Polo G
The world of fashion is about to change forever. With his debut collection, Polo G is set to take over the industry. He has already received praise from some of the most influential names in the fashion world. His style is unique and he has been compared to Kanye West and A$AP Rocky. This young designer is definitely one to watch out for.
Early life
Taurus Tremani Bartlet was born in the Old City area of Chicago, Illinois to Taurus Bartlett, a chef, and Stacia Mac, a real estate agent. Her father died when she was three months old, and her mother remarried to Michael “Mac” MacKenzie. She has one younger brother named Dylan.
She attended elementary school at the University School of Chicago and middle school at the Newberry College Prep High School. In high school, she played field hockey and basketball. After graduating from high school, she studied marketing at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. During her college career, she became involved with the Kappa Alpha Society sorority and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society. She graduated summa cum laude in 2004.
After graduation, she worked as an account executive at a public relations firm called Kekst & Co., where she met her husband, David Tremani. They married in 2008. She later joined his family-owned restaurant chain, T.G.I. Friday’s, as director of corporate communications. At the same time, she began working part-time as a personal trainer while raising their son, Liam.
In 2012, she left T.G.I.’s Friday’s to become a full-time mom, and she took on a part-time job teaching fitness classes at a local gym. A few months later, she gave birth to daughter, Ella Rose. By 2013, Bartlett had returned to work at Kekst & Co. as vice president of media relations.
Career
In 2017, Bartlett began posting videos to YouTube, where he gained over 3 million views within just one month. In January 2018, he uploaded his debut single, “Ode to Joy,” which had been written about his grandmother. The song reached number 2 on iTunes’ Top Songs chart, and it became his first hit.
After releasing another song called “Gang With Me” in February 2018, Bartlett signed a publishing contract with Sony ATV Publishing, allowing him to write music full-time. His next single, “Welcome Back,” peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it his second top 10 hit.
On July 11, 2018, Bartlett released his third single, “Neva Cared.” On August 8, he announced via Twitter that he had signed a recording contract with RCA Records. A week later, he revealed that he would be releasing his debut album, Die a Legend, on November 9.
2020–present: The Goat, Hall of Fame, and Only Dreamers Achieve Records
In October 2018, Bartlett signed to Atlantic Records, following the release of his debut album, The Goat. He had been working with producers such as DJ Mustard and Noah “40” Shebib since 2011. His first single, “Pop Out,” debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated December 17, 2018, reaching number 65. He later revealed that he had recorded over 50 songs during the making of The Goat.
On January 7, 2020, he released “Go Stupid.” The song peaked at number 60 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming his second entry on the chart.
The next day, it was revealed that Bartlett was one of three finalists for the 2020 MTV VMAs Artist To Watch award.
On February 11, 2020, he released the single, “GNF (OK OK OK)”, featuring American rapper Lil Baby. The song reached number 29 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart, becoming his third entry on the chart. It also peaked at number 22 on the UK Singles Chart.
He was named to Forbes’ list of America’s Top 30 Under 30 in Music for 2020.
On February 13, he released “Ok Ok Ok”, which features Canadian singer Shawn Mendes. Its music video premiered on Vevo on February 16, and it received positive reviews from critics, including from Mendes himself. It peaked at number 34 on the US Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, becoming his fourth entry on the chart. The song also peaked at number 33 on the UK Singles Downloads Chart.
On February 15, he performed at the 2020 Grammy Awards.
Artistry
Polo G, aka 21 Savage, is one of the most influential artists in hip hop music today. His debut album, Yung Rich Nation, debuted at number three on Billboard 200, making him the youngest artist ever to reach that spot. In addition, he became the first rapper to release a mixtape prior to his first full-length studio project.
The Atlanta native grew up listening to rap legends like Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur. However, it wasn’t until he moved to Chicago that he discovered drill. While there, he heard a lot of drill songs that had a similar beat pattern to what he was doing, and began emulating those sounds. Eventually, he developed his own unique style while still keeping the same tempo.
He eventually signed with 300 Entertainment, a label founded by Kanye West. There, he worked alongside fellow rapper Offset, whose style is very different from Polo’s. During this period, Polo produced a few tracks under the name “21 Savage,” which led fans to believe that he was actually just another member of the duo. However, he soon changed his moniker to Polo G and released his first EP, Savage Mode, in 2018.
In 2019, he released his second EP, titled I Am Not Your Man. On the album, he touches upon some of the toughest topics in modern society, such as racism and mental illness. A song called “Riot Act” addresses police brutality against African Americans, while “I Ain’t Got Time” tackles the issue of gun violence.
Personal life
In May 2018, Bartlett announced via Instagram that he had been engaged to model Hailey Baldwin. They broke up in November 2018. In February 2020, it was reported that Baldwin had gotten pregnant with Bartlett’s child.