Jack Harlow is acknowledging one of the biggest influences on his early career while making it clear that he’s now focused on carving out his own identity. In a recent appearance on The New York Times’ Popcast, the Louisville rapper spoke candidly about how Drake helped shape his musical approach when he was first finding his footing in the industry.

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“School of Drake, absolutely,” Harlow said when asked whether the Toronto superstar influenced his style during his early rise.

For many fans, the comparison has been easy to see and the influence is clear. But Harlow says his priorities have shifted as he’s matured as an artist.

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“I’m much more averse to mimicry or anything that feels derivative than I was in the past,” he explained. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more concerned with finding my voice and who I really am as an artist.”

That mindset appears to be shaping the direction of his new album Monica, which leans more heavily into soulful and R&B-inspired production than some of his earlier releases. The project reflects a more introspective side of Harlow as he continues exploring new sounds and creative directions.

Harlow also admitted that earlier in his career he often felt torn between different identities in the spotlight.

“I was split between wanting to be an entertainer or an artist, a celebrity or an artist,” he said. “I became interested in asking myself, what if I’m a little less self-indulgent?”

Rather than chasing comparisons or leaning into established formulas, Harlow says his focus now is on authenticity and originality. Ultimately, his goal is to create something that feels distinctly his own.

“I’m looking to carve out my own island,” he said, signaling a new chapter in his evolution as an artist.

With his fourth studio album, Monica, officially out now, fans are already getting a clearer sense of what this new creative direction sounds like. The ambitious project leans heavily into an R&B-inspired lane. Trading some of Harlow’s usual punchline-driven rap moments for smoother production, soulful samples, and more melodic delivery.

Across the album, he experiments with a warmer, more reflective tone that feels intentionally different from the rap energy that first put him into the mainstream. The shift suggests Harlow is interested in expanding his sound rather than staying confined to the formula that made him a star.