Jack Harlow and Brandy Perform Surprise Live Debut of ‘First Class’ Remix at BET Awards 2022

Brandy premiered her “First Class” remix in May on Hot 97’s Ebro in the Morning after Harlow didn’t realize she was Ray J’s sister during an interview on the same radio show

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 26: (L-R) Jack Harlow and Bran’Nu perform onstage during the 2022 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 26, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for BET)

It’s safe to assume Jack Harlow and Brandy know each other pretty well now.

After opening his BET Awards 2022 performance with “Poison” featuring an appearance from Lil Wayne on Sunday, Harlow surprised the audience and brought Brandy out to duet her remix of his chart-topping hit “First Class.”

Harlow, 24, and the 43-year-old R&B singer’s debut performance of the track arrived one month after its premiere on Hot 97’s Ebro in the Morning — which came in response to a viral video of the rapper not knowing Brandy’s song “Angel in Disguise,” or that she’s Ray J’s sister, during an interview on the same radio show earlier in May.

“Allow me to reintroduce myself / My name is world-famous, one of the greatest / Living legend, did I mention my résumé is amazing?” rapped Brandy on the playful diss track. “The game need a breath of fresh air and I’m breathtaking / I went diamond / Guess I’m still a gold mine shining.”

Donning a black jacket and blue jeans at the ceremony, which was held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, the musician — who’s previously identified her rap alter ego as Bran’ Nu — continued: “This black excellence at its finest / Don’t call me, ‘Brandy,’ no more, call me, ‘Your highness’ / Built up, filling my brother Ray J glasses.”

“This is passion / You woke up a beast, now it’s madness / Singer slash rapper, rapper slash actress,” concluded Brandy’s verse. “I’m reachin’ for the crown, you might get a handful of thorns / Or maybe you just wanna be down”

In May, Hot 97 radio hosts Ebro Darden, Laura Stylez, and Peter Rosenberg tested Harlow’s musical knowledge during an interview by playing songs and asking him to name the title and artist. At one point, Darden played “Angel in Disguise” for Harlow, thinking it’d be an easy win — but he didn’t know the song.

Stylez tried hinting that she starred on a TV show, referring to Moesha, and Rosenberg then added, “Her brother is the reason why a lot of people are famous, you can argue,” referencing Ray J’s infamous sex tape with Kim Kardashian.

.@jackharlow finds out Brandy and Ray J are siblings during interview to HO7 97 pic.twitter.com/dIFcbLOaP1

— BRANDY LEGION (@BrandyLegion) May 11, 2022

“Who’s Ray J’s sister?” asked Harlow, Jeopardy style. “I didn’t know they were siblings. Who is it?”

The hosts then told him the song was performed by Brandy, whose full name is Brandy Norwood. After chalking Harlow’s lack of knowledge up to his age, Darden asked, “​​You didn’t know Brandy and Ray J were siblings?”

Jack Harlow attends the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 03, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
Ray J and Brandy attend 2019 Urban One Honors at MGM National Harbor on December 05, 2019 in Oxon Hill, Maryland. (Photo by Brian Stukes/WireImage)

“Brandy and Ray J are siblings? Nobody’s ever told me that in my life. Nobody’s ever told me that,” replied Harlow, visibly shocked. “Y’all got a good clip off that one. Ray J and Brandy are siblings? I had no idea, bruh.”

Harlow’s prediction came true, as the interview clip went viral on social media, prompting a response from Brandy herself. Replying to a fan’s repost of the Hot 97 video, the “I Wanna Be Down” singer tweeted, “I will murk this dude in rap at 43 on his own beats and then sing [his] ass to sleep.”

“See, I can have a little fun too,” continued Brandy in a follow-up tweet. “hehe…all love.”

While many fans responded in jest to Brandy’s tongue-in-cheek tweet, one fan replied, “Not you sat on this for a few days and now deciding to reply after it died down it’s not that deep.

Ensuring her followers understood the lighthearted nature of her tweet, Brandy posted back to the fan. “I know I’m mad late… but it was a joke. I didn’t know he rapped so I was just Poking,” she wrote on Twitter. “but I see now this was a big thing a few days ago.”

[via]