46th season of Saturday Night Live. He performed a medley of "Tyler Herro" and "Whats Poppin" for his first set and performed "Same Guy" with Adam Levine for his second set. He also appeared and performed a verse in the pre-recorded NFT-themed parody of Eminem's 2002 single, "Without Me".[43] On March 30, 2021, "Already Best Friends", which features Chris Brown, was sent to urban contemporary radio as the third and final single from That's What They All Say.[44]

On May 28, 2021, Harlow released a collaboration with Eminem and Cordae for the remix of Eminem's 2020 single, "Killer". On July 23, 2021, he released a collaboration with Lil Nas X, "Industry Baby".[45] The song reached number one on the Hot 100, giving Harlow his first number-one single on the chart. On August 3, 2021, he released a collaboration with Pooh Shiesty, "SUVs (Black on Black)".[46]

2022–present: Come Home the Kids Miss You

On February 18, 2022, Harlow released the single "Nail Tech", the lead single from his upcoming second studio album and his first release in six-and-a-half months.[47] The song performed well on the Hot 100 with a number 18 debut and peak and also received praise from Kanye West,[48] who previously was involved in the production of "Industry Baby". On February 24, Harlow was featured West's song "Louie Bags" on his album, Donda 2.

On March 16, 2022, Harlow announced that his second studio album is titled Come Home the Kids Miss You with a May 6 release date.[49] The lead single, "First Class", became his second number-one on the Billboard Hot 100, and the year's first hip-hop song to reach that position.[50]

Acting debut

In March 2022, it was announced that Harlow will make his acting debut in a reboot of the 1992 film White Men Can't Jump directed by Calmatic.[51]

Artistry

Style

Harlow's craft has been characterized by critics as blending playful confidence with emotional sincerity in both his music and lyrics,[52][53] which often explore themes such as sexuality, partying, and drug use.[54] Kate Hutchinson of The Guardian opined that Harlow's most interesting songs are his more introspective ones, dealing with topics such as being uncomfortable with his acclaim, and his white privilege.[55] Thomas Hobbs, another writer for The Guardian, wrote that Harlow embraces "being a dorky outsider", while additionally having "enough charisma" to pull off "using language that is usually cringeworthy coming from suburban white people".[56] He has described his own music as emphasizing rhythm, and his lyricism as being "personal but fun",[57] and geared toward "connect[ing] with people".[58]

Harlow's music has been categorized broadly as hip hop. Publications have further tagged his music as blending trap beats[59] with instruments such as pianos and uilleann pipes.[55][60]

Influences

Harlow cites a range of influences across multiple genres, including Eminem,[61] Drake, Lil Wayne, Outkast, Paul Wall, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Hall and Oates, and Jesse McCartney, among others.[62][63][64] Harlow has also identified cinema as an influence, aiming for his songs to be "like short films". His favorite filmmakers are Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, and Alfred Hitchcock.[65]

Philanthropy and activism

Harlow supports the Black Lives Matter political movement, having attended a rally to protest the killing of Breonna Taylor, which occurred in his hometown.[66] Harlow has stated that, being white, he "can never truly know what [the experience of racism] is like", and that it is his responsibility as a white rapper to approach his work with that knowledge in mind.[67]

In October 2021, Harlow donated to five Louisville-based organizations: AMPED, the Center for Women and Families, the Grace M. James Academy of Excellence, Louisville Urban League and Metro United Way.[68][69] Citing the spirit and pride he holds for his hometown, Harlow stated that "People need hope, they need love", when announcing his donation plans.[68] KFC and Instagram pledged to match up to $50,000 of what Harlow raises through the social media platform's fundraising tool.[68]

In December 2021, Harlow teamed up with KFC and its parent company Yum! Brands to donate a joint $250,000 to the American Red Cross to support those impacted by a deadly tornado in the state's western region.[70]

Discography

Main article: Jack Harlow discography

Awards and nominations

Year Organization Work Award Result
2021 Grammy Awards[71] "Whats Poppin" Best Rap Performance Nominated
2021 Billboard Music Awards[72] Himself Top New Artist Nominated
"Whats Poppin" Top Streaming Song Nominated
Top Collaboration (Fan Voted) Nominated
Top Rap Song Nominated
2022 Grammy Awards[73] Montero Album of the Year (as featured artist and songwriter) Nominated
"Industry Baby" Best Melodic Rap Performance (with Lil Nas X) Nominated

References

  1. ^ "Jack Harlow is a Heartthrob and a Budding Superstar. He Wants a Lot More". Rolling Stone. March 16, 2022.
  2. ^ "Jack Harlow Stays True to His Roots". The Fader. February 5, 2019. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e Moss, Josh (August 4, 2017). "Kid with a Mic". Louisville. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c Krastz, Roger (January 12, 2018). "The Break Presents: Jack Harlow". XXL. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  5. ^ Elibert, Mark (October 10, 2018). "Jack Harlow Talks 'Loose' Mixtape, Putting Louisville on the Map & Working With DJ Moose, Moose Cannon". Billboard. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  6. ^ "Jack Harlow's Cinematic Approach to Hip-Hop".
  7. ^ "NAWBO Kentucky - Newsletter".
  8. ^ "Jack Harlow Goes Undercover on Twitter, Instagram, and Wikipedia". GQ. November 25, 2020. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  9. ^ "Inside Jack Harlow's Tommy Hilfiger Look at the 2021 Met Gala". Vanity Fair. September 14, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  10. ^ Messmer, Alexis (December 18, 2015). "Jack Harlow Talks His First Commercial Release and What's Next". Louisville. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  11. ^ Puckett, Jeffrey Lee (March 8, 2016). "Rapper Jack Harlow is on it like MacGyver". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  12. ^ Luisa, Paige (July 18, 2016). "Introducing: Jack Harlow". Ear Milk. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  13. ^ Bishop, Syd (June 15, 2016). "Into the wild: A conversation with Jack Harlow". Louisville Eccentric Observer. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  14. ^ Lakshminarayana, Raghava (October 27, 2017). "PREMIERE: Jack Harlow "Dark Knight"". Mass Appeal. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  15. ^ Shotwell, James (October 28, 2017). "Jack Harlow's impending superstardom cannot be denied on "Dark Knight"". Substream. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  16. ^ Bishop, Syd (January 24, 2018). "Jack Harlow talks about the songs on 'Gazebo'". Louisville Eccentric Observer. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  17. ^ Babcock, Trevor (January 23, 2018). "Review: Jack Harlow makes a bold debut at the M-Shop". Iowa State Daily. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
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  32. ^ Pareles, Jon; Caramanica, Jon; Russonello, Giovanni (August 2, 2020). "Beyoncé's Surprise Juneteenth Anthem, and 12 More New Songs". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
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  38. ^ Cline, Georgette (August 11, 2020). "XXL 2020 FRESHMAN CLASS REVEALED". XXL. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  39. ^ "First Beat: New Music From Ty Dolla $ign, Saweetie, Jack Harlow and More". Billboard. October 23, 2020. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  40. ^ Pareles, Jon; Russonello, Giovanni; Zoladz, Lindsay (October 26, 2020). "Ariana Grande Is in Love, and 11 More New Songs". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
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  43. ^ Hoglund, Andy (March 28, 2021). "Saturday Night Live recap: Maya Rudolph and her Beyoncé impression return". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
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  45. ^ Carras, Christi (July 23, 2021). "Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow go to 'gay prison' for hot, pink 'Industry Baby' video". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  46. ^ Darville, Jordan (August 3, 2021). "Jack Harlow and Pooh Shiesty share "SUVs (Black on Black)"". The Fader. Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  47. ^ Aderoju, Darlene (February 18, 2022). "Jack Harlow Returns With 'Nail Tech' & Yung Miami Stuns in the Music Video: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  48. ^ "Kanye West Calls Jack Harlow a Top 5 Rapper Right Now: 'This N***a Can Raaaaaaap Bro'". Complex Networks.
  49. ^ "Jack Harlow Announces New Album 'Come Home The Kids Miss You'". HipHopGet. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  50. ^ Trust, Gary (April 18, 2022). "Jack Harlow Flies 'First Class' to No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  51. ^ Kroll, Justin (March 3, 2022). "Jack Harlow To Star in 20th Century's 'White Men Can't Jump' Reboot Off His First Ever Screen Audition". Deadline Hollywood.
  52. ^ "Lyrical Lemonade". lyricallemonade.com. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  53. ^ "Jack Harlow Is Here to Make Ear Candy". PAPER. November 7, 2019. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  54. ^ Chesman, Donna-Claire. "Jack Harlow Is Moving Towards Feeling: Interview". DJBooth. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  55. ^ a b Hutchinson, Kate (December 20, 2020). "Jack Harlow: That's What They All Say review – breezy confessionals". The Guardian. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  56. ^ Hobbs, Thomas (December 30, 2020). "'Audiences don't want white anger': how white rap grew a conscience". The Guardian. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  57. ^ "Jack Harlow Releases 'Confetti' Mixtape Featuring Bryson Tiller: Listen". Billboard. September 20, 2019. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  58. ^ "Box". warnermusicgroup.app.box.com.
  59. ^ Hobbs, Thomas (December 23, 2020). "Jack Harlow has the world at his feet". Dazed. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  60. ^ Blake, Emily (December 15, 2020). "Jack Harlow Rises to Number One on Apple Music Pre-Add Chart". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  61. ^ Lavin, Will (September 14, 2021). "Eminem praises Jack Harlow during "special" phone call". NME. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  62. ^ "Jack Harlow's 'Great Stories Last Forever' Playlist". Spin. April 18, 2020. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  63. ^ "Jack Harlow – 2020 XXL Freshman". XXL Mag. August 11, 2020. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  64. ^ "Q&A | Jack Harlow". Flaunt Magazine. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  65. ^ "Jack Harlow's Cinematic Approach to Hip-Hop". Vman. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  66. ^ "Jack Harlow Is Going To Be A Star, Whether Or Not He Ever Becomes A Great Rapper". Stereogum. July 15, 2020. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  67. ^ Woods, Aleia (September 16, 2020). "2020 XXL Freshman Class Discuss Police Brutality, Racism and Social Justice With Until Freedom: Part 1 – The Past". XXL Mag. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  68. ^ a b c Lee, Cydney (October 4, 2021). "Jack Harlow Announces Donations to Local Louisville Organizations: 'People Need Hope, They Need Love'". Billboard. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  69. ^ "Louisville rapper Jack Harlow donating to 5 hometown organizations: 'People need hope'". WLKY. October 5, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  70. ^ Aderoju, Darlene (December 13, 2021). "Jack Harlow Teams With KFC to Donate $250,000 to Those Impacted by Deadly Kentucky Tornado". Billboard. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  71. ^ "2021 GRAMMYs: Complete Nominees List". November 24, 2020.
  72. ^ "The Weeknd wins big at the Billboard Music Awards: See the full winners list". EW.com. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  73. ^ "2022 GRAMMYs Awards Show: Complete Nominations List". GRAMMY.com. November 23, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
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