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Relationship with Hip Hop
Jack Harlow’s commitment to hip hop goes beyond superficial ties, challenging the prevalent narrative that he leans too heavily into pop. Despite top charting singles like “First Class,” Jack Harlow has never shied away from expressing his roots in hip hop culture, discussing at length the artists who shaped his musical landscape growing up. His latest release, “Jackman,” underscores his reverence for the genre, melding his contemporary sound with the essence of traditional hip hop, proving his critics wrong by paying homage to the music that has evidently shaped his career.
In a generation of digital interaction, Jack Harlow has used the power of social media to form a more personal connection with his audience. On November 13, he went live on Instagram, allowing his fans to take part in a personal Q&A and thus get a closer look at not only his professional but also personal life. He thus not only connected to his fans through the method but he also could directly satisfy their questions about his music tastes and beliefs, among which his views on certain issues in hip hop industry were counted.
The Q&A session on Instagram included a particularly intriguing question from a fan, who asked Harlow to name his favorite hip hop group, presenting him with renowned options like Wu-Tang Clan, Dipset, and A$AP Mob. These groups have left indelible marks on the genre and shaped its direction over the years. However, Harlow’s response was unanticipated. He sidestepped these legendary choices and revealed his admiration for YBN, a newer and less conventional collective. He posted a photo of YBN Cordae and YBN Nahmir, signaling his preference for a group that, while not as historically significant as Wu-Tang or A$AP Mob, has made a personal impact on him.
Divergence from Conventional Hip Hop Legends
Jack Harlow’s selection of YBN as his favorite hip hop group highlights his inclination towards artists who might not typically be classified among the pantheon of hip hop legends but who resonate more personally with his musical taste. This choice speaks volumes about Harlow’s approach to music—it’s deeply personal, and he values the connection he feels with music over the general consensus on a group’s legendary status. By choosing YBN, Harlow aligns himself with a newer generation of hip hop artists who, like him, are carving out unique paths in the expansive landscape of the genre. While Jack Harlow is still to do a project with YBN Nahmir, he has collaborated closely with YBN Cordae, who is one of the main members of YBN. Through their reciprocal admiration and similar objectives to Harlow producers, they got along very well.
Harlow and Cordae joined hands on the remake of the go-to song “Killer” and also, along with the remarkable iconic Eminem got together the voices of three personalities of the genre. For him, this collaboration was beyond just fulfilling a professional record, he also found it heartening and significant.
In a 2021 interview with Billboard, Jack Harlow expressed his excitement about the chance to collaborate with Eminem, someone he had admired for a long time. Expressing himself honestly, Harlow prudently revealed how being in the project with such a living legendary artist affected him and the fact that he got praise from a person he idolized really meant the world to him. “He gave me a lot of props that any artist would love to get,” Harlow shared, acknowledging the significance of Eminem’s approval. Harlow went on to explain that sometimes the most valuable feedback comes from those you respect most, as it affirms your place within the industry.
Cordae’s New Chapter: The Crossroads
To YBN Cordae, Jack Harlow’s recommendation was indeed a sell point in his career. Notably, Cordae, who was once part of YBN, which was successful as a group before, has branched out to do individual projects and has a new album called “The Crossroads” expected on November 15. The album is a centerpiece for Cordae’s identity development as well as his escape from the YBN label. As part of the album, Cordae will feature several notable artists, including Lil Wayne and Kanye West—two rappers with whom Harlow has previously worked. This further emphasizes the mutual connections that run throughout the hip hop industry, illustrating how these artists’ paths often intersect in unexpected yet meaningful ways.
Cordae besides music broadened his horizon by making headlines for that time when he courageously took a stand against the pressure of first-week album sales. His declaration of freedom from the number of album sales by saying that he doesn’t “care a damn” about album sales, artistically shows the shift to the music itself rather than the commercial success that is generally the coin of an artist’s product. This desire for truthfulness and a more profound connection to music is where the creation of the pieces becomes the crux and not the figures that come along with them. The creativity-based model of life is in harmony with the worldwide growth in the music industry where most of the producers are now on a path to revolution through their creative motivation rather than success in the common ways.
Jack Harlow’s Own Musical Journey
While Cordae is preparing for the release of his highly anticipated album, Jack Harlow is also gearing up for his next big project. Taking to the stage at his Brooklyn show, Harlow reminded his fans of a big follow-up to the viral record-assisted ‘special sh*t’, which is about to drop soon. Apart from Cordae, Jack Harlow is also setting the excitement of their fans sky-high with his new project. Like Cordae, Harlow has kept up with his creative qualities and is still the same original artist. However, he has supported these characteristics by exploring new sounds and themes. However, both artists at this point in the careers paths remain coupled, and the hype distilling around the news of their next move amps up fans and meets them with all anticipation for more shows.
Jack Harlow and YBN Cordae are the charismatic spearhead behind a new hip-hop era, a breed of music which treats ingenuity, interaction, and artistic growth as its central tenets rather than commercial success. Harlow’s respect towards Cordae and his work with Eminem embodies the bonds that are transmitted from one generation to another among musicians while Cordae’s courageous attitude regarding album sales thoroughly tries the integrity of art. These two rappers continue to expand their careers and thus if a future or a project comes, it should be able to bring changes both in the genre and their personal growth. Either by way of luminary affiliations or by debut works, this dynamic group’s influence and contribution to the genre would still infuse inspiration among the future generation of musicians.
