Jack Harlow’s fast rise in Hip Hop has seen him achieve a number of feats already. He notched his first solo No. 1 single with “First Class,” less than a year after his “Industry Baby” collaboration with Lil Nas X also took the top spot. His debut album, That’s What They All Say, debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart and he’s now up to portray an updated version of Billy Hoyle in the White Men Can’t Jump reboot
For all his success, critics have hit back at Harlow regarding how race may have played a factor in his meteoric rise over the last two years. Noted rapper, producer and scholar David Banner was stopped by TMZ Hip Hop at LAX on Friday (April 22) and didn’t hesitate to proclaim Harlow had an added factor propelling his career.
“White people in America … white people in the world are propped up on everything,” Banner began. “White people’s whiteness is a benefit to them everywhere in the world. Systematic racism is all over the world, so of course! Even the so-called good white people know that white supremacy and know the way dark-skinned people are treated that them being white helps them.
“So as much as they don’t want to see Black people die in the middle of the street, they know that white supremacy benefits them. So of course! I think he would tell you that. It don’t matter what you do. If white people run the structures, it’s gonna benefit them.”
Banner’s critique understates a far more overarching point in Hip Hop regarding the success of white rappers, dating back to Eminem in the late ’90s and early 2000s and recently Macklemore, who famously called out his white privilege while promoting the song “White Privilege II” in 2016 but also became a lightning rod for criticism after he famously won Best Rap Album over Kendrick Lamar at the Grammys in 2013.
TDE's Punch Drags Macklemore & Kendrick Lamar Into Race Debate After Jack Harlow's 'First Class' Single Hits No. 1
As the debate rages on about Harlow’s perceived privilege, legends such as DMC of Run-DMC couldn’t understand why Harlow was being hated on due to the belief he makes good music. While speaking outside of a recording studio in NYC on Friday (April 22), the 57-year-old “Walk This Way” star shrugged off the assumption Harlow was getting on because he’s white.
“People are ignorant,” he told TMZ. “People like his music, so his music is gonna do something for him. Art doesn’t have a color. The art succeeds where politics and religion fails. So stop being bigoted, stop being prejudiced and stop being biased and let’s come together to make the world better for everybody.”
I’m glad DMC provides the last word on this article. People are super tripping – Jack Harlow’s been on the grind for at least 5 years. This isn’t some fly by night event, brother man has been putting in the world plus making bangers for a while. No systematic racism working for Jack Harlow here – just good workmanship and a steady grind.
Harlow was born rich , just look up his parents .
Totally disagree with everything goofy said. Truth is anybody that’s ‘hot’ at that moment will get offers like this from the corporations. Harlow’s famous now and has a manager that’s chosen Hollywood for his artist. His fans are expected to watch the film once it’s released which equals dollar signs.
Says a black guy worth millions of dollars. Used to make good music. Now just spouts out stupid platitudes.
There’s all kinds of white rappers that don’t make it. But this is a stupid click bait story. Banner never said jack Harlow wasn’t a skilled mc or untalented artist just stated the truth which is now that he’s well known we has the additional benefit of being white. Facts only
Are white rappers the new slaves of today? Completely discriminated against by black rappers. By the way, the white privilege take is tired. One hand says white rappers have a 20 times more difficult road to make it in a black world. The other hand is now saying its white privilege that helps (when they make it big). Read the comments, these stories like this divide people. Keep doin it so u can ask “why are we so divided” later.
If you want to hear a good white rapper listen to Celph Titled or some shit. This Jack Harlow is overall trash. Why is anyone even sweating this guy ? at least the old slim shady was fire.
good ol racist banner
I’m glad DMC said that. What did Jack Harlow do to anybody? He seems like a nice guy who genuinely loves hip hop and is respectful toward all of his fellow artists. It is not easy to become a popular white rapper. Many people don’t take white MCs seriously specifically because they are white. Banner and Punch from TDE are out of line.
Jack can’t even flourish without hearing about his skin colour this is 2022 embarrassing how little we’ve evolved. are ignorant rappers to blame? The politicians and media trying to keep us divided?
Gets a role in a movie called “White Men Can’t Jump”, gets accused of only getting the part because he’s white. Come on man lol
If being white as a rapper was such a benefit then why isn’t every white rapper doing as well as Jack or Em? Do white people connect to a white rapper a little more? It’s a feasible theory but I don’t think that’s a negative thing. I mean commercials and entertainment in general are showing more ethnic portrayals so people like them can connect more and feel included so why is it suddenly a bad thing when the same dynamic applies to people seeing someone represent them in hip hop?
Yet to make that point you have to conveniently ignore all the black rappers that are far more successful than him. It’s pathetic how hip hop continues to be the foot stamping child of music.
who cares 16 year old white girls are who listens to this dude god box hits harder than anything he has ever done or will do, a fw years from now hell be replaced by whoever the next high school crop gravitates to
Crackaz stealin ours hit az alwayz
Crackaz nuttin’ in yo momma az alwayz
Ain’t sh!t yours, entitled mofo.
it may actually be white privilege to a degree but that is just one factor of his success different people including black people will buy his music for different reasons. billboard 100 getting rigged over according to 69ine could be another in this world everyone wants to play fucking god. maybe it is because he can put out a good tune or two. exposure in different forms of media.. so not just one thing going for him it is naïve to think otherwise.
no black people buy this dudes music maybe 10 stream it on a service they subscribe to gtfoh, his demo is 16 year old white girls with jungle fever but afraid to take the leap so wi ggers it is
christian privilege.
David Banner a racists.
People like him only care about pigmentation.
People who aren’t sound a lot more like DMC than Banner.
I’m glad no one actually listens to any of the comments here. It’s always when it comes to discussions about race do people here become the most toxic (usually the same white people that come in here and have no lives).
But they are white! They’re all European..
Well if they aren’t white what are they? Mongoloid, Caucasoid or negroid. Choose one. SMH!!
Hmmm on one hand you have a certified legend giving the kid his props. On the other hand, you have a bitter, failed “rapper” throwing shade. Jealousy’s a bitch, huh David?
failed? banner has certified classics that bump 20+ years later n god box was slept on but new, whose gonna bump j harlow 10 years from now when his fan base graduates high school then goes to college and changes up what they listen to so they dont get heckled for playin his songs by the intelligent crowd
20+ years? He’ll be completely forgotten in less than 10. So will Harlow, but that’s not the point. It’s always these old, bitter has-beens grumbling about “white privilege” when anyone who isn’t black has a little success. Lord Jamar, Banner, etc. all crabs in a barrel filled with hate.
I’m from the UK. I love US hip hop over anything Uk but the racism is a real problem over in the states… Eminem, Jack , Bubba , Russ, Paul Wall , EL-P , UFO FEV are sick MC’s but I can name 40X more black rappers that are either better or on par or even worse. The subject is Hip Hop not Race. Support your fave rappers regardless. Dis miss the bull.
I think Banner has a point, but right back to DMC’s defense, so does he. They’re both telling a part of the entire story! We all know this.
The world needs more DMC’s and less David Banners
It’s a combination of things just like with Em years ago; Whites have always searched for the great White Hope in music, film, sports, etc. Tons of Whites who never bought hip hop or bought very little stepped to the plate once Em hit the scene, Hence his crazy album sales. I didn’t mess with Em at first and it was mostly because I thought his music was directed toward the White youth. I’m older than Em and I’m not White so I didn’t think it was for me, yet when I finally did listen to Em I liked his music and respected him as an artist. I’ve been messing with Em every since. Em is one of very few rappers who bodied Jay-Z, with the others being Nas and Beans got him as well in my opinion.
Victim mentality. All I see here is the BLACK privilege of being able to constantly crap on another race with no repercussions
I like david banner, I hate his views. For sure the whiteness helps, nobody who knows anything is denying that. However people who point this out often leave out that the same white people who push the white people to the top also push black people to the top as well. There is a delusion that black people make it because they earned it and white people make it because they’re allowed to, yet it never crosses the mind of the woke person that black people may also be at the top of the charts because it is what the “evil white man” wants.
DMC is one of those rare dudes in hip hop who have aged gracefully and speak wisely. David Banner, on the other hand, is a bitter, racist hater.
I’m just for the fact the there’s someone else who’s gonna take the pressure off Eminem, he’s been targeted too much, remove whiteness, Eminem can rap rap,the best I have heard.
This article is how a “narrative” starts, kids.
I find it interesting that there is “white privilege” in rap but the best selling rapper of all time takes constant criticism only because he is white. Can’t think of a guy that cares more about hip-hop yet gets hate all the time.
Nuance is not really a thing in these comment sections. Lol.