Jack Harlow attends unveiling of his ‘Hometown Heroes’ banner

2.0. And we’re really excited, of course, to include this gentleman behind me in this program. Thank you. It was, it’s, it’s refreshing just when we, when we told the Jack that he was going to be included in the this year’s class, he was so gracious and it was really neat to hear him talk about how when he was *** kid, which is, you know, uh that he, he had always dreamed of being included on *** wall banner with Mr Muhammad Ali. And uh of course, you know, Griff Danny Jennifer Lawrence. So we’re happy to make your dream come true today. OK. That’s let’s move on so I can get all the important people up here. Uh Here we go. Oh, first I want to introduce to come up to the podium. Congressman Morgan mcgarvey, make *** few comments, they moved around seats. So I got to be the not cool adopted Harlow son today over by Maggie and Brian. Welcome guys. Welcome. This is awesome. Bear with me *** second. There’s *** quote from *** famous judge who said, he said, I don’t know what it, I don’t know how to say it but I know it when I see it, I think that about cool. What is cool? I don’t, can’t tell you what it is but I know it when I see it, Jack Harlow is cool. His style is cool. His beats are cool. His lyrics are cool. His heart is warm and that makes him cool and more importantly than that, he makes sure that people know Louisville is cool. Whether it’s J C P S Atherton High school, whether it’s our hometown, my hood of the Harland, Jack Jack Harlow, he made mid city mall look cool and we are so lucky to have him as an ambassador as *** representative to the world of what Louisville, Kentucky is the five oh two. And I can’t think of anybody more deserving to have their face all over our hometown in our week of Derby than Jack T Harlow. Thank you guys. Thank you, Congressman. Next, I want to introduce Mayor Greg Craig Greenberg uh for some remarks. Good afternoon everyone. It’s wonderful to be with you all here on this beautiful day and our Derby Kentucky Derby week, you know, speaking of the Kentucky Derby, this is really Jack for you. This is quite the trifecta, maybe actually, even the super factor of weeks for you here. You got, you started off your week at the Met Gala. Then we’ve got the amazing banner today. You announced your fantastic foundation earlier today and then the Kentucky Derby, which I know from our conversations is one of your favorite days. And so it is so extra special to be doing this here during Kentucky Derby Week to honor one of Louisville’s favorite and best sons that we have. Not just because of his music, but really because of what you’re doing for our community. Jack in your videos, obviously, with your recent videos showing off city in your, in your lyrics. But really, it’s your giving back. That to me is the most impressive thing that you do because you want to give back to Louisville. You want to make Louisville an even more special place than it already is. You had *** great time growing up. You have shared with me and you want every child in Louisville to have those same opportunities to have the same opportunities that you had because of your great parents, Brian and Maggie who are amazing people and, and you want to just continue giving back. So it is my honor and my thrill to be here to help honor you to help say thank you on behalf of the entire city of Louisville because you’ve done so much for our community and I know you are just getting started. This is just the beginning of Jack’s contribution to the entertainment industry and to our city. And so it’s not quite as big as *** banner, but I’m going to call up my wife Rachel and my son Daniel who’s got *** little proclamation here. Come up too again. It’s obviously this looks teeny in comparison, but today, on behalf of the entire city of Louisville we are making today, May 3rd 2023 Jackman Day. Congratulations, Jack. Thank you for that. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor. Uh Next I wanna introduce Governor Andy Beshear to make *** few remarks. Thank you all. I don’t know what you took away from that last speech, but I think the mayor has banner envy and frankly, so do I listen, Jack Harlow is *** sensation that I know we are all proud of. Just think about what he has accomplished. He is *** Grammy nominated and multi award winning artist. He’s the only person that I’ve ever met that’s hosted Saturday Night Live. He’s reached number one in the Billboard’s top 100 this year, we’re going to see his acting debut in the movie White Men Can’t jump. But what’s so special to me about Jack Carlo is I cannot remember *** time when someone, at, at least at this time, the height of their career said they were going to move back to their home state. They were going to move back to their hometown at *** time when Jack could have chosen to be anywhere, literally anywhere he wanted to be right here with us. How special is that when we think about how people are introduced to Kentucky and introduced to Louisville when we go back in time another person who has one of these banners, Muhammad Ali, you think about other brands that are out there where people first hear of Kentucky, you have Kentucky Fried Chicken, you have bourbon and now we have Jack Harlow. Just think about the number of people that have never heard about Kentucky that have never heard about Louisville. But through his music are introduced to us. I don’t know about you, but I am so proud, not only of his success, but I’m proud of how he cares about this community and frankly from getting to know him, how much he cares about everybody. I’ll let you in on something that until earlier this week was *** secret. I’m proud to call Jack *** friend of mine. We’ve developed *** friendship over the months that I get to see this man for who he is. He is kind, he is talented, he is smart, he is giving, he is honest, he is looking for ways to make *** difference through his music and in his community. And when you hear this new album, if you know him, you truly hear his authentic raw voice in it and you hear so many messages that can be so important to this community with what we’re going through right now. But with all of Kentucky at *** time when Kentucky is winning more than ever before, at *** time when we’re bringing in more jobs and more opportunities. Sorry, I have to do *** little bit of the governor thing then than ever before. I mean, this just adds to our momentum at *** time when we’re building the biggest battery plant on planet Earth, when people are picking us. Jack Harlow decides to move back home and it’s pretty special that not only has he moved back home, but his home was ready for him, embracing him, giving him both the love and at any time, he needs the space to create the art that he creates and recognizing him with what is *** pretty incredible and *** pretty amazing honor. So it is true today. I do have banner envy, but I could not be more proud of this guy of what he represents, of how he represents us. So you didn’t come here to hear me. Let me introduce you to Brittany and my friend and an incredible Kentuckian and Louisville Jack. Thank you so much. I want them to put mine right over here and we’re gonna stare at each other. I would love that. Wow. Um I feel pretty emotional right now. You know, I just wanna say thank you to the Greater Louisville, the Greater Louisville Pride Foundation for organizing this whole thing. Everyone that organized this event, everyone that took time out of the day just to come up here for this. It really means *** lot. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor Greenberg. Thank you. You know, Governor. Thank you Andy. Appreciate that. Thank you. So much. Yeah, thank you everyone. I mean, this, this really means the world to me. Um You know, it’s like I grew up, you know, driving around and you would see these banners and take him in and they were *** point of inspiration for me. And sorry, I’m *** little lost for words. I, I made, I made *** point not to write anything down because I wanted to see if I could speak from the heart today. But, um, if someone could ask me if I would rather have *** grammy or this, I would choose this *** million times. And my home just my home just means so much to me because, you know, as I’ve slowly traveled the world and toured and met people in all these major markets and been in dimly lit restaurants and, you know, ran into people I idolize, uh, it’s, it’s all very exciting, but I think I’ve had this epiphany over the last year so that, you know, if I don’t nurture what was here for me from the beginning, you know, there’s *** chance you can end up with nothing if you don’t take care of what’s, what was already there. And, you know, I just feel such *** foundation with this city and I, I feel so indebted to this city. You know, it’s, I don’t, you know, it’s not strategic that I shot this place out so much. It’s just part of my identity and I grew up watching rappers like, like outcast and, you know, they would, they would tell the story of Atlanta or Kendrick Lamar talking about Los Angeles. And so it almost became second nature to me by the time I was *** preteen that that’s what you do when you’re at MC, you know, you get on the mic and you tell the story of where you’re from and I tried to be authentic the whole time. You know, that’s been my main goal and, you know, I’m still growing up, I’m figuring out who I am. And, um, but my goal this whole time is to be authentic and I continue to strive to be as authentic as I can be. So all I can do is tell my story. So, you know, this is just exciting. Thank you. Thank you so much. Seriously, I really appreciate it and they get, they get all the officers that are here today that are, you know, taking time away from focusing on everything else just to give me this half an hour. It really means *** lot. Um.

Jack Harlow says he’d choose Hometown Heroes banner over Grammy ‘a million times’

Updated: 2:11 PM EDT May 3, 2023

No slowing down for Jack Harlow.Hot off a surprise album release, local school visits and the Met Gala, the Louisville rapper is back in his hometown for a special honor. Harlow now has his own iconic Hometown Heroes banner. It was put up over the weekend on the side of a building at the intersection of Broadway and Barrett Avenue. Specifically, it’s on the west-facing wall of the A-OK Storage building at 1100 East Broadway. That’s near the Old Forester’s Paristown Hall, where Harlow played one of five local shows in December 2021. During the ceremony, Harlow said the banners have always been an inspiration to him.Other banners people featured around town include Muhammad Ali, Jennifer Lawrence, Colonel Sander and Diane Sawyer.The Grammy-nominated artist said he grew up around the banners, and they mean so much to him. He was emotional as he addressed a small crowd, including the governor and mayor, about the weight this honor carries.”Between a Grammy or this, I would choose this a million times,” he said.Harlow released a new album Friday called “Jackman”, some of which he hid copies of around the Highlands.The album includes a lot of lyrics about his hometown and other areas in Kentucky.

No slowing down for Jack Harlow.

Hot off a surprise album release, local school visits and the Met Gala, the Louisville rapper is back in his hometown for a special honor.

Harlow now has his own iconic Hometown Heroes banner. It was put up over the weekend on the side of a building at the intersection of Broadway and Barrett Avenue.

Specifically, it’s on the west-facing wall of the A-OK Storage building at 1100 East Broadway.

That’s near the Old Forester’s Paristown Hall, where Harlow played one of five local shows in December 2021.

During the ceremony, Harlow said the banners have always been an inspiration to him.

Other banners people featured around town include Muhammad Ali, Jennifer Lawrence, Colonel Sander and Diane Sawyer.

The Grammy-nominated artist said he grew up around the banners, and they mean so much to him. He was emotional as he addressed a small crowd, including the governor and mayor, about the weight this honor carries.

“Between a Grammy or this, I would choose this a million times,” he said.

Harlow released a new album Friday called “Jackman”, some of which he hid copies of around the Highlands.

The album includes a lot of lyrics about his hometown and other areas in Kentucky.