We know what you’re going through as an artist. Most of the time, you likely just want to focus on your craft. You want to have the idea, make the music, give it to the public, and go from there without thinking too much about “marketing,” digital strategy, and the like.

At one point in the industry’s history, music promotion was solely about promoting the music. Now, it feels like you have to ride kitschy waves or run gimmicks to keep up with the trends that mainstream culture responds to. Artists often have to embellish their image to get people to make the seven-click journey from their Instagram post to purchasing points and streaming homes. But you also battle with wanting to keep everything focused on the music you’re making. We get it!

With that in mind, let’s take a second to think about Jack Harlow. Can you think of a time you saw him and his team execute a strategy or do anything that felt forced? You’ll likely be hard-pressed to think of anything. If you’re an artist who is tired of the status quo for marketing and is disinterested in self-promoting your image more than you promote your music, a look into Jack Harlow’s career provides the formula that allows you to participate in the marketplace while still keeping it about the music, just like artists used to.

Below, we examine the three elements of Jack Harlow’s career that come together to make him one of the hottest names in music right now.

1. FOCUS ON YOUR SKILLS

When real skill and ability are at the core of your music, creating a “brand” around that should come easily. People still respond to real talent, arguably more than anything else. If Jack’s comedic prowess and collaborative history dissolved tomorrow, people would still gravitate towards his pen, something he’s always been known for.

The public agrees that his lyrical skill is undeniable. He’s never needed to stray away from displaying it to capture people’s attention. Instead, he’s authentic about who he is while letting the music speak for itself. In a 2017 interview with Louisville[.]com, the rapper explains:

“‘I’m always going to look a certain way and can use that to my advantage, but I don’t want it to become a crutch or a gimmick. I just want it to be: ‘He makes good music,’”

Jack has been transparent about who he is to a point of near satire throughout his career. He’s posted everything from old music videos from his days rapping as a lanky, white teen to mirror selfies in what appears to be a middle school. When he broke onto the scene, the skill he had coupled with his appearance made him even more of an intriguing figure to follow. Lyricism and penmanship were the skills Jack needed to gain success in the rap realm. For you, it might be a melodic choice or delivery or tone. Regardless, if you’ve developed a skill that shines through in your music, think about curating your public presence by introducing an interesting and authentic image that accompanies your skill and not the other way around.

2. FOCUS ON YOUR FOUNDATION

The foundation Jack has created and the rapport he’s maintained with his hometown of Louisville has been vital to his rise. In addition to being a centerpiece in his narrative that’s as present in the music as it is in press releases, Jack’s career started in the local venues he and his team focused on packing out first. The creative collective he started early on in his career with fellow Louisville artists & producers, Private Garden, remains the name behind many of his endeavors, and he looks to fellow Kentuckian Bryson Tiller as a mentor.

Another element of Jack’s career that’s been present since his early days were his New Balance shoes. This recurring motif in his career eventually turned into a brand partnership that has gone beyond just wearing the sneakers in public appearances into full-length commercial placements, magazine covers about the shoe, and more. As his career gained more traction, his personal style became a lucrative part of his brand without him having to do anything outside of his daily routine.

Developing a story about where you came from, how you dressed yourself before any notoriety, and very simply things you did growing up allow you to easily achieve the central goal of any artist marketing: to be relatable. Forced creative marketing isn’t necessary when you can tap into a wealth of inspiration by simply pulling from the unique context you built your musical skills in.

3. FOCUS ON YOUR PERSONALITY

By this point in our breakdown, we’ve explained how Jack maintains a strong brand centered around his skill, how someone who looks like him has those skills, and the foundation that first helped those skills make their mark. Of course, Jack can’t just talk about those three things in every interview or public appearance though.

Luckily, his personality allows him to be just as natural in everyday press, media, and content opportunities. Because he’s so skilled at speaking and so entertaining when he jokes around, clips from these opportunities spread around the internet without him even trying – from his Genius Verified interviews, to being a The Crew League commentator, down to his Instagram stories. In fact, an artist verbalizing stories or perspectives outside of the music makes for the stickiest pieces of content a fan can receive. YouTube comment sections for videos like Jack’s interviews with No Jumper and Pitchfork show viewers realizing that Jack is up next, just by virtue of how good a head he has on his shoulders.

As an independent artist, you should already be honing your networking, self-promotion, and media skills to build business relationships. By practicing how you talk to various individuals in normal conversations, you’ll train yourself to make the most of even the smallest interviews or public appearances. Use clips, contents, and moments from these opportunities as the primary driver for publicity and marketing, and you’ll have yourself a content plan without needing to embellish any element of your character.

What Every Artist Needs To Learn From Jack Harlow

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