Jack Harlow: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

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Jack Harlow: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert with tags npr, npr music, national public radio, live, performance, tiny desk, tiny desk concert, tiny concert

The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music's Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the country and the world. It's the same spirit — stripped-down sets, an intimate setting — just a different space.

Bobby Carter | March 3, 2021

Jack Harlow's Tiny Desk (home) concert feels like the arrival of a rap superstar. Tucked in a homey-looking space in Los Angeles surrounded by bookshelves and vintage furniture, the Louisville, Ky., emcee delivers a performance with the confidence of an old pro. His set, however, is the first time he's relied solely on live instrumentation to bring his songs to life. "It's been a long time since I had a chance to perform and I've never done it like this," he says.

This is a far stretch from the kid with loose curls and specs frolicing with his hometown friends, but his success should serve as a reminder of the importance of artist development. He's been able to slow cook for a few years, consistently dropping mixtapes and visuals until he landed a big hit last year in "WHATS POPPIN." That performance earned him a Grammy nomination ahead of his very impressive debut album, Thats What They All Say.

For this turn at the Tiny Desk, Harlow, his band and some background singers deliver a megamix of highlights from the album. The orchestration underscores his sentimental and introspective side on songs like "Same Guy" and "Funny Seeing You Here," but it also elevates the melody, which is the true hero here. Over the past few years, the 22-year-old rapper has steadily ticked the boxes for a successful career, and this showing undoubtedly checks the performer section.

SET LIST

"Rendezvous"

"21C / Delta"

"Funny Seeing You Here"

"Same Guy"

"Creme/ONCE MAY COMES"

"Whats Poppin"

MUSICIANS

Jack Harlow: vocals

O'Neil "Doctor O" Palmer: keys

Rico Nichols: drums

Joe Cleveland - bass

Rob Gueringer: guitar

Erik B: vocals

Chimera Patrice: vocals

Porcha Clay: vocals

CREDITS

Video: Ace Pro, Chadrick Fellers / WastedPotential, Donald Turner, Karis West, Kylie Hazzard

Audio: Nickie Jon Pabón, CJ Blair

Playback: Kenny Woods

Backline: Jonathan Castillo

TINY DESK TEAM

Producer: Bobby Carter

Video Producer: Morgan Noelle Smith

Audio Mastering: Josh Rogosin

Tiny Production Team: Bob Boilen, Kara Frame, Maia Stern

Executive Producer: Lauren Onkey

Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

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