Hall of Fame / Polo G / June 11, 2021
- Joshua Yoo
- Jun 27, 2021
- 1 min read
After the eruption of commercial success of his sophomore album, Polo G already has his eyes set on defining his legacy among the greatest of all time, a commendable and understandable intention for any artist in his position. But instead of cementing such ideals, ‘Hall of Fame’ accomplishes more in showing room for further growth and refinement.
The signature melodic trap flows and instrument-driven production synonymous with Polo G’s artistry are ever present on this album, with varying degrees of ingenuity and quality. The doleful guitar-picked “Epidemic” shows the extent of his storytelling lyricism, but other tracks in a similar vein fail to pack the same thematic punches or compelling vocal performances (“RAPSTAR”).
However, there are deliberate and admirable attempts at varying his musical palette and lending his sound to new styles. Aggressive in-your-face deliveries (“GNF (OKOKOK)”) and heavy rock guitar instrumentals (“Broken Guitars”) are outside the boundaries of his usual zone, which unfortunately reflects in the awkwardness and discordance of most of these efforts. It may be some time before he can fill other stylistic shoes deftly, but the initial effort is encouraging.
Although it may appear it’s not, Polo G is slowly expanding his sound, and it is a process that will take time. This album makes it evident that it is just the beginning of the process.
Highlight(s): Epidemic, GANG GANG, Clueless, No Return, Bloody Canvas, Go Part 1
Lowlight(s): GNF (OKOKOK), Broken Guitars, Zooted Freestyle, Losses
SCORE: 5/10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64IGINWXrGQ
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