21 (Polo G song)

"21"
Song by Polo G
from the album The Goat
ReleasedMay 15, 2020
Length2:43
LabelColumbia
Songwriters
Producers
  • Keanu Beats
  • Rohaim
Music video
"21" on YouTube

"21" is a song by American rapper Polo G from his second studio album The Goat (2020). It was produced by Keanu Beats and Khaled Rohaim. The house in which the music-video got filmed at was in the Pariserstraße 4.

Composition

The song has been described as "808-heavy". It features two verses from Polo G, who sings about his old life in the streets and his new life and fame, as a celebration of his 21st birthday.[1][2][3] Additionally, he talks about his drug use, citing the death of his friend Juice Wrld as motivating him to not relapse on drugs.[1][4]

Music video

The official music video was directed by Cole Bennett and released on June 15, 2020. It opens with a hooded gunman who shoots at Polo G as he wakes up in his room. Polo walks through a drug house, a prison and the hallways of a backlot, while the unseen attacker follows and periodically fires at him.[3][4] Objects levitate around the Polo, and Juice Wrld also makes a small cameo in the video.[1][4] The video ends with the shooter removing his hood and revealing to be Polo G himself, who then grows horns resembling that of the Devil beneath his dreadlocks.[4]

Charts

Chart performance for "21"
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Canada Hot 100 (Billboard)[5]86
Ireland (IRMA)[6]82
US Billboard Hot 100[7]62
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[8]27

Certifications

Certifications for "21"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[9] Platinum 80,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[10] Gold 45,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[11] Platinum 30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[12] Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[13] 4× Platinum 4,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Castel, Gregory (June 20, 2020). "Chicago rapper Polo G drops new visuals for "21" [Video]". Earmilk.
  2. ↑ Juon, Steve "Flash" (August 18, 2020). "Polo G: The Goat Review". RapReviews.
  3. 1 2 Powell, Jon (June 15, 2020). "Polo G delivers "21" video". Revolt.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Williams, Aaron (June 15, 2020). "Polo G Dodges Bullets From An Unseen Enemy In His Surreal '21' Video". Uproxx.
  5. ↑ "Polo G Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
  6. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Polo G". Irish Singles Chart.
  7. ↑ "Polo G Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  8. ↑ "Polo G Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  9. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Polo G – 21". Music Canada. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Danish single certifications – Polo G – 21". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  11. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Polo G – 21". Radioscope. Retrieved December 20, 2024. Type 21 in the "Search:" field and press Enter.
  12. ↑ "British single certifications – Polo G – 21". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 25, 2024. Select singles in the Formats field. Type 21 Polo G in the "Search:" field.
  13. ↑ "American single certifications – Polo G – 21". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 10, 2024.