Jack Harlow barely needs an introduction at this point, but the originally-from-Louisville rapper dropped his first album in two years, Come Home The Kids Miss You, at midnight this morning.
This is Harlow’s first release as a bona fide star, having shot up in fame since his 2020 hit “Whats Poppin.” His past year has included a performance at the Grammys and a recent appearance (and viral moment) at the Met Gala. That influence is reflected in his track list, which includes features from big names, including Drake and Justin Timberlake.
Check out the full track list below, as listed by Genius:
- “Talk Of The Town”
- “Young Harleezy”
- “I'd Do Anything To Make You Smile”
- “First Class”
- “Dua Lipa”
- “Side Piece”
- “Movie Star (Ft. Pharrell Williams)”
- “Lil Secret”
- “I Got A Shot”
- “Churchill Downs (Ft. Drake)”
- “Like A Blade Of Grass”
- “Parent Trap (Ft. Justin Timberlake)”
- “Poison (Ft. Lil Wayne)”
- “Nail Tech”
- “State Fair”
Another single, “First Class” already hit the top spot on the Billboard 100 list two weeks ago, beating out “As It Was” by Harry Styles.
But with the album release this morning also came the release of the full music video for “First Class,” which Harlow had teased with a trailer on social media a few days prior. The video stars Danielle Fishel (Topanga from “Boy Meets World.”)
In a social media post, Harlow wrote of the album, “We’ve been stuck in the studio for a year straight. I turned down every party invite, gave up all my vices, and worked to put myself and my team in the position we want to be in. Coming from Louisville we have a different appreciation for this level of success and I refuse to fumble what I can see right in front of me. I’m sure you can see it too. Y’all will likely never get to see how much effort goes into this music, but I think you will be able [to] hear it this time around. Enjoy.”
As is always the case with Harlow’s music, there are numerous references and allusions to Louisville throughout the album, including: “Hit the kill switch, hit the Slugger Field first pitch,” referring to when Harlow threw the first pitch at a Bats game in 2019, in “Parent Trap”; “I wanna go back to Kentucky and shut down the State Fair,” in “State Fair”; “But they call me Young Pitino 'cause I'm good in both towns” in “I'd Do Anything To Make You Smile”; and “ “Kentucky Derby races, my presence in the spot is so abrasive / Boxed up the Churchill Downs, that's motivation,” which is part of Drake’s verse in “Churchill Downs.”
Harlow’s songs also address issues in his life, like staying sober (“Now the bottles in my section mark[ed] Fiji”); fame (“My pet peeve is a camera in my face / Have you ever heard of personal space?”); therapy (I told my therapist about you (You) / She always takes your side”); and wanting to get with Dua Lipa (“I'm tryna do more with her than do a feature.”)
Besides the ones listed in the tracklist, collabs on the album also include Snoop Dogg and DJ Drama.
A demo of the track “Churchill Downs” leaked in April, which Harlow told the New York City radio station Hot 97 “hurt his feelings” because it wasn’t ready to be released yet, although Drake advised him not to worry about it.
Harlow’s first ever studio album, Thats What They All Say, dropped in December 2020. It featured now-well-known tracks like “Whats Poppin” and “Tyler Herro.”
Harlow will make the “Riders Up!” call at the Derby tomorrow at 6:37 p.m. and will appear at Guestroom Records on Sunday for a meet-and-greet with fans (admission is the price of an autographed CD, sold by the record store). He posted an Instagram story late last night announcing that he’s already in Louisville.
Listen to the full album via Spotify below:
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