Jack Harlow is back and apparently “Blacker” than ever before with his latest album, Monica. Harlow recently discussed the R&B-inspired project with the New York Times‘ Popcast podcast. At one point in the conversation, it turned to race and how white rappers are positioned in the music industry. One of the interviewers pointed out that Harlow’s white peers—like Post Malone, MGK, and Jelly Roll— have the ability to retreat into other genres, such as Country and Rock, whereas Black rappers don’t. However, it appears that Harlow dove deeper into his Black influences with his latest project— a sentiment he agrees with, saying he got “Blacker.”
“I love Black music. I love the sound of Black music. And of course, I’m hyper-aware of the politics of today, that safer landing spot that a lot of my white contemporaries have found,” Harlow says. “And of course, it appealed to me to do something that I felt, at a time when there’s certainly people that expect me to take the routes y’all are taking, to take the route that not only might not be expected but is also the route that I genuinely want to take. So all the stars aligned in that way for me, to be honest.”
“I love R&B music,” Harlow Says
Harlow continued: “I’m not gonna pretend that what you’re talking about, I was like, ‘Huh, I guess you’re right!’ I know that there are multiple things appealing about this route, but I also came to the decision, I’m proud to say, off of what feels good in my ear. I love R&B music. I love the sound of soft, intimate, melodic music. So I want to be understood. I want to write melodies that invite people to sing along…”
“… I really don’t like erratic music. I don’t like loud music. I like soft music. I like smooth music. I spend a lot of time sitting in silence. I like silence…,” he added. Monica is now available on all streaming platforms. The release date, which is Friday, Mar. 13, also coincides with the rapper’s 28th birthday. The album is a follow-up to the rapper’s last project, Jackman(2023). Upon its release, Jackman reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Rap Albums chart and even earned a nomination for Hip Hop Album of the Year at the 2023 BET Hip Hop Awards.
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