In a unique one-night-only show on Wednesday evening, Jack Harlow transported fans from East Williamburg’s Brooklyn Steel to his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. The rapper is known for speaking fondly of Louisville in interviews, and granted yesterday’s attendees a personal look at the Derby City without them having to leave New York.
Harlow teamed up with American Express to hold the concert as part of the company’s Member Week, a weeklong celebration offering Amex users special events, entertainment and benefits. Tickets were available exclusively to card holders for just $10 USD.
In a night packed with curated experiences, attendees were not just able to see Harlow live, but were invited to get up close with a few of his favorite hometown small businesses. Before and throughout the show, bartenders slung complimentary signature Kentucky cocktails and waiters walked around with bites inspired by Harlow’s go-to Italian spot, Vincenzo’s. Fans nibbled on fettuccine alfredo and “Hot Brown” sandwiches as a DJ duo hyped up the crowd for the performance to come.
Upon entering Brooklyn Steel, fans were invited to shop from a limited-edition apparel collection designed by Louisville-based artist Bri Bowers, a close friend of Harlow’s. The five-piece collection encompassed a pullover hoodie, a rugby shirt, a crossbody bag, a Louisville t-shirt and a poster. Graphics on the t-shirt and poster made homage to iconic Louisville locations, including Churchill Downs Racetrack and Ear X-Tacy Records.
Following a pre-show from the talk segment Mystery School streamed on Twitch, Harlow walked onstage to embrace his fans. He remarked how the 1,800-capacity venue was reminiscent of the earlier years of his career. While Harlow only became mainstream in 2020, following the release of his breakout hit “Whats Poppin,” he quickly rose through the ranks to hip-hop stardom. Just last week, the rapper took his ongoing U.S. tour to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, which packs up to 19,000 attendees, making last night’s show an especially intimate affair.
Harlow delivered high-energy performances of tracks from his latest album Come Home the Kids Miss You, as well as a few older fan favorites. Fans went wild for renditions of “Parent Trap,” “Dua Lipa” and a solo take on his collaboration with Drake, “Churchill Downs.”
In between each song, the rapper paused to talk to the crowd and offer insight on the creation of the track.
Ahead of rapping “I Wanna See Some Ass” off of 2020’s Sweet Action, Harlow shared that he was inspired to make the single after being labeled a “one-hit wonder” by certain critics. He dedicated the performance to “anyone who has ever worked to prove anyone wrong.”
About halfway through the show, Harlow brought out a surprise guest, fellow Louisville native Bryson Tiller. The duo joined forces for their upbeat 2019 collaboration, “Thru The Night,” with the crowd grooving along to the upbeat throwback.
While Louisvillians may not have been able to attend in-person, the concert was live-streamed on Amazon Music’s Twitch for viewers globally to tune in. And most importantly, proceeds from each physical entry to the venue were matched with another $10 USD donated to the Louisville chapter of the American Red Cross, benefiting those affected by the recent flash floods in eastern Kentucky.
Wrapping up the evening, Harlow closed at the show with one of his most popular tracks to date, the Fergie-sampling “First Class.”
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