Polo G was originally known for his Chicago drill sound, but eventually transitioned to a more melodic style. He has been noted for his "vivid and explicit storytelling"; his lyrics often involve tough subjects, including racism and mental health. He also regularly pays homage to his hometown, and, as noted by Ayana Rashed of Respect, "he is also quick to acknowledge the common injustice and frequent police brutality he and so many others face on the daily". He has stated that American rapper Lil Wayne and hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur are his biggest influences. He also grew up listening to Gucci Mane, as well as Chicago rappers Lil Durk, G Herbo and Chief Keef.
Bartlett was born in the Old Town area of Chicago. He was raised by both of his parents and grew up with three siblings in a small project development known as Marshall Field Garden Apartments. Before his rise to fame, Bartlett spent multiple stints in prison. Bartlett's first song ever recorded was titled "ODA". Upon creating a SoundCloud account in 2018, he released the track "Gang With Me", which quickly racked up millions of plays. He continued gaining traction with his songs "Welcome Back" and "Neva Cared". Bartlett went on to release "Finer Things", a song he wrote while incarcerated, in the latter half of 2018 and quickly gained millions of views. In early 2019, Bartlett released "Pop Out" featuring Lil Tjay which peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song's music video gained over 200 million views on YouTube and led to him signing a record deal with Columbia Records. Bartlett also released videos for his songs "Deep Wounds", "Through Da Storm", "Effortless", and "Dyin' Breed" from his critically acclaimed debut studio album Die a Legend, which was released on June 7, 2019, and peaked at number 6 on the Billboard 200. "Heartless", a single released later in 2019, featured production from Mustard, and was later featured on his second album.
On February 14, 2020, Polo G released the track "Go Stupid", with rappers Stunna 4 Vegas and NLE Choppa. The song also featured production from Mike Will Made-It and Tay Keith. "Go Stupid" became his second song on the Hot 100 (after "Pop Out"), peaking at number 60 on the Hot 100, number 29 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and number 20 on Hot Rap Songs. Polo G released his second studio album, The Goat, on May 15, 2020. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and ten songs from the album hit the Hot 100, including "Flex" featuring Juice Wrld and "Be Something" featuring Lil Baby, peaking at numbers 30 and 57, respectively.
In July 2020, Polo G was featured on Juice Wrld's posthumous album Legends Never Die on the song "Hate the Other Side". The song peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, Polo G's first top-ten single and highest charting overall song. On August 11, 2020, Polo G was included in XXL's 2020 Freshman Class. Later that month, he released the music video for his single "Martin & Gina", which peaked at number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Last Man Standing
Polo G Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Uh, uh, uh
Uh, uh, uh
Uh, uh, uh
No more revolution, it's just fuck the opps, ignore the peace
Died in the hood, he never left, it's so much more to see
Heard the news 'bout him, really hurt me to my core for weeks
Jealous of my melanin, what make you human more than me?
They threatin' us, oppressin' us, we 'posed to play that cordially
Thinkin' 'bout that shit, like what if George was me?
Justice is fucked up, it's them to sit back and watch them torture me
Like why you ain't gon' help me, just recordin' me?
Feel pressure, then I'm shootin', final seconds after the quarter three
'Cause I be damned if I let a pig put a fork in me
The feds knockin', that just mean the devil at the door for me
I just hope the Lord with me
They tried to change the rules, but shit ain't goin' how they planned it
Guarantee you I'm gon' be the last man standin'
Officer down, bodies droppin' and them shells landin'
Chi-town leadin' like Fred Hampton (uh)
Them babies starvin', their parents can't even afford Pampers
No wonder why it's hustle or die, and clap hammers
He dropped out of school, he only speakin' that trap grammar
They teachin' us lies, them facts scatter
Don't want us with self love, missin' history, ain't got answers
So they ain't promotin' no black Jesus or black Santa
Know our day will rise when we see through all the propaganda
On that front line, fist balled like Black Panther
Starin' in the eyes of a nigga-hatin' cracker
Like why the fuck I gotta prove to you my black ass matters?
No, really, why the fuck we still marchin'?
Badge abusers still sparkin'
'Cause my skin color I've seen real darkness
They tried to change the rules, but shit ain't goin' how they planned it
Guarantee you I'm gon' be the last man standin'
Officer down, bodies droppin' and them shells landin'
Chi-town leadin' like Fred Hampton (uh)
Uh, uh, uh
Uh, uh, uh
Uh, uh, uh
Uh, uh
Uh-uh, uh
Uh-uh, uh
Uh-uh, uh
Uh
In “Last Man Standing” by Polo G, the lyrics center around the ongoing systemic oppression that black Americans face in society. These lyrics describe the disillusionment towards justice, the violence, and the societal neglect of black communities. He highlights the magnitude of the issue and the existence of a deep-rooted racism that permeates all aspects of black Americans' lives.
The first verse of the song emphasizes that revolutionary ideas like “peace” have failed and that it’s every man for himself against the oppressors. The subject matter becomes even more personal in the following lines where Polo G recalls a friend who died in his neighborhood - another victim of systemic racism. The rapper then references the ongoing struggle against police brutality and expresses his anger towards the onlookers who would rather capture his plight on camera than intervene. The Bridge follows the theme of resistance, stating that fighting back is the only option to avoid being subdued. The verse ends with the acknowledgment that the resistance is not simply for self-preservation but also for the betterment of future generations.
The second verse highlights the plight of impoverished black Americans, who face starvation, a lack of education, and limited opportunities of escape. Polo G points out how these harsh realities push people into crime and puts them on a path to destruction. Furthermore, those who do rise above their environment still have to face the reality of racism in society. The song ends with a call to arms, imploring his listeners not to give up the fight for equality.
Line by Line Meaning
No more revolution, it's just fuck the opps, ignore the peace
There is no longer a search for significant changes, only animosity towards enemies and disregard for any peaceful solutions
Died in the hood, he never left, it's so much more to see
Someone passed away in their hometown, having never experienced anything beyond it
Heard the news 'bout him, really hurt me to my core for weeks
Receiving news of someone's passing had a significant and prolonged impact on the singer
The other side and twelve hunnid while we explore the streets
The enemy and law enforcement are both present while the artist and others in their community go about their daily lives
Jealous of my melanin, what make you human more than me?
The artist questions why some would feel superior just because of differences in skin color
They threatin' us, oppressin' us, we 'posed to play that cordially
Those in power are intimidating and subjugating the singer and their community, and there is an expectation to accept it without resistance
Thinkin' 'bout that shit, like what if George was me?
The singer reflects on the possibility that they too could have been a victim of police brutality and systemic racism
Justice is fucked up, it's them to sit back and watch them torture me
The legal system is flawed, and it feels like others are just watching as the artist and others are mistreated
Like why you ain't gon' help me, just recordin' me?
The artist questions why bystanders would only film and not actively help in a dangerous or unjust situation
Feel pressure, then I'm shootin', final seconds after the quarter three
If under threat, the artist would use force to defend themselves, even in the last moments of a game
'Cause I be damned if I let a pig put a fork in me
The singer refuses to let police brutality and racism defeat or kill them
The feds knockin', that just mean the devil at the door for me
Government officials coming to the artist's home is seen as a negative or possibly dangerous event
I just hope the Lord with me
The singer hopes for the protection and guidance of a higher power in difficult situations
They tried to change the rules, but shit ain't goin' how they planned it
Those in power attempted to manipulate circumstances, but things did not go the way they intended
Guarantee you I'm gon' be the last man standin'
The singer is confident that they will persist and overcome in a difficult situation
Officer down, bodies droppin' and them shells landin'
Police and civilians are being injured or killed, and gunshots are heard
Chi-town leadin' like Fred Hampton (uh)
Chicago is at the forefront of a movement, similar to the way Fred Hampton led the Black Panther Party
Them babies starvin', their parents can't even afford Pampers
Children are suffering from hunger and lack of resources due to their family's financial struggles
No wonder why it's hustle or die, and clap hammers
It is understandable why people turn to illegal activities and violence to survive in such dire circumstances
He dropped out of school, he only speakin' that trap grammar
Someone left school and now only talks in slang related to drug dealing and other illegal activities
They teachin' us lies, them facts scatter
People in positions of authority are not being truthful or accurate, resulting in confusion and misinformation
Don't want us with self love, missin' history, ain't got answers
Those in power do not want the artist and their community to feel confident in themselves or knowledgeable about their history
So they ain't promotin' no black Jesus or black Santa
The dominant culture does not promote the celebration or importance of cultural figures that represent the singer's heritage
Know our day will rise when we see through all the propaganda
There is hope that by recognizing and overcoming the misinformation spread by those in power, better days for the artist's community are possible
On that front line, fist balled like Black Panther
The singer is ready to fight for justice and equality, symbolized through the raised fist associated with the Black Panther Party
Starin' in the eyes of a nigga-hatin' cracker
The singer is confronting someone who hates black people due to their skin color
Like why the fuck I gotta prove to you my black ass matters?
The singer is frustrated that they have to convince others that their life and experiences as a black person are valid and important
No, really, why the fuck we still marchin'?
The artist questions why protests and rallies are still necessary in the ongoing fight for equality and justice
Badge abusers still sparkin'
Police officers who abuse their power and harm civilians are still active and causing harm
'Cause my skin color I've seen real darkness
The singer has experienced significant hardship and discrimination due to their race
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Taurus Tremani Bartlett, Jahmere Tylon, James Patrick Frank
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
SKGQUINN - Topic
This whole project deserves respect
william neal
Righteous words unity amongst our people will never get popular views. Much love to this young brother. Modern day Tupac of y'all generation. But he won't get his flowers until he passes away. Polo G young legend
Ivy Rich
Definetly
Guillermo Gutiérrez
Que gran música 🙂
jose ap santos
Boa noite um bela obra de arte. Adorei o vídeo.
Chosen One
Why Polo g version ain’t got no views?
Ra Beka G Shakur
What other version is it?
Fade Chungus
@luv shoaib my cousin is in that movie
Chosen One
@luv shoaib Movies without too much hype tend to be better
luv shoaib
@Chosen One it’s not shown to anyone’s reccomended u would have to searching to find this. and also because it’s a track to a movie that has 0 hype