Grammy-nominated rapper Jack Harlow was only a toddler when enormous black and white banners honoring famous Louisville natives first appeared on the side of multiple downtown buildings in his hometown of Louisville.
The larger-than-life Hometown Heroes banners of locals like actress Jennifer Lawrence, boxer Muhammad Ali, jockey Pat Day, journalist Diane Sawyer, baseball legend Pee Wee Reeseand 26 others were hung in prominent locations around the city by the Greater Louisville Pride Foundation.
As part of a generation who grew up surrounded by visual reminders of inspiring local success stories, the honor of receiving his own Hometown Hero banner is not lost on Harlow.
On Wednesday, the 25-year-old international hip-hop sensation stood at the base of the OK Storage building at the corner of Broadway and Barret Avenue as his own Hometown Hero Banner was officially unveiled.
"This really means the world to me. I grew up driving around seeing them and they were a point of inspiration for me," Harlow said. "If someone asked me if I would rather have a Grammy or this, I would say this a million times over. It is exciting. Thank you."
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Harlow, who recently released "Jackman," his third studio album, and stars in the upcoming film "White Men Can't Jump," was joined at the banner unveiling by Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Congressman Morgan McGarvey, and Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg along with his family and friends.
"Jack Harlow is a sensation we are all proud of. Just think of what he has accomplished. He is a Grammy-nominated and multi-award-winning artist and the only person I know who has hosted Saturday Night Live," Beshear said. "And what is so special to me is that at the height of his career, he has decided to move back home to his home state of Kentucky."
What to know about Jack Harlow's Hometown Hero Banner
Harlow's vinyl banner is about the size of a tennis court and was printed at USA Image, a Louisville business that creates building banners, wraps and more. Harlow and his family visited the facility before the banner was installed at the OK Storage building, located at 1100 Broadway near downtown Louisville.
What to know about the Hometown Hero's project
More than 20 years ago, Hometown Heroes was created to honor influential Louisville natives who haveinspired othersand positively represented Louisville to the rest of the world. Thirty-one banners, including former UofL men's basketball coach Denny Crum, Olympic medalist Mary T. Meagher and basketball great Darrell Griffith, were posted between 2001 and 2017 until the time the program was temporarily put on hold.
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The program was stopped because of the challenges to find buildings to display the banners, but it was relaunched in 2022 as Hometown Heroes 2.0.
Which Louisvillians will be honored in Hometown Heroes 2.0?
For the reboot of Hometown Heroes 2.0, the advisory board of the Greater Louisville Pride Foundation voted on the six new nominees who they feel best meet the criteria for being named an official Hometown Hero. The all-male list of nominees includes:
- John Asher: Known as the "Ambassador of the Kentucky Derby," Asher was the vice president of communications at Churchill Downs from 1999 to 2018
- Jack Harlow: The multi-Grammy nominated rap artist and graduate of Atherton High School has made sizable contributions to local organizations likeAMPEDand theCenter for Women and Families
- Lionel Hampton: This internationally famous jazz musician worked with other iconic artists like Charlie Parker and Buddy Rich
- Justin Thomas: He was ranked the No. 1 golfer in the world in 2018
- Wes Unseld: The No. 2 overall pick of the 1968 NBA Draft, Unseld earned MVP and Rookie of the Year awards and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988
- David Jones Sr.: The co-founder of Humana, which became the largest US hospital company during his tenure
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What's different about the Hometown Heroes program moving forward?
"We're going to change up the program a little bit and we will have iconic banners hung that will always be fresh and throughout the areas," Jeanne Hilt, with the Greater Louisville Pride Foundation, told the Courier Journal.
An advisory board made up of Louisville professionals and community leaders will handle the nomination process for future banners. Those banners that have faded drastically over the years will be replaced.
Reach reporter Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com.
