21 (Polo G song)

"21"
Song by Polo G
from the album The Goat
ReleasedMay 15, 2020
Length2:43
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • 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. Which was made in honor of his good friend Juice WRLD who died of an overdose back in 2019. The house in which the music-video got filmed at was in the Pariserstraße 4.


Composition

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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

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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

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

Certifications

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Certifications for "21"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[9] Platinum 80,000
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[10] Gold 45,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[11] Silver 200,000
United States (RIAA)[12] 3× Platinum 3,000,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b Powell, Jon (June 15, 2020). "Polo G delivers "21" video". Revolt.
  4. ^ a b c d 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.
  10. ^ "Danish single certifications – Polo G – 21". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  11. ^ "British single certifications – Polo G – 21". British Phonographic Industry.
  12. ^ "American single certifications – Polo G – 21". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 5, 2022.