Jack Harlow just released his fourth studio album, Monica.
And it is quite the diversion from what we've gotten in the past. The album is essentially an R&B record—Harlow's attempt at making a '90s-inspired, softer listening experience. Or, as Jack Harlow described it during an interview with the New York Times, an album that is "pleasant" that "could be enjoyed passively."
This is what makes the reaction to the album so interesting.
It’s not just Charlamagne Tha God. The album has been getting mocked relentlessly online. Part of it stems from that same NY Times interview, where Jack at one point says—speaking about his music—that he got "blacker," while also reemphasizing how much he loves Black music.
The other aspect is that Jack is trying to match the aesthetic of the album—evoking late '90s and early 2000s R&B—wearing Kangol-style hats and beige sweaters.
The album isn't bad. But we've also enjoyed the memes, which feature Jack Harlow added to classic rap and neo-soul albums from back in the day, including Erykah Badu's Mama's Gun, D'Angelo's Voodoo, Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, and more.