Jack Harlow is facing some criticism on social media after saying that he got Blacker when he transitioned from rap to R&B on his latest project.

Harlow made his head-turning comment on Thursday when he sat down for an interview with hosts Jon Caramanica and Joe Coscarelli on the Popcast podcast. The interview took place on Harlow’s 28th birthday, Stereogum reported. It was also the day he released his new album, Monica, which is a primarily R&B album.

Why did Jack Harlow say he got ‘Blacker?’

Harlow made his controversial comment after Coscarelli noted that “white rappers are afforded more freedom to change the genre at will.”

“Country music, for example, has become a safe landing place for former white rappers. Rock music has become a safe landing place.” Coscarelli said on the podcast, “You didn’t retreat into a whiter genre. In fact, you arguably went deeper into Black music.”

Harlow boldly affirmed Coscarelli’s statement.

“I got Blacker,” he said.

The 28-year-old artist then elaborated on his love for Black music.

“I love the sound of Black music,” he said. “And of course, I’m hyper-aware of the politics of today, that safer landing spot that a lot of my white contemporaries have found. And of course, it appealed to me to do something that I felt, at a time when there’s certainly people that expect me to take the routes y’all are taking, to take the route that not only might not be expected but is also the route that I genuinely want to take. So all the stars aligned in that way for me, to be honest.”

Harlow has been getting the side-eye from a large number of music fans on social media after he told the world that he “got Blacker.”

“…I got blacker…” -Jack Harlow

Get him banned! pic.twitter.com/F2PC6BWWED

— ThrillaFrmCamilla (@_Ahreeahnah) March 13, 2026

Many of the commentators said Harlow’s comment was essentially a mockery of Black people and culture.

3 white men in a room talking about blackness.

They just play in our faces daily man https://t.co/3qXIcudqIm

— MusChampion (@Less_HumbleTeej) March 13, 2026

At least one person said it was clear what Harlow was trying to say, but he could have said it in a much better way.

I comprehended everything he said, he just didn’t need to specifically say “I got blacker”

— Tyler Hackner 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇵🇸🇵🇸☮️☮️🟧🟧 (@HacknerTyler) March 13, 2026

At the time of publishing, Harlow had not publicly responded to the criticism.