Jack Harlow has just become the latest high-profile rapper to take a step into the world of K-Pop.
Harlow teamed up with BTS member Jung Kook, contributing guest verses to Kook’s new single “3D.” The single and accompanying video come of the heels of Kook’s chart-topping collaboration with Latto, “Seven.”
“3D,” while brand new, is already gaining chart momentum.
#JungKook and @jackharlow‘s “3D” has reached #1 on US iTunes. pic.twitter.com/rWvni9DLzi
— chart data (@chartdata) September 29, 2023
That BTS members are collaborating with rappers should come as no surprise. BTS’s label Hybe, whose American arm is run by manager-to-the-stars (or in at least some cases, former manager-to-the-stars) Scooter Braun, recently bought Quality Control Music, home to Lil Baby, Migos, the City Girls, and more.
“3D” is, as Billboard points out, reminiscent of Justin Timberlake’s early-aughts song “Señorita.” The track is produced and co-written by David Stewart, who also helmed and co-wrote BTS’s debut English-language track, 2020’s “Dynamite.”
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The other producer and writer is BloodPop, who has garnered plenty of attention lately for his work on Beyoncé’s Renaissance. Harlow also has a writing credit on the track.
The video is directed by Drew Hirsch. Hirsch is best-known for his work with Taylor Swift on videos including “Lover” and the star-studded clip “You Need to Calm Down.” On the hip-hop side, he has helmed videos for YG, including “Run” featuring Tyga, BIA, and 21 Savage.
In addition to Harlow and Latto, a number of artists have collaborated with BTS or its members in recent years. J. Cole, Nicki Minaj, Desiigner, Juice WRLD, and Lil Nas X have all done so within the past half-dozen years.
BTS producer Bang Shi Hyuk said in a 2017 press conference that “Black music is the base” of the group’s sound. “Even when doing many genres like house, urban, and R&B, there’s no change to the fact that it is Black music,” he continued. “The boundaries of music genres are being broken globally. We are also embracing this and making it BTS style.”
