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.
Piano G
Polo G Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Dj on the beat so it's a banger)
He had it hard, now he just tellin' his story
Speak from the heart and I just tell 'em, "Record me"
Fi' was my nigga ever since we was shorties
Living lawless, we don't respect no authority
My paper straight, can't put these hoes for my priorities
No, I ain't trippin', I just play this shit accordingly
Strapped in the field, he got blood on his cleats (oh, oh, oh)
Stickin' to my .40 like a Velcro strap
Don't go tweakin' with my shorties or them shells gon' clap
Swing that red beam, leave yo' head in yo' lap
My nigga institutionalized in them cell doors trapped
Free all them real niggas locked away
Still slavery, it's just modern-day
Married the game, now we partin' ways
Do it for gang, that's the hardest phase
They let it bang, yeah, them Glocks'll spray, oh
Had it hard, so my heart kinda heavy and I'm scarred
'Cause deep feelings like machete
Finally made it pourin' champagne on my prezi
I can only give you my all if you let me, uh, uh, uh
He had it hard, now he just tellin' his story
Speak from the heart and I just tell 'em, "Record me"
Fi' was my nigga ever since we was shorties
Living lawless, we don't respect no authority
My paper straight, can't put these hoes for my priorities
I'm trapped inside 'cause I don't know who really for me
No, I ain't trippin', I just play this shit accordingly
Strapped in the field, he got blood on his cleats
And I wonder, would the love be the same
If I couldn't make no more hits?
I hit the stu' all the time with a dream in my eyes
Tryna ball like a number one pick
They don't really know 'bout the times I cried
Just to put this Cartier on my wrist
I'd give up every last chain just to give my grandma one more kiss
One minute you here then you gone
Lotta shit just happen so quick
But as life goes on, more niggas just fade away out them pics
Lookin' back on them times I ain't have no luck on my side
Used to wonder how bad it can get
Tryna find my place in this world
Used to wonder was I ever gon' fit
Every day high as hell just takin' up space on the block
I ain't even have no blick
Same niggas yellin' bro and shit, it was jokes and shit
Used to laugh when I'm like shit
Like damn, I'll risk it all for the gang
Still be the one niggas won't miss
I was in denial runnin' from reality
A lotta shit I ain't wanna admit, oh
He had it hard, now he just tellin' his story
Speak from the heart and I just tell 'em, "Record me"
Fi' was my nigga ever since we was shorties
Living lawless, we don't respect no authority
My paper straight, can't put these hoes for my priorities
I'm trapped inside 'cause I don't know who really for me
No, I ain't trippin', I just play this shit accordingly
Strapped in the field and he got blood on his cleats
In โPiano G,โ Polo G speaks about the struggles of his past and the path that made him the person he is today. The lyrics refer to Polo Gโs friend, Fi', who was with him since they were kids. They lived lawless, without respect for authority, and only cared about their priorities. Polo G is trapped inside since he doesn't know who to trust in his life โ he stays cautious and plays it accordingly. He talks about his friend getting institutionalized in the prison system, calling for the release of all the real people who are locked away in jail. Despite the struggles he faced, he reflects on his journey to where he is now, pouring champagne on his prezi and living the life he always desired.
The song's opening lines, where Polo G expresses his intention to make a banger out of this song and calls out the DJ, suggest that this is a powerful piece of music that the rapper feels is one of his greatest hits. Polo G's flow, bars, and delivery are masterful, as he speaks to his own experiences and invites listeners into his world. The repeated line, "He had it hard, now he's just telling his story," reflects the rapper's story and his journey through life. The song's ending lines suggest that Polo G sees himself as someone who's made it through many difficulties, and he's giving his listeners the same message: keep pushing, keep living life to the fullest, and never give up hope.
Line by Line Meaning
He had it hard, now he just tellin' his story
Polo G's difficult past experiences now inspire his music
Speak from the heart and I just tell 'em, "Record me"
He expresses his emotions in his music and asks to be recorded
Fi' was my nigga ever since we was shorties
Polo G's friend has been his friend since childhood
Living lawless, we don't respect no authority
They live outside the law and don't respect authority
My paper straight, can't put these hoes for my priorities
He prioritizes his money and won't let women distract him
I'm trapped inside 'cause I don't know who really for me
He feels isolated because he doesn't know who his true friends are
No, I ain't trippin', I just play this shit accordingly
He handles his life and career with calmness and planning
Strapped in the field, he got blood on his cleats (oh, oh, oh)
He's a gangster and has been involved in violence
Stickin' to my .40 like a Velcro strap
He carries his gun with him all the time
Don't go tweakin' with my shorties or them shells gon' clap
Don't mess with his friends, or he will take action
Swing that red beam, leave yo' head in yo' lap
He threatens violence towards those who cross him
My nigga institutionalized in them cell doors trapped
His friend is in prison and stuck
Free all them real niggas locked away
He wants his incarcerated friends to be released
Still slavery, it's just modern-day
He compares the justice system to slavery
Married the game, now we partin' ways
He's distancing himself from the dangerous lifestyle of the streets
Do it for gang, that's the hardest phase
He struggles to leave his gang behind
They let it bang, yeah, them Glocks'll spray, oh
Violence is commonplace in his community
Had it hard, so my heart kinda heavy and I'm scarred
He's been through tough times, which affect him emotionally
'Cause deep feelings like machete
His emotional pain cuts deep like a machete
Finally made it pourin' champagne on my prezi
He's achieved success and celebrates with champagne
I can only give you my all if you let me, uh, uh, uh
He wants to give his all in his music, but needs help from his audience
And I wonder, would the love be the same
He wonders if people would still support him if he wasn't successful
If I couldn't make no more hits?
He questions his value without hits
I hit the stu' all the time with a dream in my eyes
He's constantly working on his music with a dream of success
Tryna ball like a number one pick
He wants to be as successful as a top athlete
They don't really know 'bout the times I cried
People don't know about his emotional struggles
Just to put this Cartier on my wrist
He worked hard to earn expensive jewelry
I'd give up every last chain just to give my grandma one more kiss
He values family over material possessions
One minute you here then you gone
Life is unpredictable and can end suddenly
Lotta shit just happen so quick
Life moves fast and unexpected things happen
But as life goes on, more niggas just fade away out them pics
His friends die or fade away as life goes on
Lookin' back on them times I ain't have no luck on my side
He reflects on his past when he had bad luck
Used to wonder how bad it can get
He used to wonder if things could get worse
Tryna find my place in this world
He searches for his purpose and where he fits in
Used to wonder was I ever gon' fit
He questions if he will ever find his place
Every day high as hell just takin' up space on the block
He used to waste time and get high on the streets
I ain't even have no blick
He didn't even have a gun
Same niggas yellin' bro and shit, it was jokes and shit
His friends used to joke around by calling each other "bro"
Used to laugh when I'm like shit
He used to go along with his friends' jokes
Like damn, I'll risk it all for the gang
He used to prioritize his gang over all else
Still be the one niggas won't miss
Even if he risks everything for his gang, they still wouldn't care if he was gone
I was in denial runnin' from reality
He avoided facing the truth and ran away from reality
A lotta shit I ain't wanna admit, oh
He didn't want to admit things about himself and his past
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Taurus Tremani Bartlett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Yowkiddo
Intro]
(Oh yeah, I'm finna make a banger with this one)
(DJ on the beat so itโs a banger)
[Chorus]
He had it hard, now he just tellinโ his story
Speak from the heart and Iโjustโtellโโem, โRecord meโ
Fiveโwas my niggaโever since we was shorties
Living lawless, we donโt respect no authority
My paper straight, canโt put these hoes for my priorities
Iโm trapped inside 'cause I donโt know who really for me
No, I ainโt trippinโ, I just play this shit accordingly
Trapped in the field, he got blood on his cleats
[Verse 1]
Stickinโ to my .40 like a Velcro strap
Donโt go tweakinโ wit my shorties or them shells gonโ clap
Swing that red beam, leave yo' head in yo' lap
My nigga institutionalized in them cell doors, trapped
Free all them real niggas locked away
Still slavery, itโs just modern day
Married the game, now we partinโ ways
Do it for gang, thatโs the hardest phase
They let it bang, yeah them Glocksโll spray, oh
Had it hard, so my heart kinda heavy and Iโm scarred
โCause deep feelings like machete, finally made it pourinโ champagne on my presi'
I can only give you my all if you let me, uh, uh,uh
[Chorus]
He had it hard, now he just tellinโ his story
Speak from the heart and I just tell โem, โRecord meโ
Five was my nigga ever since we was shorties
Living lawless, we donโt respect no authority
My paper straight, canโt put these hoes for my priorities
Iโm trapped inside 'cause I donโt know who really for me
No, I ainโt trippinโ, I just play this shit accordingly
Trapped in the field, he got blood on his cleats
[Verse 2]
And I wonder, "Would the love be the same?"
If I couldnโt make no more hits
I hit the stuโ all the time with a dream in my eyes
Tryna ball like a number one pick
They donโt really know โbout the nights I cried
Just to put this Cartier on my wrist
Iโll give up every last chain just to give my grandma one more kiss
One minute you here then you gone
Lotta shit just happen so quick
But as life goes on, more niggas just fade away out them pics
Lookinโ back on them times I ainโt have no luck on my side
Used to wonder how bad it can get
Tryna find my place in this world
Used to wonder was I ever gonโ fit
Every day high as hell just takinโ up space on the block
I ainโt even have no blick
Same niggas yellinโ, "Bro" and shit, it was jokes and shit
Used to laugh when Iโm like shit
On jam, I risk it all for the gang
Still be the one niggas wonโt miss
I was in denial runninโ from reality, a lotta shit I ainโt wanna admit, uh
[Chorus]
He had it hard, now he just tellinโ his story
Speak from the heart and I just tell โem, โRecord meโ
Five was my nigga ever since we was shorties
Living lawless, we donโt respect no authority
My paper straight, canโt put these hoes for my priorities
Iโm trapped inside 'cause I donโt know who really for me
No, I ainโt trippinโ, I just play this shit accordingly
Trapped in the field, he got blood on his cleats
William Stacey
I've never called him Piano G but, in this song, he really did become Piano G and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that
Exxan
Frfr OngOng
Russian
Thatโs the point..
fwblueberries
@Troopa Records shut
Mielan Stomphorst
@fwblueberries heโs right
Briannnlouis
Best song on the album
Chaps
frl
Kendal
one of the best fr
Laquinius
Tied with unapologetic
BSR
Not the best but one of them