With the release of “The GOAT,” Polo G proves to the world that he has both next and now.

STREAM

TOP 5

5. (TIE) BEAUTIFUL PAIN (LOSIN MY MIND) & I KNOW

Polo G is someone who will probably shoot you if he needs to, but on both “Beautiful Pain (Losin My Mind)” and “I Know,” he comes across like a vulnerable kid that doesn’t mind talking about the people he misses, the people he loves, and the cruel world that we live in. He also proves to the world that young rappers like himself are more than capable of singing nicely without autotune.

3. FLEX

“Flex” features a Chicagoan that has next, and a Chicagoan that we lost way too early.

Though Juice WRLD and Polo G were/are young, they still knew/know how to spit like veterans. On “Flex,” they joined forces, hitting us with nothing but cold/unadulterated bars. To be more specific, in the song, Juice WRLD and Polo effortlessly let the world know that they don’t mind flossing on us, shooting their guns, and putting in work in the streets.

“Flex” flows really well. It almost feels like Polo and Juice made the song in one take.

2. HEARTLESS

On “Heartless,” Polo G passionately raps about smoking opps, his street certified ways, and his come up.

I think you’re going to love the emotional trap beat that powers “Heartless” (Kudos to Mustard).  You’re also going to love how Polo spills his guts out on the song, gifting us with this gritty, yet melodic sound rapping-wise. When you combine both aspects, what you get is a banger that is too real to ignore.

1. WISHING FOR A HERO

“Wishing For A Hero” will give you chills.

“Wishing For A Hero” flips “Changes” by Tupac. With that being said, Polo G definitely puts up a performance on the song that feels beyond original. Literally, from start to finish, he hits us with passionate bars about growing up black in America and staying alive in a world that constantly tries to put him in the dirt. While you’re going to appreciate how a young man like Polo can speak words so wise, you’re going to absolutely love how focused he sounds on the song.

BJ The Chicago is featured on “Wishing For A Hero,” and as expected, he gifts us with a soulful rendition of the hook you hear on Tupac’s “Changes.”

SONG BY SONG RATINGS

1. DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE (4/5)

2. HEARTLESS (5/5)

3. MARTIN & GINA (3.5/5)

4. FLEX (4/5)

5. GO STUPID (4/5)

6. 21 (4/5)

7. 33 (3/5)

8. I KNOW (4/5)

9. BEAUTIFUL PAIN (LOSIN MY MIND) (4/5)

10. NO MATTER WHAT (3.5/5)

11. BE SOMETHING (3.5/5)

12. RELENTLESS (3/5)

13. DND (4/5)

14. CHINATOWN (3.5/5)

15. TRIALS & TRIBULATIONS (4/5)

16. WISHING FOR A HERO (5/5)

OVERALL RATING

(B-)

So what are Polo G’s strengths?

1. I love him as a lyricist. Though he brags about his come-up and talks about violence a lot, he does it in a way that feels passionate, intricate, and justifiable. He also taps deep into his feelings on his verses, showing no fear when it comes to talking about his personal struggles with drugs, love, and PTSD.
2. He clearly has a sound that he sticks to. Songs like “Heartless,” “Don’t Believe The Hype,” “21,” “I Know,” and “DND” sound very similar to one another (They each have emotional hood feels). On the flip side, someone can say that he makes music that sounds repetitive. Well, I’ll take repetitive music that sounds good over unique music that sounds bad.
3. He doesn’t use autotune.
4. He has a good ear for music. He knows when to switch between gritty rapper and soulful singer in his music masterfully. He also knows the importance of letting a beat guide you to the finish line of a song.

So what are Polo G’s weaknesses?

1. My one beef with Polo G is that he recycles flows. If he is able to get a bit more dynamic stylistically, he could be one of the best rappers in the game in a few years.

Overall, THE GOAT is a fantastic album. I don’t love the cover artwork attached to it, but I do love the passion and rivetting vibes that nearly every song you hear on it has. Polo clearly wants to be great, and I’ve learned to never underestimate people that give off that aurora.

Quincy

Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.