Welcome to my latest newsletter What ladidai Has to Say, where I discuss tunes, tech, and trends that interest me. I’m ladi and I’m happy to have you! Today’s third edition is covering all the above—tunes: Jack Harlow’s latest LP Jackman., tech: Grimes AI, and trends: YouTube Music joining the podcast bandwagon.

Let’s get into it.

Jack Harlow Wins with Jackman.

Everybody knows Jack, but they didn’t know Jackman.

Until Friday, April 28th, that is.

About a year after the release of his Gold certified second LP Come Home the Kids Miss You (or CHTKMY, for those who ain’t typing all that), Jack Harlow released his third studio album, Jackman. Though his first week sales projections are less than half of that of his sophomore effort, there’s lots to be learned about how this perfectly executed release has made its mark.

The Rollout

Jack first announced the album via text, a few days prior to it’s release. He offered the opportunity to be the first to hear it in the studio, which stunned fans.

As do most things Jack-related, the meetup took place in the Ville. So if you weren’t there, you were out of luck. Nonetheless, the album was set to drop only two days later, so it wasn’t a long wait.

Despite this, the semi-surprise release generated a lot of buzz, with posts and articles from Complex, Pop Base, Hot New Hip Hop, and more. It even piqued the interest of those who weren’t necessarily fans.

The day of the announcement, Jack posted the album cover, taken by his longtime friend, photographer, and fellow Private Garden member Urban Wyatt.

It didn’t take long for Louisville natives to identify the exact alley he was standing in for the shot. Hundreds visited and one lucky fan received a signed copy from him while there.

The day before release, Jack visited eight local public schools, much to the excitement of the students, including his old high school, Atherton High.

The day of the release, Jack finally posted the tracklist. His manager Neelam Thadhani dubbed the album “another classic” (as any good manager would) while peers like Trippie Redd, Tierra Whack, and Isaiah Rashad showed support in the comments.

Within the 48 hours between the album’s announcement and the album’s release Jack did zero interviews and released no singles or music videos (and has still not been interviewed several days after), a complete 180 from smash singles, crisp music videos, many interviews, and late night tv performances he participated in across the country to promote CHTKMY.

Jack then decided to go on an Easter egg hunt like spree by spreading signed CDs up and down Bardstown Road in where else but Louisville. One lucky store owner happened to catch it on her Ring camera.

You can’t listen to more than 37 seconds of a Jack Harlow song without him mentioning his city or a landmark in it, so it was brilliant for him to ensure Louisville was physically included in the overall rollout in multiple instances, as he always does.

But that’s not all. The day of the Met Gala, which Jack was set to attend, he released the music video to track 2 on Jackman., “They Don’t Love It”, produced by Hollywood Cole. The music video is set in—you guessed it—Louisville and he makes sure to make that clear in the first few seconds of viewing.

The icing on the cake is this year’s Kentucky Derby is in a few days, so that’s bound to give streams and sales another boost. And who knows, maybe Jack will shoot another video at Churchill Downs.

Though the rollout hasn’t even been a week long, it has been impactful with both local and global audiences paying attention to his every move.

The Music

You may recall that CHTKMY received generally mixed reviews from critics, but no review caught the attention of both fans and detractors alike than that of Pitchfork.

Ouch. Now personally, I found the review to be overly harsh, but the Internet (read: Twitter) took it upon themselves to ride the Jack Harlow hate train all the way home. Now despite the incessant taunting, Jack did not react on social media, though he did briefly address the backlash in his cover story interview with Teen Vogue shortly after: “I've been so validated by the world over the last year and just put on a pedestal and loved,” he says, “To experience a taste of the opposite, I think it's good for my growth.”

And grow he did.

Though many had doubts he would deliver,

The immediate response from both the missionaries (IYKYK) and critics alike were predominantly positive. He was praised for his soulful beat selection, honest lyricism, and passionate delivery.

He forayed into new territory, with his material detailing the unthinkable

The emotional

And the inspirational

Even Pitchfork had much more complimentary things to say this time around…

…with a significantly higher rating to match: 6.4 (which is basically a 9.5 in the real world. IYKYK.)

Noticeably, Jackman. is a relatively short listen, with a running time of 24 minutes over the course of 10 songs. Several of the songs have no hooks, and none of the songs have features, a stark contrast to his previous star studded offerings featuring the likes of Drake, Lil Baby, Pharrell, Justin Timberlake, and Lil Wayne.

It was crucial for Jack to (re)prove that he could stand on his own two, and it paid off.

The Timing

Jack Harlow has a knack for perfectly timing his releases. Come Home the Kids Miss You was released the weekend ahead of the Kentucky Derby, an event that draws international attention, and the largest event in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. This time around, Jackman. dropped just days before the Met Gala which is arguably the most prestigious night for A-list celebrities to attend.

Earlier today, Jack was trending on Twitter with over 17,000 tweets. No better time to have people talking than a few days following your latest release.

Further, few artists that are more popular than him dropped this past weekend, which gives him a bit of an edge against competition.

Ultimately, what Jack sacrificed in pop appeal, he maintained in relevancy, and gained in respect. And in rap, that’s worth its weight in gold.

In a time where it seems more common for rappers to be Twitter fingers than emcees, it was refreshing to see Jack refuse to take the bait over the course of the past year, and to instead take time away to acknowledge the criticism, hone his craft, and respond in such a way that would get people talking about what matters: the music.

Jack has better poised himself to be in a position where both fangirls and hiphop heads alike are in his corner. And he has further solidified himself as the superstar that the likes of Timbaland deem him to be.

Hopefully, he’s a little less scared to take a vacation now.

Grimes AI is Officially Here

Last week, I discussed in depth AI music: Fake Drake; how, why, and when the music industry should adopt artificial intelligence; where blockchain comes in; and why Grimes is the pioneer for the job.

This past weekend, Grimes officially announced that Grimes AI was upon us. She and her team move fast.

(Read the whole thread—she explained it better than I ever could!)

Let it be on the record that Grimes is the first artist ever of her caliber to implement the systematization of AI music.

In a world where technical innovation is spearheaded by founders and funders completely disconnected from the music industry, it’s so refreshing to see a creator first solution available to fellow musicians this swiftly.

Grimes’ attempt to open source her catalog has been deemed reckless by some, but it’s important to recognize that with new territory will come new challenges. She and her team should be offered the grace to experiment and reiterate as they build semi-publicly.

She seems to be enjoying some of the creations so far:

Now we wait. To see who enters the ring. And to see which ones pop off.

Podcasts are Coming to YouTube Music

In case you missed it, YouTube Music is rolling out podcasts for US listeners.

We’ve witnessed how Spotify and Apple Music have been going strong with podcasts, so it’s only right that YouTube follows suit.

As a podcaster, this is exciting news! This venture will be mutually beneficial for both YouTube Music and podcasters alike.

Audiovisual capabilities: Unlike other DSPs, YouTube carries both audio and visual content. By default, this allows them to cater to creators who have a video element to their podcasts.

Diversification of content: Offering podcasts alongside music can attract listeners who enjoy both forms of media and potentially increase YouTube’s user base.

Increased engagement: Podcasts tend to have longer listening times than individual songs, which could increase engagement metrics on the platform.

Monetization opportunities: Similar to music, podcasts can be monetized through ads. Advertising is the primary revenue source for YouTube.

Why This Works for Creators

Reach: YouTube is one of the largest DSPs, search engines, and social media platforms in the world, with more than 2 billion active users globally. By default, it’s one of the best places for content to reside because of its large user base and high active user rate.

Complementary existing features: YouTube has short-form video capabilities (YouTube Shorts) which makes it easy for podcasters to share clips. Further, YouTube has its community feature which allows creators to interact with their supporters using photo and text. Lastly, YouTube sends notifications via their app and email digest whenever something new is uploaded.

Monetization opportunities: Ads and sponsorships don’t only generate revenue for YouTube, but also for creators. Other tools include channel memberships and shopping capabilities.

YouTube will also provide access to important analytics. Check out their dedicated podcast page for the FAQ too.

What Comes Next

Exclusive deals: Reportedly, YouTube isn’t looking to sign exclusive deals with podcasters just yet. But in order to compete with the likes of Spotify, this will surely happen in due time so it’s something to look forward to.

Creator programs: YouTube already has the YouTube Partner Program, but surely they’ll launch something specifically for podcasters down the road, or expand upon this current program to accommodate them. The earlier and more consistently podcasters get involved, the higher the likelihood of becoming part of a select few podcasters who will have direct access to YouTube’s podcast creator team. (Certain thresholds will likely apply.) Those chosen will be the first to take advantage of new features and exclusive opportunities.

I do wish YouTube made more of a splash with this announcement (à la the Apple Event) as it seems to have gone a bit under the radar. Nonetheless, I’m looking forward to seeing how the podcast vertical continues to develop. If done right, YouTube Music could give its competitors a run for their money and establish themselves as a dominant force in the podcast arena.

What are your thoughts on YouTube’s announcement? Will you be uploading or checking out podcasts on YouTube? See more perspectives on the matter here.

And subscribe to my podcast Hear Us Out while you’re at it.

ladidai is a web2.5 music tech professional with a passion for music, emerging technology, pop culture, social media, and the creator economy. Learn more here. If you enjoyed, please share! Send all inquiries to [email protected]. And feel free to join in on the conversation by commenting below.