Polo G has fulfilled and even surpassed his "Rapstar" moniker in the past two years with consistent and explosive success in the rap game. With last year's blowup sophomore album The Goat, a #1 song on Billboard, and today's release of his third album Hall of Fame, there seems to be nothing that can stop the Chicago rapper's drive. Polo G sat down with The Breakfast Club today to discuss these successes, his journey to the top, and more with Charlamagne and the group. He spoke on everything from drug addiction, his high-profile collaborations, and his vision for the future.
Polo G, real name Taurus Bartlett, began the interview speaking on his recent purchase of a $5 million mansion- a perfect metaphor for his stature in the contemporary rap game. "It's like the level that I'm at now in my career. It's a reflection of it at this point," the rapper had to say about the purchase. Purchasing mansions and working with industry legends like Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj hasn't come without hard work, however, says Bartlett who began writing songs when he was nine. He began taking music seriously in his senior year of high school and enrolled in an HBCU, though he "had just went to the studio instead and stayed in Chicago", as he tells Charlamagne. He then tapped his "businesswoman" mom to manage his music career when he started blowing up.
"It took for me to get back home and know what I just did, I'm like, damn I just shot a video with Lil Wayne," the rapper says on his impressive track "GANG GANG" with the rap legend. He then remarks how excited his family was at his new track "For the Love of New York" with Nicki Minaj. Though he finds he needs no coaching or outside direction in his career, "there's no one really experienced in the rap game who's going to coach me"- he found guidance in his short friendship with late rapper Juice WRLD.
As for the future, Polo G promises new music and another business venture into the jewelry business. He also plans on investing money into the city of Chicago, focusing on infrastructure and the livelihood of neglected neighborhoods.
Have you listened to Hall of Fame yet? Want to watch the interview? Check it out below: