Polo G Uses His Introspective Powers to Reach New Heights on ‘THE GOAT’
By: Matthew Ritchie
Tags: Music, Album Review, Hip Hop, Rap

When Polo G released his debut album Die A Legend in 2019, he arrived off the coattails of the viral single “Pop Out” with all of the momentum in the world. Armed with a deadly concoction of Chicago’s drill sounds and an affliction for pop/R&B vocals, he stormed the ears of rap fans with ease, creating one of the best albums of the last year. However, his ability to seamlessly weave in and out of different sounds was not what set him apart from the field up-and-coming rappers. Polo G displayed a writing acumen unknown to that of his peers, delicately crafting introspective tracks that affected every listener. This level of writing ability combined with a flawless blending of two wildly popular sounds gifted the Chicago native a strong footing to launch off from.

His follow up album THE GOAT represents a clear advancement in the talents that shined through on his debut. The title is less of a claim and more of a declaration of his aptitude for greatness. Even at the ripe age of 21, Polo G’s writing is surrounded by a shroud of maturity that allows him to balance deep recollection of past events with an urge to cement his status as one of the greats in rap music. As a fellow 21-year-old, the greatest thing that I’ve achieved so far in my time on Earth is to finally unpack my suitcase sitting on my bedroom floor. In the same amount of time, he’s captured an otherworldly talent to look inside himself to find greatness in his raps.

Just by looking at the album’s cover, where he’s holding his son Tremani in the background, it’s clear that he plans to deal with his history and how it contributes to his current status. His past, mired in drug addiction, deaths of loved ones, and general loss, is all out on the table. There’s a forthcoming honesty powered by genuine writing that paints vivid images throughout the album. I’m always looking for artists to be vulnerable and introspective: that’s where the most meaningful and important music comes from. Each track on which Polo G volunteers a shred of emotional pain grants me as a listener the chance to be empathetic and connect directly to him. And that’s special.

Each bar he spits makes you feel like you’re riding shotgun with him as he recounts every detail from his life with painstaking and heartbreaking accuracy. As he dances in and out of R&B style vocal runs, he becomes deeply personal as if he’s in the middle of a personal therapy session. He raps with frightening clarity on “Relentless” as he says, “Keep tryna fight off all this depression that I’m battling / Stressin’ while I’m dreamin’, I keep getting sleep paralysis.” There’s no holds barred for Polo G in his raps. Within his raps, he harnesses a unique willingness to share his struggles to the point where it seems he’s embracing his pain.

While weaving throughout a sea of painful memories, Polo G taps into a vein that produces outstanding songs. The album’s opener “Don’t Believe The Hype” is a succinct jab at his peers who claim to be serious about their craft. He burns through their superficial grabs for the throne as he raps, “I dig deep into my spirit when I spit into the mic.” What sets him apart is his ability to reach inside his past to find substance, instead of stunting unnecessarily with no real grounds for the claim. This interiority manifests itself in a hypnotic rhythm: he breathlessly enters from verse to chorus with ease, chugging along with a simple but engaging rhyme pattern. He works magic on the track as it never gets boring or old, swiftly declaring that he deserves his spot due to everything that he’s been through. Polo G uses this same scheme for success on the DJ Mustard-produced “Heartless,” instituting an end rhyme system that is audibly pleasing. He showcases an undeniable talent carrying the rhyme with no repeats in the first verse, rapping about both retribution shootings and missing his Grandma in the span of 16 bars.

In a genre controlled by Drake’s patented sing-rap combination, the Chicago rapper draws from the same vein. His movement from R&B to rapping is ridiculously fluid. On “Beautiful Pain (Losin My Mind),” he croons on the hook, lamenting about his lost love. Then on the verses, he spits with a calm and concise flow that nestles perfectly in between the choruses. Within his voice, he holds an inherent “sing-song” pitch. Polo G’s ability to seamlessly switch in between the two styles is reminiscent of the powers of K Camp, who just returned with the stellar Kiss 5. He still has room to grow with his singing prowess, but his capability as a rapper brings his base-level vocals up to a higher level.

While the highest points of THE GOAT occur when Polo G takes on the beat alone, the moments in which he calls upon others are just as special. “Flex” features a posthumous verse from the late Juice Wrld. The Chicago natives become mirror images of each other as they both brag about their success at a similar velocity, blending for a perfect collaboration. The jump from Polo G to Juice is smooth, with no jarring moments to snap the track’s momentum. “Go Stupid” is an outrageously fun track where Polo G calls upon Stunna 4 Vegas and NLE Choppa. The Mike WiLL Made-It beat bounces along at a perfect pace for all three rappers, as they all deliver their verses with a shared enthusiastic ferocity.

He makes it abundantly clear that his sensitivity feeds into his writing and rapping strength. Polo G’s emotional prowess and constant flow even allow him to keep pace with one of Rap’s top artists. Over the somber piano of “Be Something,” both Polo G and Lil Baby recount how they finally reached the dreams and aspirations they set for themselves as kids. As Polo G raps, “Tryna wake up from them nightmares, devil in my ear while I’m dreamin’ / In my past life, did some bad things, I know karma tryna get even,” he refuses to run away from the past issues and insecurities he holds. His voice is rife with a quiet determination that’s impossible to shake. This performance he delivers allows him to keep pace with Lil Baby, who’s currently on the hottest run of any rapper this year.

In just under 50 minutes, Polo G makes himself fully available, delivering the raw and uncut scope of his emotions to the listeners. On the final track of THE GOAT, which samples Tupac’s “Changes,” he references the past as a place to learn from, not something to shutter away. It made him the person he is today, granting him the tools for success. Just like his debut album, Polo G puts on a display that contains both a recognition of his newfound success and the emotional intelligence to allude to a difficult past. It’s apparent that he is wise beyond his years. In just a single year, Polo G’s vaulted himself forward, clearly taking the correct steps to become a part of rap’s top tier.

Matthew Ritchie is an average Division III baseball player at Johns Hopkins University, an avid writer, and has way too many opinions on sports and music. Follow his escapades on Twitter, @mkrwrt

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