The wait is over: Polo G is back with a full album project called Hood Poet. The album has 18 tracks and a running time of less than an hour, and the sound takes its time to build up. That said, it’s accumulation at its best, taking listeners across different emotions and styles at a leisurely pace.
The album opens with the anthem “God’s Favorite,” in which Polo raps about his feelings of being God’s favorite and pays homage to his foundation. The confidence here is top-notch, backed by a chorus-like backing of vocals that back up the high-pitched hooks.
The project then transitions into “No Recruits,” which features G Herbo’s excellent feature, drawing energy from the first track before moving into “Barely Holdin’ On,” which takes a more melodic approach. Through simple trap production, Polo G confesses how burdened and imperfect he is, and how he barely hangs on – the latter part providing constant comfort during dark times.
Following this, we’re faced with another trap-heavy attack courtesy of 42 Dugg’s “Only Gang,” a shimmering ringtone sample giving the track a nostalgic feel without sacrificing the energy. In fact, a softer energy comes from Fridayy’s “Same Me,” a song that utilizes a simple drill bounce over some ethereal reverb-soaked vocal parts that speak to the soul. The emotional production content is pushed further on Detox, but lyrically, not so much: after all, this is the subject of addiction we’re talking about.
Offset also performs very well on G63, which is arguably a more modern trap piece than most of the original recordings on the album. This contemporary feel is further developed on Lil Durk’s “We Uh Shoot,” where he takes an Auto-Tune approach and raps quickly and deftly over hat stutters. Of course, the feeling of soul returns, transcending slight aberrations, with The Kid LAROI in “Rain Fallin’,” as he navigates what appears to be depression and anxiety on a rainy day with no sunshine in sight.
We hope this preview gets you excited for the rest of the album. If one thing is for sure, it’s that this album is a very personal project for Polo G, with an authenticity that transcends the sonic format that’s been tested in terms of production. Check it out for yourself!
