It's not uncommon for musicians to pay homage to their hometowns. From the neighborhoods in New York City and Los Angeles to the streets of Nashville and Detroit, artists often use their lyrics to give listeners an inside look at where it all began.
Louisville, Kentucky-rapper Jack Harlow's hometown-doesn't get a lot of attention in hip-hop. But it was where the artist sold the first copies of his inaugural mixtape at Highland Middle School and where he performed sold-out shows at the Mercury Ballroom while he was still in high school. With the city playing such a central role in his youth, it's no surprise that Louisville is a running theme in his new album, Come Home the Kids Miss You.
That's also why Spotify, RapCaviar, and Jack met up at The Ice House in Louisville to celebrate the launch of this album with an event featuring Southern comfort food, themed drinks, and a set by Los Angeles-based DJ Zack Bia. Jack even joined Zack onstage to hype up the crowd, playing hits off his new album like First Class and Poison while singing along with guests. Jack's collaborator and friend Drake came by to celebrate, as did country music stars Jason Aldean, Sam Hunt, Chase Rice, Jon Pardi, and Brittney Spencer. Athletes like Louisville Cardinals quarterback Malik Cunningham, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, and New England Patriots running back Damien Harris also joined the festivities.
Jack Harlow
Ron Brown and Damien Harris
Sam Hunt and Chase Rice
Langston Bleu and Brittney Spencer
Thomas Payette and Maggie Harlow
Malik Cunningham and Lamar Jackson
NEXT
While some may not usually associate hip-hop with derby fashion or mint juleps, Jack embraces their communion.
I'm in love with juxtaposition. I think that's how fresh things are created, Jack told For the Record. For hip-hop to be aligned with horse racing in this way, it's fresh, and no one else can do it.
This album couldn't come at a better time as Jack comes off the heels of three Grammy nominations, a number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100 with First Class, and praise from his industry peers.
For the Record spoke with Jack about his upcoming album release and the importance of spotlighting his hometown of Louisville.
As your career has evolved, how has your approach to creating music changed? I think it's expanded a lot. A lot of the songs on the last album started as beats that I picked out of packs. So in a way, they were halfway finished products. The bulk of these songs were built from scratch right in front of me, and I wrote to them and asked for adjustments to them, and chose chords and drum sounds. I was very hands-on and a lot of the production is exactly what I want.
What are you most excited for fans to hear on the new album? I'm excited to show off me and my guys' taste level, just showing some of our restraint and tasteful decisions. I'm in the space right now where I can easily make a bunch of predictable candy commercial hip-hop records. And I think we have some that are commercial, but I think it's in our way. I think we're making real art. I think people will appreciate how artistic this album is.
Why is Kentucky such an important theme in your music? When you're an artist, you want to show off the place you're from, especially when it's not a place a lot of artists are from. You have something original to offer. Me being from Kentucky, I want to put that on the map and show people that I'm from a place that they're not from. And I could tell them the story they can't tell. And that's what makes my voice valuable.
Why did you think the Derby was the perfect place to celebrate this album release? For Kentucky, this is one of the biggest-if not the biggest-weekend of our year. A lot of people come to town. It's a nice spotlight on us, and me adding to that feels special and feels right. And you see the title of the album, Come Home the Kids Miss You, is just intertwined really well. A lot of the subject matter on the album is about home. I mean, it's poetic justice, honestly.
What has it been like for you to see the positive reception to First Class ? It was validating. When I made the song, not everybody in the room thought it was a hit. So, when I made it, I said it was a hit, and now it's a hit. You start to really trust your ear. And I think I trust my ear more than ever right now. I think my gut is strong. That just adds to your confidence as an artist and it makes you move forward with even more poise and confidence, because you can't help but question yourself sometimes. This is a record I wanted to make. I saw it through and I had a great team with me to help get it to where it needed to be, so I feel great about the future.
Tell us about your partnership with Spotify. How has the platform helped you reach larger audiences? I've been getting a lot of support from Spotify since before I had a big record. And once I dropped a big record, I saw the effect of the listening and all the things the platform could do. I think there's some sort of cohesion going on. I think a lot of my listeners are on Spotify. And I'm excited that that's the company that's going to be in Louisville, Kentucky, for this party-that people are going to look up and see that logo.
Get acquainted with Jack and his hometown in his new album:
Photo credits: Getty
Most recent headlines
17/02/2025
TVBEurope talks to the team who brought a piece of broadcasting history back to life on BBC Wales last night
By Jenny Priestley
Published: February 14, 2025 ...
17/02/2025
Eligible studios will receive the relief directly from their local authorities, with no need to submit a claim
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 17, 20...
17/02/2025
As DEI initiatives come under pressure in the USA, supporters of Rise, which promotes diversity in the media and entertainment sector, discuss the continuing im...
17/02/2025
EIB Global loan will partially fund SES's continued O3b mPOWER medium earth orbit (MEO) fleet expansion enabling additional capacity worldwide. O3b mPOWER s...
15/02/2025
At Nielsen, Business Resource Groups (BRGs) play a critical role in nurturing a ...
15/02/2025
Innovation to empower creativity: Explore the latest in Lightroom
Rob Christensen February 15, 2025
0 Comments
Whether you want to remove distracting ...
15/02/2025
Wisycom, a worldwide leader in RF technology and provider of wireless solutions, announces a new distribution agreement with EQUAPHON. An Argentinian profession...
15/02/2025
DPA Microphones, the leading manufacturer of high-quality microphone solutions, is pleased to welcome Nicholas Nick Mariano and Vincent Vince Divine to the ...
15/02/2025
Tuxera, a leading provider of quality-assured file systems and networking solutions, will showcase how Tuxera Fusion SMB enables unprecedented performance for m...
15/02/2025
Bitmovin's latest Video Developer Report indicates an increasing role of AI, the slow adoption of next-generation codecs, and continuing challenges when it ...
15/02/2025
When Michelin Enterprises set out to promote its prestigious Hotel Guide in the new Sleepless in the Kitchen , campaign, veteran German/Slovenian gaffer Robert...
15/02/2025
Formula E, the world's first all-electric racing series, revolutionizing motorsport with cutting-edge technology and a commitment to sustainability has sele...
15/02/2025
Agile Content, a global leader in TV and video technology solutions, announces its rebranding to AgileTV.
The transition to AgileTV stems from a commitment to ...
15/02/2025
Hiltron Communications will promote the latest additions to its range of satellite communication products, systems and supporting services at GovSatCom 2025. Th...
15/02/2025
Following the success of the original Airglow Booklight, DoPchoice debuts a new addition to their inflatable line the Float. This lightweight, inflatable, round...
15/02/2025
LAS VEGAS Marshall Electronics has announced that it will debut its newest camera controller, the RCP Plus, at the 2025 NAB Show at Booth N2649 between April 5 ...
15/02/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has named Blake Sebo as the next general manager of KTUU and KYES, Gray's NBC and CBS affiliates in Anchorage, Alaska....
15/02/2025
KOKKEDAL, Denmark DPA Microphones will feature its new CORE+ technology for distortion-free microphone sound at the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, in Las Vegas....
15/02/2025
SWANSEA, U.K. QuickLink will launch StudioPro-NDI and StudioPro-3, two new models of its QuickLine StudioPro video production platform, at the 2025 NAB Show, Ap...
15/02/2025
Live From 2025 NBA All-Star Game Weekend: After 25 Years, Turner Sports All-In F...
15/02/2025
NASCAR Driver Cam on Max Embraces Cloud-Based Workflow for 2025 Season Chris Brown of WBD Sports says Mobii will play key part in delivering signals from the tr...
14/02/2025
Last month, we officially launched the Spotify Partner Program, a powerful new m...
14/02/2025
From an island off the coast of Lutruwita to the global stage in France SBS & ...
14/02/2025
The future of electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) land systems is evolving so that ...
14/02/2025
Here are 5 reasons why you should attend ISE 2025
Discover more about Calrec: Learn more about Calrec's legacy of innovation in broadcast audio solutions ...
14/02/2025
World Radio Day: On the same wavelength
By Graham Murray, International Sales Manager at Calrec
To mark World Radio Day, Calrec's International Sales Ma...
14/02/2025
DALLAS and TYSONS, Va. Tegna has concluded a broadcast rights agreement that makes Tegna's KFAA in Dallas the exclusive local television partner of the Dall...
14/02/2025
Amazon's Prime Video has released a new app for Apple TV that the streamer said delivers an improved streaming experiences with faster scrolling, improved s...
14/02/2025
CLEVELAND Telos Alliance announced a software update for its Axia Quasar XR and SR line of audio-over-IP (AoIP) mixing consoles and will show the offering at th...
14/02/2025
Puget Systems Returns to HPA Tech Retreat 2025 with New Analysis Tools for Puge...
14/02/2025
Glass Animals: Tour of Earth Uses Blackmagic Live Production Workflow
Brie Clayton February 14, 2025
0 Comments
80six deploys Blackmagic URSA Broadcas...
14/02/2025
A dispute between Paramount and Youtube TV that would have pulled CBS stations and Paramount's cable channels from the streaming service has been temporaril...
14/02/2025
Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail
By C...
14/02/2025
BitFire said it intends to introduce forward-looking services that simplify the launch of live production workflows, and enhance real-time collaboration
By Jen...
14/02/2025
The claim by the liquidators is the latest twist in the ongoing saga of the companys collapse at the end of 2021
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 14, ...
14/02/2025
A carriage dispute between YouTube TV and Paramount could come to a head today (Feb. 13), with the virtual pay TV provider threatening to pull all of the progra...
14/02/2025
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. LG Electronics USA has opened a new in-house, state-of-the-art virtual production studio at its 360,000-square-foot North American headqu...
14/02/2025
NEW YORK In a bid to help local broadcasters find new ways of monetizing their content, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) and TVB have relea...
14/02/2025
WASHINGTON Three Democratic U.S. Senators have sent a stern letter blasting FCC Chair Brendan Carr for the weaponization of the agency for attacking broadcast...
14/02/2025
Years after launching the streaming service Apple TV+ in November of 2019, Apple has finally released a version of its steaming app for Android devices....
14/02/2025
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. Red Digital Cinema will make its V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X camera systems available with Nikon's premier Z Mount, providing filmmaker...
14/02/2025
DAYTONA, Fla. The Fox Sports production of this year's Daytona 500 will see the addition of a few new tech elements and the continued unfolding of the broad...
14/02/2025
Watch Bryson Battles Blind Audition on The Voice Get a Four-Chair Turn Michael Bubl said the Boston Conservatory at Berklee musical theater senior might have...
14/02/2025
2025 Daytona 500: FOX Sports Looks To Ride Super Bowl LIX Momentum Into NASCAR S...
14/02/2025
14 Feb 2025
VEON's Kyivstar and the Come Back Alive Foundation Raise USD 2....
14/02/2025
Max Renews THE PITT, Starring Noah Wyle, For A Second Season
Max
Warner Bros. Television Group
The Pitt
New Episodes Of The Medical Drama From John...
14/02/2025
This year, Technicolor proudly celebrates 110 years of shaping the magic of cinema pioneering color, visual effects, and innovation that bring unforgettable l...
14/02/2025
NBA All-Star: More Games, More Teams, More Music, More Sound From the Court Turner Sports' team will deploy familiar tech to capture all the audio By Dan D...
14/02/2025
LIV Golf Continues To Innovate With Drones, Data-Driven Graphics, and All-Access...
It's not uncommon for musicians to pay homage to their hometowns. From the neighborhoods in New York City and Los Angeles to the streets of Nashville and Detroit, artists often use their lyrics to give listeners an inside look at where it all began. 
