Why Was Polo G’s ‘Hood Poet’ Delayed?

“Barely Holdin’ On” rapper Polo G has quickly become one of the leaders of rap’s new school. Since the release of his debut album, Die A Legend, in 2019, the Chicago native hasn’t deviated from his annual tradition of dropping a new project for fans. However, that could change this year. So, why is Polo G’s forthcoming album, Hood Poet, being delayed?

On August 12, Polo G took to his official Instagram page to announce the album (which at the time was scheduled for Friday, September 15) via a new diamond necklace with accent lavender stones, an elaborate pendant, and other tricked-out personal modifications made by IceBox Diamonds & Watches. However, by September 9, he stunned fans when he revealed that the project was no longer dropping.

Yesterday (September 14), in an exchange on X (formerly Twitter), Polo G gave supporters more insight into why he ultimately decided to delay the album. When asked outright by a follower, Polo G replied, “[I] was going through some sh*t, gang. We are still pushing [forward] though. You know that.”

Although Polo G did not state specifics, the sh*t he’s referring to could be tied to his recent arrest (August 23) on alleged kidnapping, robbery, and assault with a deadly weapon charges. If Polo G is tied up in a legal battle of this magnitude, it would greatly hinder his ability to tour and travel for press.

Following the incident, Polo G’s lawyer, Bradford Cohen, released a statement regarding his arrest. Read the complete statement below.

“The incident surrounded someone staying in Polo’s home and not Polo directly. The officers have detained Polo to ‘verify’ that he is not a convicted felon, as they assert a firearm was found in the home. It is widely known that Polo is not a convicted felon and never was a convicted felon. I personally got all his charges in Miami dismissed when he was, in our opinion, wrongfully arrested and charged. They have refused to allow us access to our client, which is also an illegal and unethical practice, and someone will have to answer for these new wrongful actions. We are hopeful the LAPD will handle this matter with tact and transparency.”