15 Things You Need to Know About Polo G

Polo G is reaching new milestones every day, including his first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Here's everything you need to know about him.

Polo G "Rapstar"
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Image via Daniel Prakopcyk

Polo G "Rapstar"

Polo G keeps winning. In April 2021, the Chicago rapper scored his first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Rapstar.” The achievement followed the success of his sophomore album, The GOAT, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. 

“I put a No. 1 song down on the list of goals of mine,” he told Complex when “Rapstar” first topped the charts. “I’m big on manifesting everything. I’ve damn near manifested my whole life.”

Born Taurus Tremani Bartlett in January 1999, Polo G took an interest in rapping at an early age. Growing up listening to artists like Gucci Mane, Lil Wayne, and Tupac, Polo G has said that he tried rapping as a hobby at first. But by the time he reached high school, almost everyone noticed he had a real talent. 

Today, Polo G is known for his vulnerable and truthful storytelling, which illustrates vivid images of his time growing up in the trenches of Chicago and overcoming obstacles like gang violence and drug addiction. And with time, Polo G is only getting better. Here’s everything you need to know about him right now.

There are two meanings behind his name

Polo G

He wanted to go to an HBCU to be a sports broadcaster

Polo G

The passing of a close childhood friend influenced him to rap

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When Polo G first started writing raps, his friends would try to pressure him to recite them on their block. At the time, Polo was still a little self-conscious and didn’t want to share them. But his outlook started to change when tragedy struck. He recalls seeing people he knew getting killed on their way to school, which ultimately inspired him to write about them on wax. “With so many of my childhood friends passing away, it made me feel like I need to tell our story, and I needed to tell it from a perspective of where I’m from,” he explained in his 2020 documentary

Polo G passed English class his senior year because of his rap skills

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By the time Polo G got to high school, everyone knew he could rap, even his senior English teacher. According to Polo, rapping actually helped him pass English. “I literally used to rap for him after class,” he recalled. “He passed me in the classroom just off the strength. He made me do spoken word and shit like that. So, it was like a trade-off, because I’d never make his class.” 

He's known for his versatile sound

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Polo G first entered the game making aggressive Chicago drill music, but he has incorporated more melody into his music over time. Now that he’s become known for his melodic sound, he says he gets some mixed reviews from fans whenever he goes back to the aggressive style, but he previously told Complex that he has “a lot more to offer as an artist” than most realize and he intends on including songs with both styles on future projects. He also wants people to know that he is not a mumble rapper. “I definitely don’t count as a mumble rapper,” he stated. “I’m a real lyricist. I got a broad message, like, a real story to tell every time I spit.”

His mother is his manager

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Polo G’s mother Stacia Mac is his manager. Mac first stepped up to the role when she noticed Polo’s growing interest in becoming a rapper. “It was out of necessity,” she told DJ Booth, explaining what inspired her to become a “momager.” “He would try to fund music on his own, and I saw he was struggling. He didn’t want to lean on me financially and be a burden, so he tried to take odd jobs and do whatever he could to afford the studio. As a mother of four, he understood I had my hands full financially. But it resulted in him getting into trouble sometimes, so I would help fund his studio time.” Mac said she manages more than just Polo G’s schedule, though. She also makes sure he doesn’t “get a big head,” instills “hard work ethic, and helps organize his life.”

Polo G suffered from a three-year drug addiction

Polo G

He has one son named Tremani

Polo G "Rapstar"

Both of his albums have charted in the top 10 of the Billboard 200

Polo G "Rapstar"

He compares himself to Tupac

Polo G “Rapstar” video

He launched ODA Records in 2020

Polo G — "RAPSTAR"

He started an AAU team in Chicago to help keep youth out of trouble

Polo G "Rapstar"

He really wants a Grammy

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Polo G is aiming high. In a May 2020 interview, Polo told Complex that his next big goal was to get recognition from the Recording Academy. “[I want] a Grammy nod the next time around,” he said in reference to his next album. Polo also noted that he was looking to go “more mainstream, almost a pop level” with his music in the future. While he explained that he wouldn’t change his sound, he said that he wanted to make “crossover records with bigger pop artists.”

His features run for $150,000 (and the price is going up)

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Polo may still be considered a newer artist, but he isn’t collecting rookie checks. When it comes to features, he recently revealed he charges up to $150,000 for a verse. While he notes that he’s “willing to work with them on the price” if he has a history with an artist already, he says his rate will continue to go up as he becomes more seasoned. “I’m going to keep going up on the price for sure because I take everything that I do seriously,” he explains. “So I know you gonna get a good verse out of me.”

His next album will have big features and show his versatility as an artist

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Polo G’s next album will be on another level. He told Complex that it will include a lot more collaborations with high-profile artists and show his different styles of music. “On the next album, they can expect a star-studded feature list and a lot of versatility. I’ve got a lot of different types of music on it,” he said. “I’ve got something that somebody from any type or facet of life could pull from on this project. If you don’t like the standard pain, melodic rap, I’ve got something that’s going to turn you up, too. I’ve got all types of shit for somebody to fuck with.”

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