Though it hasn’t brought a ton of music, 2024 has been a busy year for Jack Harlow. After kicking off his acting career with a starring role in White Men Can’t Jump, he furthered that endeavor in another supporting role. He stepped into fashion as well with the first collab product coming out of his New Balance partnership, and entered the “exec” realm by launching his own Gazebo Music Festival with its inaugural edition in his hometown Kentucky. Of course, the biggest headline remains his “Lovin’ On Me,” maintaining its smash status into another calendar year despite its one-off single status. As that track celebrates its first anniversary, Jack Harlow is back with another loosie aimed at that same success, “Hello Miss Johnson.”
“Hello Miss Johnson” Catches A Softer Side Of Jack Harlow
Especially in the wake of “Lovin’ On Me,” a romantic spin from the Kentucky MC isn’t a surprise, but the central conceit of “Hello Miss Johnson” is a new development. As its knowing resemblance to the Outkast standard would indicate, the song relies on the same “meet the parents” narrative style, weaving through a whirlwind romance under the guise of recounting it to his would-be in-laws.
Save for the slightly jarring opening couplet, pledging his affection to the song’s subject over any of the “other girls,” there’s a heavy dose of Harlow’s signature charm and charisma. “Ride ’round with you, fine dine with you … You tell me, ‘That’s just game,’ I ain’t lyin’, it’s true.” Or “How’d you get so wise? Must have taken you some time / I can’t help but wonder what your parents make of you and I.” There are plenty of light-hearted moments that straddle the line between a “player” persona and a softer, vulnerable approach, a perfect match for the retro, jazzy production underneath.
Speaking of, the more understated instrumentation that sets the tone all but guarantees that the club-dominating success of “Lovin’ On Me” won’t reach Jack Harlow this time for “Hello Miss Johnson.” But given the holiday season and the slowdown of music releases that runs off it the cozy atmosphere he strikes with this latest single is very well-met, and can likely propel to some major numbers with some slower competition around it.
Catch “Hello Miss Johnson” and everything Jack Harlow wherever you stream your music.
Elsewhere in our coverage, Mac Miller – Balloonerism will add a second posthumous release to the late legend’s catalog to start 2025.
