By Joshua Espinoza
Jack Harlow has supplied one other critique of whiteness in hip-hop.
The Kentucky-born rapper revisited the subject in “Widespread Floor,” the opening observe of his newly launched third studio album, Jackman. Harlow addresses the methods by which some white rap followers have develop into cultural vacationers who embrace and acceptable the hip-hop life-style whereas cloaked in privilege.
“The suburbs are crammed with ebonics and entice sonics Frat boys sayin’, ‘No cap, put racks on it,’ he raps on the observe, co-produced by BabeTruth, Mike Wavvs, Jaysoul, and Niko. “The dialect received a lil’ splash of some Black on it/Cap and robes purchased by the cash in dad’s pockets/White ladies squattin’ tryna get that ass poppin’ … Recitin’ rap lyrics about homicide and money revenue/Get to really feel like a thug however don’t must act on it.”
The Grammy-nominated artist goes on to take purpose on the mainstream media, particularly the “suburban children” who go on to develop into rap journalists. He slams their condescending narratives about what’s and isn’t genuine hip-hop, regardless of collaborating within the tradition at a protected distance: “Thrift shoppin’ for articles and clothes that really feel like they got here from a international surroundings/Second-hand Bape, Supreme, and Gallery Division/Something to really feel much less innocent.”
This isn’t the primary time Harlow has addressed white folks’s place inside hip-hop. In a 2022 Billboard interview with Lil Uzi Vert, Harlow acknowledged his privilege and obligations as a white man in a Black style.
“I’m not a novelty act. There’s a sure actuality that I’m white, and I feel there’ll all the time be one thing hooked up to that,” he defined. “Irrespective of how embraced I’m, there’ll by no means be a day that I’m Black. With that being mentioned, there’s a sure accountability that comes with being a white man in a Black style, and there’s sure issues which have me regarded in a different way. However there’s something thrilling about skipping over any boundaries that is likely to be there and creating unity.”
