Respect my mind or die from lead shower.
WAY BACK IN EARLY 2019, before the panini, when going outside was a regular activity, two labels, Columbia and Def Jam, were vying for attention by introducing new signing classes to the masses. The former used the Undisputed banner to usher in some 20-plus rappers to the forefront, although their most successful upstarts from that campaign became singer YK Osiris (and DaniLeigh, who wasn’t featured but was a rookie on the roster nonetheless). The latter, on the other hand, pushed a more concentrated effort via The Draft, which saw Lil TJay, Polo G and Yung Bleu make their primetime debuts.
On February 28th, each company staked their claim.
Def Jam received a glowing
Billboard cover story touting Undisputed as its plan to “Reclaim Its Hip-Hop Crown.”
Meanwhile, on that same date, Columbia held their
Draft showcase at Sony Hall.
At the time, I was employed at Vevo, and we rolled crew thick to the Draft concert.
Outside of the venue, I saw my lawyer, who also represented Polo G and he praised his client and told me I should pay attention to the Chicago rapper. Inside, I saw one of Lil Tjay’s managers, a friend, and he tipped me off about what to expect from his artist. I knew less about Young Bleu, at the time, but after making a lap around inside label folks delivered his pitch.
Polo G’s music was more contemplative and included a touch of introspection that was hopeful despite many of his songs being entrenched with a grim fate.
Based on what I knew before that night and what I gathered from inside, my attention was drawn to Lil Tjay. He had a local buzz going for him in the city, plus “Pop Out,” which he featured on with Polo G, had just been released. He didn’t disappoint. On stage he was charismatic, bouncing with energy and as a Harlem native he already had an in with the audience yet won them over regardless. (In an ironic twist, YK Osiris, who was also in attendance, bounded on stage for a cameo and nearly stole the entire evening.)
Before TJay’s set, Polo G performed and his sincerity won him buy-in from the crowd even if his show wasn’t nearly as strong as everyone else that night. For me, the night was a smashing success for Columbia all around, however, I walked away most impressed with Polo G (and immediately pressed to make him a Vevo Dscvr artist). Tjay and Bleu were easy to root for, the runway was right in front of them to take off.
Polo G was different. His music was more contemplative and included a touch of introspection that was hopeful despite many of his songs being entrenched with a grim fate. But could he carry that same measure in his songs and be entertaining while performing them? It was a question many had leaving Sony Hall that night.
Before an answer could arrive “Pop Out” took off. Like, really took off.
Threatening, more up tempo and balanced out by Polo’s smooth delivery and Tjay’s energetic taunts, the record became a streaming juggernaut and later a radio smash. The kind that necessitates a star-studded remix. Lil Baby and Gunna were recruited to extend the record’s long shelf life.
It was the type of life-changing record every artist craves, save for maybe Polo G.
His debut, Die A Legend, was released on June 7, 2019 and was praised in reviews; Stereogum called it “remarkable” and hiphopdx.com said it was a “beautifully crafted blend of honesty and tragedy.” “Pop Out” redux it was not. But he had arrived, with the imprint of a rapper who had a deft take on life and loss.
A not-so-funny thing happened on the way to releasing his sophomore album. Two months before the May retail date for The Goat, the world was shut down under the auspices of a global pandemic courtesy of Covid-19. For the foreseeable future, we would all be homebound. Some artists chose to push their album release and others instead pushed ahead.
Rather than rest on his laurels and perhaps as a way to further bolster his stock before everything opens back up, Polo G is back with a new project.
Polo G was among the latter. His The Goat album arrived and was insteadly hailed. It was among my favorite albums of 2020. “Heartless” was his priority record; produced by Mustard, it was a slow-burning, story-telling number where Polo G painted an opaque picture of Northside Chicago youths. He was all of 21-years-old telling this tale.
“Flex,” “21,” and “Relentless” were among the many tracks to take this restrained approach. It worked. And without the need to move fans’ feet at clubs, concerts or festivals, he was able to fill their minds with deeply-moving songs amidst the country trying to reconcile the conditions that led to the conditions Polo G often rapped about. He met the moment with the right (beautifully, crafted) material.
Rather than rest on his laurels and perhaps as a way to further bolster his stock before everything opens back up, Polo G is back with a new project just a year later with Hall of Fame.
The album continues his ghetto gospel and primed with the attention stardom begets, he’ll now have more good will as he looks to move past the curated pre-taped performances he conducted for the likes of
Genius,
NPR and late-night television.
His lead single “Rapstar” has scored him his first Hot 100 chart-topper and RapCaviar fans crowned the record the best of the year (so far).
For his part, Polo is playing his own game more than one for pop stardom. Two records “Party Lyfe” and “For the Love of New York,” featuring DaBaby and Nicki Minaj, respectively, are pointed toward mass appeal, though with his own distinct DNA. Instead, he’s doubled down on his vision, sharing the stories of those he loved and lost.
It worked when Polo G only had to record and release. Now when the demand will be more, we’ll see if he can sell product the same. One thing is for certain, the supply is going to stay the same.
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