Every Louisville reference in Jack Harlow’s new album: 'Come Home the Kids Miss You'

Louisville rapper Jack Harlow wants to put his city on the map.

He's succeeding.

In his second studio album, "Come Home the Kids Miss You," released Friday, Harlow can't seem to stop shouting out his hometown, with references to several Louisville sites, including Slugger Field, the Kentucky State Fair and of course, Churchill Downs, the title of his coming single featuring Drake.

(The duo filmed scenes for the "Churchill Downs" music video during Saturday's 148th Kentucky Derby.)

Harlow, who brought his five-night sold-out "No Place Like Home" tour to the city in December, isn't shy about showing his love for Louisville.

His 2017 song, "Eastern Parkway," had him "Bendin' corners through Cherokee Park."

And in his 2020 breakout hit, "WHATS POPPIN," Harlow rapped about being "in the 'Ville" with the University of Louisville basketball team, and "eating fettuccine at Vincenzo's."

We listened carefully for all the Louisville references in Harlow's new album, but we may have missed some. We used genius.com lyrics, but the interpretations are our own.

Here's what we found:

'Talk Of The Town'

In this opening track, Harlow comes right out of the gate with a reference to Louisville’s popular Bardstown Road, known for its shops, bars and restaurants.

Coming into his fame, he reflects:

"A long way from Bardstown, I’m on the charts now"

Later in the track, which samples Destiny’s Child 1998 hit “No, No, No, (Pts. I & II),” Harlow shouts out another Louisville road close to his heart:

"New levels, new devils, Dundee Way, I'm a rebel"

The mile-long Dundee Way turns into Dundee Road, the site of Atherton High School, Harlow's alma mater. Harlow graduated from the 1,500-student school in 2016.

Related: After anger from Highlands parents, JCPS says it is changing proposed school boundaries

Atherton’s mascot at the time was the Rebels.

In 2021, the mascot was changed to the Ravens over concerns about the association between rebel imagery and the pro-slavery Confederacy.

Is the whole song just about Louisville? Maybe. But it could carry a double meaning — also calling out the Los Angeles music industry for being slow to embrace him.

'Young Jarleezy'

In track two, Harlow alludes to another of the Jefferson County public schools he attended, reminiscing:

"Ah, used to be on Norris back when Twiggy was in chorus"

Harlow attended Highland Middle School, 1700 Norris Place. It was there he first sold CDs of his music.

'I’d Do Anything To Make You Smile'

Once the beat drops on track three, fans of Louisville dancer LaShawn "Sugar Shizz" Talbert will recognize it as a sample of the 2009 song, "Do The Shizz," by Kenzo.

Talbert created the "Shizz" dance that inspired Louisville rapper Kenzo to create the song, which was quickly embraced by the city's Black community.

Talbert was shot and killed in 2010.

By sampling "Do The Shizz," Harlow is giving a huge nod to the West End, one listener told The Courier Journal.

In 2009, the Shizz reached a bigger stage when University of Kentucky basketball player John Wall put his own spin on the dance in his 2009 Big Blue Madness introduction video. Wall said he was inspired after watching Kenzo's music video.

Harlow makes clever references on the track to the Golden Corral restaurant and to Grammy-winning singer Ed Sheeran, before coming back around to basketball, referencing both University of Kentucky head coach John Calipari and former University of Louisville head coach Rick Pitino:

"Hotels five star like they play for Coach Cal

"But they call me Young Pitino 'cause I'm good in both towns"

Harlow's "Churchill Downs" collaborator, Drake, is a well-known UK fan.

And though Harlow drops a reference here to Coach Cal, Harlow's allegiance has always been to the Cards.

As one U of L fan was quick to point out on Twitter, Harlow once called Calipari "overrated."

'First Class'

This track, which sample’s Fergie’s 2006 hit “Glamorous,” is Harlow’s second single off the album.

Released last month, it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. The video for “First Class” dropped Friday.

Watch: Jack Harlow gets the party started at Kentucky Derby Eve party

Harlow goes back and forth with the Fergie sample as she spells out G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S.

For the "L," Harlow celebrates the traditional hand gesture for supporting the University of Louisville, "L's Up," which requires the pointer and index fingers raised and the thumb out:

"I been a (G), throw up the (L)"

In a series of clever brags, Harlow shouts out workers at UPS Worldport, a cargo hub at the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, for safely delivering the awards he’s steadily winning:

"Uh, I got plaques in thе mail, peak season

"Shout out to my UPS workers makin' surе I receive 'em"

'Dua Lipa'

You’ve gotta give it to him — with track six, Harlow, 24, officially shoots his shot with longtime crush and multi-platinum pop singer Dua Lipa, 26.

In his attempt to woo the woman he’s named the track for, Harlow spits:

"You know my city like the new Korea, bustin"

On first listen, we may not get the "new Korea" reference, but when Harlow says “my city,” you know it’s the 'Ville.

Later in the track, Harlow appears to reference another Kentucky city, Lexington, and another woman (Dua Lipa, who’s Albanian, was raised in England):

"Shorty came from Lex and she flexed up"

Though genius.com has this line as "Lexin,'" we're pretty sure we hear "Lex and."

Evidence: Talking to a Lexington reporter on the Derby red carpet Saturday, Harlow confirmed his love for the central Kentucky city.

"Big Lex. I love Lex. 859, you know."

'Side Piece'

Let’s just say Harlow’s side piece doesn’t live in Louisville.

More: Jack Harlow on being home after releasing 'Churchill Downs' with Drake

'Movie Star'

Track seven on the album, "Movie Star" features producer, rapper, singer, songwriter and all-around cool dude Pharrell Williams.

Harlow celebrates his Kentucky roots with this mid-track reference:

"I know that drink strong

"You know we keep that bourbon out the barrel, Diddy Kong"

Just like bourbon, the 1990s video game character Diddy Kong drew his power from wooden barrels.

'… Lil Secret'

In this ode to his “main chick,” Harlow professes his love — but makes clear he isn’t ready for a serious commitment.

Is she from Louisville?

Harlow’s keeping that a secret, too.

'I Got A Shot'

In track nine, Harlow talks to someone from his past — someone who's apparently pretending they don’t remember him.

His one direct reference to Louisville is dark:

"I'm from the city where they might put one in your temple

"It's really that simple"

Harlow currently faces multiple lawsuits related to the fatal shooting of a bartender at Louisville's Vibes nightclub in May 2021.

Louisville suffered record-setting levels of violence in 2021 and homicide statistics this year remain grim, The Courier Journal has reported.

'Churchill Downs'

With Harlow’s album dropping a day before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby, this song named after the famed racetrack quickly grabbed people’s attention.

(A feature from rap superstar Drake probably didn’t hurt either.)

In this mellow track, both Harlow and Drake get vulnerable, each reflecting on their lives amid major fame.

More: What's poppin'? Jack Harlow, Drake film 'Churchill Downs' music video at Kentucky Derby

Harlow connects with Drake, a Toronto native, with a reference to his home state — which never seems quite prepared to deal with wintery weather conditions:

"I know in Toronto they got soft for the rose, but school's closed in Kentucky, so I like when it snowed"

Not only did Harlow film scenes for the upcoming music video on Derby day, he also joined the ceremonies, yelling “Rider’s Up!” to get the big race started.

As for Drizzy, he lived up to his closing lyrics on Saturday. From a box in the infield, he admitted to NBC Sports that he, like many fans that day, was thoroughly enjoying himself.

"Kentucky derby races, my presence in the spot is so abrasive

"Boxxed up the Churchill downs, that's motivation, yeah"

'Like a Blade of Grass'

OK, so Harlow doesn’t directly acknowledge Louisville in this track.

But we can’t help but think Harlow’s many years in the Blue Grass State had something to do with the track title.

'Parent Trap'

In this melancholy track, Harlow teams up with pop superstar Justin Timberlake, a Memphis, Tennessee, native, who sings the hook.

Toward the end of the song, Harlow shouts out Slugger Field, home to the minor league baseball team the Louisville Bats:

"Hit the kill switch, hit the slugger field first pitch"

He did just that in 2019, throwing out the first pitch and singing “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” in the 7th inning stretch.

'Poison'

The fire features continue on track 13, which includes bars from New Orleans rapper Lil Wayne.

While short on Louisville references, Harlow mentions his city in a call back to MTV Cribs, a show that premiered in 2000 and took viewers inside the homes of celebrities.

"I need MTV Cribs back

"Gotta bring 'em to my city just to show 'em how I'm livin'"

Watch: Stars shine on the Red Carpet at the Barnstable Brown Derby Gala

'Nail Tech'

The first single off the album, Harlow spits a line showing his confidence in Louisville and its place among cities known for turning out major rap talent:

"My city haulin' and I'm cosigning this wave, comin' up next out it"

No losses here. Only L's up:

"I don't take L's, I give 'em out and I chuck 'em up"

Harlow's quickly becoming the king of Louisville, and he knows it.

"The king's back in his hometown, when them wheels hit and I touchdown they

"Baow, baow, baow, baow"

'State Fair'

The references to Louisville are all over the album’s final track, named after the annual Kentucky State Fair:

"I wanna go back to Kentucky and shut down the state fair

"Visit my old teachers and tell 'em to take care

"I might take a whip instead of payin' the plane fare

"I still remember the way there

"Ain't a girl in my hometown I can't have now"

With his mind on Louisville, Harlow later references fellow hometown musical artist, Bryson Tiller. Tiller, who attended Iroquois High School before pursuing his music career, blew up in 2015 with his single, "Don't."

Pen Griffey, a play on Major League Baseball star Ken Griffey Jr., is Tiller's name for his stage persona:

"2015, we was on that Pen Griffey

"I wanted what he had, but the shoes didn't fit me"

The two have since collaborated on Harlow's tracks "Luv is Dro" and "THRU THE NIGHT." (The video for "THRU THE NIGHT was shot at Robben's Roost Skating Rink in Louisville's Buechel neighborhood.)

By the end of "State Fair," Harlow has finally found his way:

"Baby, I'm comin' home, I know the kids miss me

"I need some time with my friends to sip whiskey

"…

"Now the city with me and I got the kids listening"

It clearly sounds like Harlow's glad to be home.

We are too.

Did we miss anything? Let us know: mmclaren@courier-journal.com.

Mandy McLaren: 502-582-4525; mmclaren@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @mandy_mclaren.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Jack Harlow 'Come Home the Kids Miss You' album Louisville references