Louisville, Kentucky certainly isn’t an established breeding ground for musical talent – especially for hip-hop – but Jack Harlow has broken the mold. The 23-year-old rapper got his start in music by making a name for himself in his hometown, beginning with his work with the “Private Garden” collective – a group composed of friends with distinct musical talents that all complemented one another and made for some standout music.
After establishing himself in his hometown, Harlow branched out by releasing music on Soundcloud, starting with his 2016 mixtape titled 18. After a handful of official releases through DJ Drama’s Generation Now label and Atlantic Records, Harlow truly broke out in 2020 with “Whats Poppin,” an infectious single with a catchy hook and lyrically-technical verses that impressed both casual fans and critics alike. The song’s viral promise landed him a remix with DaBaby, Tory Lanez and Lil Wayne, and the song was further immortalized into hit status when it landed on the soundtrack for NBA 2K21. After the late 2020 release of That’s What They All Say, which included guest features from industry titans like Lil Baby, Big Sean, Chris Brown and Adam Levine, along with a guest feature on Lil Nas X’s “Industry Baby,” Harlow is set for further success in the coming years as he continues to climb the ranks of the hip-hop world.
