Jack Harlow, Jackman. | Album Review 💿

Although imperfect, Jackman. finds Grammy-nominated rapper Jack Harlow showing artistic growth – taking a step in the right direction.

Artistic growth.  That was something, post 💿 Come Home The Kids Miss You that 🏆 Grammy-nominated rapper 🎙 Jack Harlow had to show. While Come Home The Kids Miss You delivered hits, and was certified gold, critically, it was NOT well received.  Clearly on his third album, 💿 Jackman., Harlow took the hint and stepped up his game.  Jackman. is not a perfect – don’t call it a masterpiece – but the 10-track, 24 minute LP finds Harlow showing artistic growth, taking a step in the right direction. It lacks the hits of Come Home The Kids Miss You but is ultimately a better album for exploring deeper subject matter.

“Common Ground”

“The suburbs are filled with Ebonics and trap sonics / Frat boys sayin’, ‘No cap, put racks on it.’” Woo! From the inception of Jackman., Jack Harlow digs deeper than his previous album, 💿 Come Home The Kids Miss You ever did.  🤩 🎵 “Common Ground” is a far cry from that sus pineapple semen line in “First Class” 😳. “Common Ground” runs well under two minutes in duration, yet Harlow manages to pack a mean punch. “White girls squattin’ tryna get that ass poppin’ / Caught back-talkin’ to their mom and dads often,” he asserts in the first verse, adding, “Recitin’ rap lyrics ‘bout murder and cash profit / Get to feel like a thug but don’t have to act on it.” Give him credit for referencing white privilege and cultural appropriation.  That said, what goes beyond the fact that “Common ground ain’t that common?” Food for thought. “Common Ground” does mark a step in the right direction for Harlow, not only including the bars but also the production (🎛 Angel López, Jay-Soul, Mike Wavvs, and Niko The Great), which samples 🎵 “When Will I See You Again (Intro)” by 🎙 Jade.

“Common Ground” marks the first of many shorter tracks that appear on Jackman. 🤩 🎵 “They Don’t Love It” runs only slightly longer, clocking under two minutes as well. Once again, Harlow opts for a backdrop (produced by 🎛 Hollywood Cole)  built on sampling – 🎵 “Can’t Live Without You” by 🎙 Connie Laverne.  This sound, hearkening back to the music of the past, marks a bright spot throughout Jackman.  Generally, Harlow gives us more substance with the bars though falls short with “The hardest white boy since the one who rapped about vomit and sweaters.” Notably, he does shout out the 502 (Louisville) asserting, “It’s not that crazy anymore, my city used to a come up / Bryson, Jack, Gee, James is up next.” Woo! One thing is for sure: “They don’t love it.”

Arguably the best record of the opening trio is 🤩 🎵 “Ambitious,” which truly feels like the first full-length cut.  After failing to reach the two-minute mark in duration, “Ambitious” runs nearly three minutes. The formula is similar to the preceding cuts with the production (🎛 Wallis Lane and Goldy Jr) anchored by sample (🎵 “Living My Life Just For You” by 🎙 7^th Wonder). Harlow depicts his come up, and as the title suggests, his ambitions. As always, he drops some colorful lines, namely in reference to his following: “Did a couple local shows, okay, my following exists / Even if it’s fifteen high school chicks / Better than a front row of dicks.” Memorable, to say the least. Also, Harlow references his acting role in the remake of 🎦 White Man Can’t Jump (“Auditioned for a lead and got the call back from it”). Expectedly, Jack is confident and truthfully, his come up has been big.

“Is That Ight?” 

After giving us three minutes, Jack returns to his old ways on 🎵 “Is That Ight?” which runs under two minutes.  The chorus finds Harlow speaking about how he wants to live his life. No flights, 10 girlfriends – being the same, down to earth guy, essentially.  He continues to tout ambition, asserting, “Our ambition just ain’t the same size / You pint-sized motherfuckers watching my paint dry in real time.” Okurrr… Another intriguing moment arrives when Harlow asserts, “My dad knows a lot of things that his son don’t know / But he ain’t been to all the place that his son gon’ go.” Probably true, particularly given Harlow’s ascent.

🎵 “Gang Gang Gang” gives listeners more song, much like 🎵 “Ambitious.” “Gang Gang Gang” is a prime example of a song with good intentions that doesn’t quite land.  Harlow highlights being disappointed by friends who make bad choices, specifically sexual assault. Essentially, the guys he mentioned were like brothers to him, yet he has to cut them loose. According to him, per the third verse, “Truthfully, it’s family ‘til it can’t be, gang ‘til it ain’t / Twins, but it depends, brothers until somethin’ is uncovered.” We want to believe our friends and loved ones are innocent until proven guilty but when the accusations are as damning as the ones Harlow mentions, shouldn’t the victims be who we really stand up for? Just food for thought.  The sound of “Gang Gang Gang” (produced by 🎛 Rashad Thomas) separates itself from everything else on Jackman. Not a personal favorite personally but definitely interesting.

🤩 🎵 “Denver” is named after Denver, Colorado, expectedly.  What is the connection for the Louisville-bred rapper? “I wrote that first verse in Denver back in September.” Fair enough.  No worries – he is still a Kentucky boy through and through, asserting, “I’m a long way from Shelby County.” For context, non-Kentuckians, Shelby County is east of Jefferson County, where Louisville is located. The location isn’t really important as Harlow is in introspective mode.  Early on, he asserts, “Just got off the stage on the 📺 TODAY Show and I basically felt soulless.” Fame, criticism, and even the possibility of “exes oversharin’” have got Jack in his head. Produced by 🎛 FNZ and Angel López, “Denver” samples the 1977 🎛 Douglas Penn song, 🎵 “Do You Know”.  The sound of “Denver” marks a welcome contrast to other records that appear on Jackman.

“No Enhancers”

🎛 DJ Dahi and Coop The Truth handle the boards on 🎵 “No Enhancers,” another hella brief joint. Notably, the backdrop is original – no samples! The biggest thing most folks will remember about “No Enhancers” is the repetitive, ‘all natural’ chorus. Per Jack: “I like my girl natural / She don’t need no enhancers.” Fair enough.  Harlow drops a nice flow on 🎵 “It Can’t Be,” a pleasant joint, once more enlisting the services of Rashad Thomas behind the boards.  Again, like on “No Enhancers,” we get a catchy chorus from the rapper.  Here, he references white privilege, but argues against it being the reason for his success. Also memorable on “It Can’t Be” is Harlow addressing negative reviews, his youthfulness (“I didn’t grow up on Brandy”), and “Havin’ dinner in Frankfort with Andy.” The Andy that Harlow is referencing is  Andy Beshear, the governor of Kentucky.

On the ninth track, the penultimate 🤩 🎵 “Blame On Me,” Jack Harlow gives us four minutes of music 🤯! Notably, there are five producers: 🎛 Hollywood Cole, Azul, Gray Hawken, Boi-1da, and Angel López. Lots of cooks in the kitchen! There are three verses, each taken from a different perspective. In the first verse, Jack raps from his little brother’s perspective, informing us their strained relationship (“You run with a crew that doesn’t include any room for your little brother / I was destroyed, but I still loved you”).  In the second verse, Jack gives his perspective towards his baby brother, taking accountability for his actions, which go deeper (“My baby brother, I don’t have an excuse / But I know you remember the way that dad would let loose on me more often and way less you”). Finally, the third verse of this highlight comes from the perspective of Jack’s dad (“‘Cause the way I parent you is how my mother did / And the way you treat your little brother’s how my older brother did”).  The concept of “Blame On Me” is brilliant, making it one of the best moments of Jackman.

Jackman. concludes with 🎵 “Questions.” As you’d expect, Harlow asks himself lots of questions, including “Why I treat my brother like he ain’t my only brother?” That lyric recalls the previous song, 🎵 “Blame On Me.” Harlow also recalls back to 🎵 “Gang Gang Gang” questioning, “What am I supposed to do? / Assume her accusations aren’t true because I’m close to you? Who should I believe? Is it her? Just ‘cause it happens so commonly.” If nothing else, Jack serves up more reflective, thought-provoking subject matter.

Final Thoughts 💭 

For some, Jackman. may be considered a tour de force by Jack Harlow.  Personally, Jackman., which is a mere 10 tracks and 24 minutes in duration, isn’t quite on tour de force level.  Jackman. is, however, a step in the right direction for Harlow.  If Come Home The Kids Miss You was incredibly light on substance, Jackman. gives us a heaping dose.  That doesn’t mean all of the deeper conversation lands perfectly – there is still room for growth – but Harlow easily brings more heat. Incredibly likable, and from my home state, how can you root against Jack?

via GIPHY

🤩 Gems 💎: “Common Ground,” “They Don’t Love It,” “Ambitious,” “Denver” & “Blame On Me” 

🎙 Jack Harlow • 💿 Jackman. • 🏷 Generation Now / Atlantic • 🗓 4.28.23

[📷: Generation Now / Atlantic]