March 12, 2026, 5:02 a.m. ET
- Kentucky native Jack Harlow is a Grammy-nominated rapper with multiple chart-topping hits.
- Harlow’s fourth studio album, “Monica,” was released on his birthday, March 13.
- In addition to his music career, Harlow has acted in films and performed with the Louisville Orchestra.
- The rapper gives back to his hometown of Louisville through The Jack Harlow Foundation.
Kentucky native Jack Harlow has carved out a lane as one of rap’s most charismatic exports, racking up multiple Grammy nominations and dropping chart‑toppers like “What’s Poppin” and “First Class.” His fourth studio album, “Monica” arrives on his birthday, March 13, because, of course, he’d give himself and his fans a present.
Born in 1998, Harlow grew up in Louisville, a city that shows up in his music the way hometowns often do for artists who genuinely like where they’re from. He began writing and rapping at 12, first selling homemade mixtapes to classmates alongside t‑shirts featuring himself posed like Auguste Rodin’s “The Thinker,” wearing nothing but gray boxer‑briefs and black‑framed glasses.
Even early on, Harlow was known for his devotion to pristine New Balance sneakers.
These days, he’s a critically acclaimed artist with six Grammy nominations, nearly 30 RIAA platinum certifications, and more than 10 billion streams.
Here are five things to know about Kentucky native Jack Harlow:
What is Jack Harlow’s most popular song?
“What’s Poppin” proved to be Harlow’s defining moment when it exploded on TikTok in 2020, the same year his debut album “That’s What They All Say” dropped in December with hits like “Tyler Herro.”
Suddenly, Harlow seemed to be everywhere, collaborating in 2021 on a verse on Eminem’s “Killer” remix and with Lil Nas X on the seven time platinum “Industry Baby.”
In 2022, the rapper served as host and musical guest on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.” Technically, it was his second time on the show — the first time he hit the “SNL” stage was in March 2021, performing “Tyler Herro,” “What’s Poppin,” and “Same Guy” alongside Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine.
How many albums has Jack Harlow released?
Counting the March 13 release of “Monica,” Harlow now has four studio albums.
His 2022 sophomore project, “Come Home the Kids Miss You,” delivered the multi‑platinum smash “First Class” and featured an impressive roster of collaborators including Justin Timberlake on “Parent Trap,” Pharrell Williams on “Movie Star,” Lil Wayne on “Poison,” and Drake on “Churchill Downs.”
The album also produced the top 20 single “Nail Tech.”
His third studio album, “Jackman,” arrived in 2023 and is titled after his birth name. Although it didn’t match the commercial performance of his first two releases, the album made waves in Louisville for a different reason. Harlow’s shirtless cover photo, shot in front of a dilapidated wooden garage near his childhood middle school became a local phenomenon. For weeks, fans drove hours just to take pictures at the site. The garage has since been torn down, but the brief hometown pilgrimage it inspired became part of the album’s local lore.
His new album, “Monica,” includes the following list of songs: “Trade Places,” “Lonesome,” “Prague,” “My Winter,” “Move Along,” “All Of My Friends,” “Living Alone,” “Against The Grain,” and “Say Hello.”
What movies, TV shows has Jack Harlow starred in?
In 2023, Harlow made his cinematic debut in the Hulu remake of “White Men Can’t Jump.” Soon after he played a criminal caught up in a heist that goes disastrously wrong in Apple TV’s “The Instigators” staring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck.
In interviews, Harlow said he hopes to keep acting, but not at the expense of his music.
In another unexpected departure from his rapper roots, Harlow teamed up with the Louisville Orchestra for two “No Place Like Home 2024” performances in his hometown. Dressed in a double‑breasted suit and tie, he performed live, backed by the full orchestra under the direction of Grammy-winning conductor Teddy Abrams.
The set included covers of Elvis Presley’s 1961 ballad “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and Frank Sinatra’s timeless standard “Fly Me to the Moon.”
Jack Harlow ‘Hometown Hero’ banner
To Louisville, Jack Harlow isn’t just a star — he’s a hometown hero.
In 2023, he was honored with a giant banner on the side of a brick warehouse at the edge of downtown Louisville. During a ceremony attended by local and state dignitaries, Harlow talked about how surreal it felt to drive through the same streets he grew up on and see his face hanging above them. It was a reminder of how far he’d come, from selling mixtapes in high school hallways to becoming an internationally recognized artist.
The banner, which is hung at the corner of Broadway and Barrett Avenue near downtown Louisville, is sponsored by the Greater Louisville Pride Foundation. Banners are hung throughout the city of people from Louisville who use their national and international platforms to give back to the city and make a difference while sharing Louisville pride.
Jack Harlow Foundation, charity work
The Jack Harlow Foundation is a philanthropic organization founded by the artist to reinvest in, uplift, and support non-profit organizations in his hometown.
The foundation has made donations to Louisville organizations including AMPED, Center for Women and Families, Grace James Academy, Louisville Urban League, Metro United Way, The Ali Center, Louisville Ballet, and more. In addition to his foundation, Harlow is known for giving back to his community by making visits to schools including his alma mater, Atherton High School.
Reach lifestyle and entertainment reporter Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com
