Jack Harlow opens up about homophobic reactions to Lil Nas X’s music

nme.com:

Jack Harlow has opened up about Lil Nas X, saying that some of the homophobic reactions to the latter’s work shows there’s still much “progress to be made” in hip-hop.Harlow was speaking in an interview with The Guardian where he reflected on working with Lil Nas X on their 2021 hit ‘Industry Baby’.After calling him a “boundary pusher”, Harlow added that some of the reaction to Lil Nas X’s work showed there was still much work to be done in hip-hop when it comes to eradicating homophobia.“The totally inappropriate reaction to [Lil Nas X] lets you know that we still have some progress to be made,” Harlow said when speaking about LGBTQ+ artists in hip-hop.“And you hear it in passing; there’s still some homophobia going on.

But he’s taking the hit that artists won’t have to take in the future. That’s what makes him a hero.”Harlow’s new album, ‘Come Home The Kids Miss You’, has arrived today (May 6).The Kentucky rapper previewed the record with the release of the singles ‘Nail Tech’ and ‘First Class’, the latter of which topped the Billboard 200 chart last month, giving Harlow his first-ever Number One as a lead artist.Made up of 15 tracks, the rapper’s second studio album includes features from Drake, Lil Wayne, Pharrell and Justin Timberlake.

Harlow recently joined Lil Nas X on stage for a performance at the Grammys 2022 in Las Vegas.The rappers recreated their recent collaboration ‘Industry Baby’ on the MGM Grand stage, where Lil Nas X and his backing dancers dressed in glittering marching band uniforms..