Polo G Bio
Taurus Tremani Bartlett, known professionally as Polo G, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter from Chicago, Illinois. He rose to prominence in the late 2010s with the singles “Finer Things” and “Pop Out,” which led to his major-label debut Die a Legend (2019), an album certified double platinum by the RIAA. His follow-up releases The Goat (2020) and Hall of Fame (2021) cemented his commercial success, the latter producing his first number-one single, “Rapstar.” Polo G is recognized for melodic drill-influenced production and vivid storytelling that addresses street life, mental health, and racial issues. He is also the founder of the record label Only Dreamers Achieve (ODA).
Working primarily within Midwestern hip-hop, drill, trap, and conscious hip-hop, Polo G has built a reputation as one of the most consistent voices of his generation. He has cited American rappers Lil Wayne and Tupac Shakur as his biggest influences, alongside Chicago peers Lil Durk and G Herbo. In 2021, he was honored on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the music category.
Early Life and Background
Taurus Tremani Bartlett was born on January 6, 1999, in Chicago, Illinois. He was raised in the Marshall Field Garden Apartments in the Old Town neighborhood on the city’s north side. He is the son of Taurus Bartlett and Stacia Mac, the latter of whom is a former property manager and currently serves as her son’s manager. He grew up as the second of four children, with an older sister, a younger brother who later rapped under the stage name Trench Baby, and a younger sister.
Bartlett attended Wendell Phillips Academy High School in Chicago, where he began refining his songwriting and performing abilities. After graduating, he was accepted to Lincoln University with a broadcasting major, but on his first day chose not to enroll, opting instead to pursue music full-time. He has been affiliated with the Chicago-based Almighty Vice Lord Nation, a group known for its longstanding rivalries with other city organizations.
From an early age, Bartlett was drawn to storytelling through rap, drawing inspiration from the music of Lil Wayne, Tupac Shakur, Gucci Mane, Lil Durk, and G Herbo. These influences shaped the piano-driven, melodic style that later defined his sound. His upbringing in one of Chicago’s most challenging neighborhoods gave him a steady stream of subject matter that would fuel his lyrics for years to come.
Path to Rapper
Bartlett’s first recorded song, “ODA,” was uploaded to YouTube and marked the beginning of his musical journey. In 2018, he created a SoundCloud account and released “Gang with Me,” which quickly accumulated millions of plays. He followed with the tracks “Welcome Back” and “Neva Cared,” steadily growing an audience that responded to his vivid street narratives. His song “Finer Things,” written while he was incarcerated, became his first breakout single and earned millions of views online.
In early 2019, Bartlett released “Pop Out” featuring Lil Tjay, which peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. The music video surpassed 200 million views on YouTube and led to a major record deal with Columbia Records. This momentum gave him the platform needed to release his debut studio album later that year, a turning point in his career. The path from independent uploads to a major-label contract happened within roughly a year, an unusually fast rise for a Chicago drill artist.
Polo G Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
Polo G released his debut studio album, Die a Legend, on June 7, 2019. The project peaked at number 6 on the Billboard 200 and was later certified double platinum by the RIAA. Standout tracks included “Pop Out,” “Deep Wounds,” “Through da Storm,” “Effortless,” and “Dyin’ Breed,” each accompanied by official music videos that expanded his reach. Later in 2019, he released the single “Heartless,” which featured production from Mustard and was later included on his second album.
He was also featured on tracks that broadened his network within the industry, collaborating with rising New York rapper Lil Tjay and others. The success of Die a Legend established him as a key voice in the new wave of Chicago hip-hop. It also set the stage for a quick follow-up release as he continued to release music at a steady pace.
Breakthrough (2020–2021)
Bartlett released his second studio album, The Goat, on May 15, 2020. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and produced ten charting songs on the Billboard Hot 100, including “Flex” featuring Juice Wrld and “Be Something” featuring Lil Baby. That same month, he appeared alongside Lil Baby on “3 Headed Goat” by Lil Durk, which peaked at number 43 on the Hot 100. In July 2020, he was featured on Juice Wrld’s posthumous album Legends Never Die on “Hate the Other Side,” which became his first top-ten single, peaking at number 10.
In August 2020, he was included on XXL’s 2020 Freshman Class, a major recognition within the hip-hop community. In September 2020, he announced the launch of his own label, Only Dreamers Achieve (ODA), with Syracuse-based artist Scorey as his first signee. The same year brought further chart success with singles “Martin & Gina” and “Epidemic,” along with a feature on King Von’s “The Code.”
On April 9, 2021, Polo G released “Rapstar,” which debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, his first chart-topping single. His third studio album, Hall of Fame, followed on June 11, 2021, and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 143,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. A deluxe edition, Hall of Fame 2.0, was released on December 3, 2021, adding fourteen new tracks to the original twenty.
Notable Works and Milestones
Polo G’s signature work to date is the album Hall of Fame (2021), which produced his first number-one single, “Rapstar.” On August 11, 2023, he became the first and only rapper to have all of his studio albums certified double platinum by the RIAA, an unprecedented achievement for an artist of his era. He has also been celebrated on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the music category for 2021.
Polo G Award Nominations
Polo G has received recognition across major industry platforms, including the Forbes 30 Under 30 music list in 2021 and inclusion in XXL’s 2020 Freshman Class. His chart performance, particularly multiple entries on the Billboard Hot 100 and number-one positions on both the Hot 100 and the Billboard 200, has established him as a consistent commercial force in modern hip-hop.
Polo G Awards Won
Polo G was honored in the 2021 Forbes 30 Under 30 list under the music category, a notable early-career milestone. He has also achieved multiple RIAA certifications, with each of his studio albums reaching double-platinum status, making him the first rapper to accomplish that feat. These accomplishments reflect both critical recognition and sustained commercial success across his first three studio releases.
Polo G Family
Polo G is the son of Taurus Bartlett and Stacia Mac. He is the second of four children, with an older sister, a younger brother known by the stage name Trench Baby, and a younger sister. His mother, Stacia Mac, has served as his manager and has been involved in key moments of his career, including advocacy during his 2021 Miami arrest. His brother Taurean, who raps as Trench Baby, has been associated with him in both music and legal matters over the years.
Personal Life
Bartlett has a son, born on July 6, 2019. In August 2019, he was hospitalized following a near-fatal drug overdose, an experience that led him to stop using Ecstasy and Xanax. He has been open about the impact of his friend and fellow rapper Juice Wrld’s death on his decision to pursue a healthier lifestyle. Beyond his family, Polo G remains focused on expanding his label Only Dreamers Achieve and continuing to release new music for his fan base.