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Polo G Announces Release Date For Upcoming Album 'HOOD POET'
Today (Aug. 15), Polo G announced his forthcoming album, HOOD POET. Scheduled to debut on Sept. 15, the reveal came via a 24-hour YouTube live stream that also offered glimpses of the project’s creative process.
“Numb, but not completely. Numb enough to grow in faith from my self-inflicted wounds. Numb enough to struggle with the words, ‘I love you.’ Numb enough to decline a good time but not numb enough to feel my own strength. The strength built from let downs of picking myself up,” he said in the clip.
“I heard whispers. I heard cries. I heard gunshots through the night. I heard paramedic sirens. I heard someone say, ‘It’ll be alright,'” Polo continued. “There is no live experience without confusion or heartbreak. My path and my destiny is what made me concrete. He overcame obstacles during pain or emotional trauma. HOOD POET.”
Watch the trailer below.
This will serve as the Chicago rapper’s first LP in over two years. Hall of Fame dropped in June of 2021 and was reissued as Hall of Fame 2.0 in December.
Elsewhere, the stream showcased a massive mural featuring a design synonymous with the album and previewed songs from the upcoming release. It was accompanied by a countdown to each preview so that fans could tune in at the right moment.
To commemorate the announcement, Polo purchased a new chain from Icebox. It was adorned with a massive heart-shaped pendant bearing the LP’s title. Alongside a goat (also an acronym for “greatest of all time,” a nod to his second project’s title), the piece also covered a microphone and a hand holding a pen in diamonds.
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According to the press release, Polo worked closely with frequent collaborator Southside on HOOD POET to make it his most personal project to date. The acronym stands for “He overcame obstacles during pain or emotional trauma.”
Moreover, the lead single is titled “Barely Holdin’ On,” which will be released on Aug. 18. It will be joined by a companion music video directed by Arrad.