Churchill Downs (song)
{{short description|2022 song by Jack Harlow featuring Drake}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Churchill Downs
| type = song
| artist = Jack Harlow featuring Drake
| album = Come Home the Kids Miss You
| released = May 6, 2022
| genre = Hip hop
| length = 5:09
| label = {{hlist|Generation Now|Atlantic}}
| writer = {{hlist|Jack Harlow|Aubrey Graham|Matthew Samuels|Tahrence Brown|Ryan Bakalarczyk|Alex Ernewein|Rogét Chahayed|José Velazquez}}
| producer = {{hlist|Boi-1da|Audi|BEDRM|Ace G}}
| misc = {{External music video|type=song|{{YouTube|GGOyFnrZRt0|"Churchill Downs"}}}}
}}
"Churchill Downs" is a song by American rapper Jack Harlow featuring Canadian rapper Drake from the former's second studio album Come Home the Kids Miss You (2022). It was produced by Boi-1da, Audi, BEDRM, and Ace G.
Background
Producer Ace G stated that the making of the song began with him and his partner Myriam Eydo in the studio, improvising on the synth and the harp respectively. Eydo started singing, from which the melody was created.{{cite web |last1=Mullin |first1=Kyle |title=How Toronto Producer Ace G Turned an Intimate Moment Into Drake and Jack Harlow's "Churchill Downs" |url=https://www.complex.com/music/toronto-producer-ace-g-feature |website=Complex |date=May 17, 2022}}
The song leaked in May 2022, upon which it received attention for Drake taking subliminal shots at rapper Pusha T. Jack Harlow said in an interview with Hot 97 that both he and Drake were upset about the leak. Pusha T responded to the leak on The Breakfast Club, saying, "I even heard that and it sounds old to me. Like, the flows sound old. And then it's like, even what is considered like, the shots. It's like, bro, after what I've done, like 'the middleman' talk and all that type of talk — that's not scathing for me. I'm here to like, burn down everything."{{cite web |last1=Walker |first1=Joe |title=Jack Harlow Reveals Drake Was 'Sad' About Song Leak: 'It Hurt My Feelings [Too]' |url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.70024/title.jack-harlow-drake-churchill-downs-song-leak-reaction# |website=HipHopDX |date=May 4, 2022}} Harlow later revealed on The Breakfast Club that he added more lyrics to his verse after he heard Drake's.{{cite web |last1=Price |first1=Joe |title=Jack Harlow on Adding More Bars to His "Churchill Downs" Verse After Hearing Drake's, Explains Viral Vacation Video |url=https://www.complex.com/music/jack-harlow-added-more-bars-after-hearing-drake-verse-churchill-downs |website=Complex |date=May 6, 2022}}
In June 2022, fellow American rapper Lil Yachty revealed to YouTuber DJ Akademiks some details behind how the song was composed. According to Yachty, Drake told him that he wrote his verse in about 11 minutes, in front of Harlow, while they were on vacation in the Turks and Caicos Islands.{{cite web |last1=Blanchet |first1=Brenton |title=Lil Yachty Claims Drake Wrote Verse for Jack Harlow Collab in 11 Minutes, Is Asked About Migos Breakup Rumors |url=https://www.complex.com/music/lil-yachty-drake-wrote-verse-jack-harlow-churchill-downs-11-minutes-asked-about-migos-breakup-rumors |website=Complex |date=June 6, 2022}}
Composition
The song uses a flute instrumental. In the song, the artists rap about the pitfalls of fame, and "throw humble compliments at each other when they're not offering cutting, pragmatic commentary".{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2022/music/album-reviews/jack-harlow-come-home-kids-miss-youalbum-review-1235260832/ |title=Jack Harlow's 'Come Home the Kids Miss You' Has the Ascendant Hip-Hop Star Improving on a Good Thing: Album Review |website=Variety |last=Amorosi |first=A. D. |date=May 6, 2022}} Jack Harlow's line "I'm hip-hop, do you fully understand?" have been called the "defining defensive line" of the album.{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/jack-harlow-come-home-the-kids-miss-you/ |title=Jack Harlow: Come Home the Kids Miss You Album Review |website=Pitchfork |last=Strauss |first=Matthew |date=May 10, 2022}} Drake also references his feud with Pusha T in his verse.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/jack-harlow-ascends-to-jack-harlow-come-home-the-kids-miss-you-1348038/ |title=Review: Jack Harlow's 'Come Home the Kids Miss You' |magazine=Rolling Stone |last=Reeves |first=Mosi |date=May 9, 2022}}
Critical reception
A.D. Amorosi of Variety praised Drake's feature on the song, writing: "Drake's lyrics about life in the limelight are some of the best he's come up with since 2020; the next Drake record is something to really look forward to, if this is where he's going." Mosi Reeves of Rolling Stone wrote that Drake "doesn't disappoint here" and performs "another great verse from a rapper famed for his poetically aggrieved self-absorption", while also writing, "Meanwhile, Harlow can only offer bland braggadocio." In contrast, Matthew Strauss of Pitchfork described the song as "more or less a copy of an up-late Drake confessional". Additionally, Strauss wrote, "A big mistake, however, was actually getting Drake on the song, as the veteran artist sounds like he has something worth saying. Meanwhile Harlow, despite the growing fame and unending fascination, is still finding his footing."
Music video
The official music video was filmed at the 2022 Kentucky Derby and released on June 1, 2022. Directed by Ace Pro, the clip sees Jack Harlow and Drake rapping at the event, holding bets in their hands, and watching the race, while blending slow motion footage of the horses racing.{{cite web |last1=Price |first1=Joe |title=Watch Jack Harlow and Drake's New "Churchill Downs" Video |url=https://www.complex.com/music/jack-harlow-drake-churchill-downs-video |website=Complex |date=June 1, 2022}}{{cite magazine |last1=Aniftos |first1=Rania |title=Jack Harlow & Drake Head to the Races for 'Churchill Downs' Video |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/jack-harlow-drake-churchill-downs-video-1235080218/ |magazine=Billboard |date=June 1, 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Griffin |first1=Marc |title=Jack Harlow And Drake Bet It All In New "Churchill Downs" Music Video |url=https://www.vibe.com/music/videos/jack-harlow-releases-churchill-downs-music-video-1234665593/ |website=Vibe |date=June 2, 2022}} Earlier in the video, Harlow appears in a baseball bat factory, as a reference to the Louisville Slugger.{{cite magazine |last1=Blistein |first1=Jon |title=Jack Harlow and Drake Take Over the Kentucky Derby in New 'Churchill Downs' Video |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/jack-harlow-drake-churchill-downs-music-video-1361582/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=June 1, 2022}} The video also features cameos from Baka Not Nice, Boi1-da, Bryson Tiller, DJ Drama, Druski, Hit-Boy, Taylor Rooks, and Harlow's mother Maggie, who dances as Drake raps to her.{{cite web |last1=Powell |first1=Jon |title=Jack Harlow, Drake, and more head to the races in "Churchill Downs" video |url=https://www.revolt.tv/article/2022-06-01/172013/jack-harlow-drake-churchill-downs-video/ |website=Revolt |date=June 1, 2022}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Chart performance for "Churchill Downs" ! scope="col"| Chart (2022) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{single chart|Australia|17|artist=Jack Harlow|song=Churchill Downs|rowheader=true|access-date=June 23, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Canada|11|artist=Jack Harlow|rowheader=true|access-date=February 12, 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardglobal200|38|artist=Jack Harlow|rowheader=true|access-date=February 12, 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Ireland4|12|date=20220513|rowheader=true|access-date=June 23, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|88|artist=Jack Harlow|song=Churchill Downs|rowheader=true|access-date=June 23, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|25|artist=Jack Harlow|song=Churchill Downs|rowheader=true|access-date=June 23, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Portugal|101|artist=Jack Harlow|song=Churchill Downs|rowheader=true|access-date=June 23, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|South Africa2|5|year=2022|week=19|rowheader=true|access-date=June 1, 2024}} |
| scope="row"| Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan){{cite web|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/215?dspy=2022&dspp=19|title=Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 19|publisher=Sverigetopplistan|access-date=June 23, 2022}}
| 11 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Switzerland|76|artist=Jack Harlow|song=Churchill Downs|rowheader=true|access-date=June 23, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|UK|19|date=20220519|rowheader=true|access-date=June 23, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|23|artist=Jack Harlow|rowheader=true|access-date=February 12, 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|9|artist=Jack Harlow|rowheader=true|access-date=February 12, 2024}} |
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Churchill Downs"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Jack Harlow ft Drake|title=Churchill Downs|award=Silver|type=single|relyear=2022|certyear=2023|id=19584-6605-1|access-date=January 6, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Jack Harlow|title=Churchill Downs|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2022|certyear=2022|access-date=December 3, 2022}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}