Jack Harlow’s discography has grown significantly in the past few years, and with his newest album coming out in March, it’s worth taking a look back at some of his biggest bangers.
Jack Harlow has an exceptionally diverse musical range and explores a wide variety of themes that go beyond the “frat boy” stereotype he’s created for himself. While he’s generally remained in the hip-hop realm, he’s explored much of that space and really let the vibes fly. From braggadocious beats to introspective, thoughtful lyrics, he’s touched on almost every aspect of the genre in a way that demands respect.
It’s hard to narrow down Jack’s music into a list of only ten songs, but with that constraint, it’s fair to limit the list to songs that are by Jack as opposed to ones that feature him. If he’s featuring another artist, that’s fair game, but the goal is to focus on which of Jack’s songs is the creme de la creme. Ahem. Anyway…
10. Dark Knight
Early on in Jack’s career, he dropped “Dark Knight” as a single from his second album, “Gazebo.” The track is short, sweet, and to the point, and even though it’s eighth on the album, it’s got nearly seven million more streams on Spotify than the second-most-streamed song on the record.
With the way the drums hit hard on any speaker, to the flow that rolls off the tongue, this was one of the early indications that Jack was going to be one to watch.
9. Gang Gang Gang
The exploration of darkness in “Gang Gang Gang” earned it a place on this list, even if it’s not necessarily one you’ll want to listen to on your daily commute. The subject matter is intense, discussing themes of sexual assault and pedophilia, but it’s important to listen to because it explores the way people react to horrible information about people they know.
The song explores the concept of denial, showing how people might want to avoid the truth that they might not know their friends as closely as they once thought. The final verse really explores the point of the song: how difficult it is to accept the hard truth when it’s one you just don’t want to hear, but can’t avoid.
8. I’d Do Anything to Make You Smile
The third track on “Come Home The Kids Miss You,” “I’d Do Anything To Make You Smile,” is really the first track on the album to remind us just who Jack really is. The first two start off a bit on the tame side (and yes, that’s with Snoop Dogg calling him “the Mack”), with “Talk of the Town” being more of an intro and “Young Harleezy” easing the listener into the standard Harlow Flow.
When he switches up the rhythm towards the end of the track, it’s a reminder that you never know exactly what to expect when listening to Jack’s music. Even in the middle of a song, he might just have to keep you on your toes.
7. Denver
Not only is “Denver” significant for being a change of pace from much of Jack’s music, but the brilliant sampling of “Do You Know” by Douglas Penn also adds a deep and meditative tone to the song. It carries the point of the song without needing to hear the lyrics, and then hearing Jack start to hum over the sample before he opens up makes the intro of the song incredibly impactful.
You can feel the mental state he was in when he wrote it, and the dichotomy between the first and second verses gives you a moment of pause before you keep bumping your head to the beat. It shows a bit more complexity in the man behind the music, demonstrating that even though he’s all about his brags, he’s not immune to criticism.
6. Already Best Friends (Feat. Chris Brown)
Jack has solidified his success by having some renowned artists feature on his tracks, including Drake, Lil Wayne, Big Sean, and Bryson Tiller. When he paired up with Chris Brown to make “Already Best Friends” on “That’s What They All Say,” the two artists truly struck gold.
Jack’s voice is more suited for the rapping part of the song, but he still dives into the harmony a little bit. That, paired with Chris Brown’s dynamic range, really brings it home, making for a song that’s almost impossible to skip.
5. First Class
One of the most clever uses of a sample I’ve ever heard, “First Class” takes some of Fergie’s “Glamorous” and incorporates it into the chorus. The track was met with immediate success, frequently playing on the radio regardless of its rather adult themes.
Another song with nearly a billion streams on Spotify, “First Class,” served as a reminder to the haters out there that Jack is capable of laying out some real bangers, both with a more cult following and in the mainstream media.
4. Creme
As soon as “Creme” comes on, you know what you’re about to get. Opening with those slowed, sexy strings that pave the way for the bass, Jack’s just trying to let everyone know who’s on top. Luckily, he’s not just saying it, he’s got the prowess and stage presence to prove it.
While it’s a flirty song, he’s making the point that maybe, just maybe, he’s not gonna be the exact type of guy you want to bring home to your parents, and that’s okay. These rapper types? They keep their eyes on the prize, but that prize isn’t always just one woman.
3. WALK IN THE PARK
This is one of those songs that starts at 100% and stays there the whole time. It’s short, but it doesn’t need to be any longer. The bassline is smooth, with the trap drums just rolling right over the top; there aren’t too many of Jack’s songs that hit just as right as this one does.
Many of his songs have those fast, flowing lyrics, and “WALK IN THE PARK” is certainly no exception. Whether it’s the faster pace of the early lyrics or the slower bars by the end, there’s no part during this track that won’t have you moving and grooving.
2. Lovin On Me
Opening with a hard sample from Cadillac Dale’s “Whatever,” “Lovin’ On Me” hits the ground running right out of the gate. You know exactly what it’s about as soon as it starts, and it’s a song that just gets you moving. Once he takes off on the track, you just can’t argue with his flow; it’s infectious.
He’s not the type of rapper to sugarcoat when a song is about to get sexual, and “Lovin’ On Me” is indicative of that trend. From start to finish, he’s really only talking about one thing on this track, and sometimes, that’s just okay. Hey, at least he sets his boundaries up front, right?
1.WHATS POPPIN
Often recognized as the song that really put Jack Harlow on the map (unsurprisingly, given it’s nearing one billion streams on Spotify), “WHAT’S POPPIN” is immediately recognizable for that quick, tight piano and catchy hook. Produced by Jetsonmade, there was no chance that this song wasn’t going to take off.
“WHAT’S POPPIN” is braggadocious, sounds great with headphones or speakers, and the remix goes hard, too. Something about the simplicity of the song works brilliantly, and if you’re ever at one of his shows and you hear that piano, you can be sure that the place is about to erupt.