Through Da Storm

"Through Da Storm" is a deeply autobiographical and reflective track where Polo G chronicles his journey from hardship and incarceration to fame and success. The core meaning of the song revolves around the idea of perseverance. Polo G uses his personal experiences—growing up in poverty in Chicago, facing jail time, and dealing with loss—to illustrate a universal message: everyone endures struggles, but the key is to push through them. The "storm" is a central metaphor for the adversities he has faced in both his personal life and the music industry. The lyrics detail specific moments of pain, such as seeing his mother cry during jail visits and feeling abandoned by others, which are contrasted with the rewards of his current success. However, the song also suggests that wealth and fame are not a panacea for emotional pain, acknowledging that he still grapples with depression and the lingering dangers of his past. Ultimately, the song is a testament to resilience, family loyalty, and the relentless drive to create a better life, not just for himself but for his loved ones.

The song opens with an intimate and hopeful voice memo from Polo G's younger sister, Leia, who expresses her pride and belief that he would one day become a big star. This sets a deeply personal and familial tone for the track.

Polo G then takes over, immediately establishing the central theme of perseverance. He reflects on his past struggles, including his time in jail, which he contrasts with his current success. He recalls the pain of seeing his mother's tears during jail visits and the feeling of isolation. The lyric, "Tryna work towards these blessings but the devil keep interfering. Everybody go through something, it's all about persevering," serves as the song's thesis, a powerful statement on resilience in the face of constant adversity.

The narrative weaves through memories of poverty and hardship. He recounts nights without a place to sleep and the indifference of others who watched him and his brother starve. These experiences fuel his drive, and now that he has achieved success, he notes the irony of former onlookers now being angry at his rise. His loyalty to those who were with him during the tough times is a key point, as he vows to provide for his brother, ensuring they live like kings to make up for their past suffering.

He touches on the psychological weight of his past, feeling like a "golden child" now, whereas he once thought his own mother hated him due to his troubled youth. There's a sense of survivor's guilt and an awareness of the dangers that still surround him, even after leaving the hood. He carries a weapon for protection, a stark reminder that success doesn't erase the threats of his former life. Despite the material wealth he's acquired—expensive clothes, cars, and money he can't even count—he acknowledges that this provides only a temporary escape from deeper emotional scars and depression.

The spiritual presence of his deceased grandmother is a recurring source of comfort and strength, feeling her spirit when it gets cold. This connection, along with his communication with his sister, highlights the importance of family as his anchor. The song concludes by reiterating the core message: life is a universal struggle, but overcoming it through perseverance is what defines a person. He acknowledges the hate and envy from others but remains focused, having put his passion and pain into every lyric to become the man and artist he is today.

"Through Da Storm" was released on June 7, 2019, as a track on Polo G's debut studio album, Die a Legend. The song was recorded for Columbia Records. The production was handled by Jahmere "Ayo" Tylon, who is also credited as a songwriter alongside Polo G (Taurus Bartlett). Ayo produced eight of the songs on the album. The song's creation is deeply rooted in Polo G's real-life experiences, particularly his time spent in jail and the struggles he faced growing up in North Chicago. He has described the song as a reflection on everything he went through leading up to his success. A notable feature in the song's intro is a voice memo from his little sister, Leia Monroe, which adds a personal and emotional layer to the track. The music video, directed by Ryan Lynch, was released on July 14, 2019, and features Polo G with his sister, performing in a Los Angeles park, visually contrasting his tough past with a more serene present.

"Through Da Storm" is set to a moderate tempo of approximately 74 BPM, characteristic of many trap and melodic rap songs, allowing for clear and deliberate lyrical delivery. The song is built over a piano-led instrumental with a standard trap beat, creating a melancholic yet rhythmic foundation. Polo G's flow is notably melodic and narrative-driven, often prioritizing storytelling clarity over complex rhyme schemes. His rhyme scheme is not strictly consistent but frequently uses couplets (AABB) and intermittent internal rhymes to connect lines and ideas. For example, in the lines "Know my grandma still with me, when they get cold I feel your spirit / Talking to my little sister, phone calls through security," the end words don't form a perfect rhyme but are close enough (assonance) to maintain flow, while he continues with a perfect rhyme in the following couplet: "...my mama her eyes tearing / ...the devil keep interfering." A distinctive feature of his rhythm is his phrasing, where he sometimes ends lines on off-beats, specifically the third beat of a bar, rather than the conventional fourth beat snare, giving his delivery a unique, slightly syncopated feel that adds to the song's conversational and earnest quality.

• Melodic Rap: Polo G is known for his melodic style, which blends singing and rapping. This is evident in "Through Da Storm," where he delivers his lines with a somber, emotive tone over a piano-driven beat, a characteristic sound of his music.
• Storytelling: The song employs a strong narrative structure, recounting specific anecdotes from his past, such as being in jail and his interactions with family. This vivid and explicit storytelling makes the song's themes of struggle and perseverance more impactful and relatable.
• Juxtaposition: The lyrics create a stark contrast between his past and present life. He juxtaposes memories of being broke ("ain't have no place to sleep") with his current wealth ("coming through these thousands"), and feelings of being hated with being the "golden child." This highlights the magnitude of his journey.
• Introductory Soundbite: The use of his little sister's voice memo at the beginning is a powerful framing device. It immediately grounds the song in a personal, familial context and establishes a tone of hope and pride that runs counter to the dark themes he explores.
• Parallelism: Polo G uses parallelism to create rhythm and emphasis, as seen in the line "speakers pounding, yea my engine roaring and that Gucci tiger growling," which connects different symbols of his success through a repeated grammatical structure.

"Through Da Storm" was a key track on Polo G's critically acclaimed debut album, Die a Legend, which debuted at number six on the US Billboard 200 and is certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA. While not released as a formal single, the song itself achieved significant success and recognition, earning a 2x Platinum certification in the United States and Platinum status in Canada. It also charted on Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100. The song is often cited by critics and fans as one of the standout tracks from the album and a quintessential example of Polo G's vivid storytelling and melodic style. Its themes of overcoming adversity have resonated deeply with a wide audience, contributing to its popularity on social media platforms and its status as an inspirational anthem. The song helped solidify Polo G's position as a significant voice in contemporary hip-hop, known for his emotional honesty and ability to articulate the struggles of his generation.

• The Storm: The most prominent metaphor is the "storm," which represents the collection of adversities, struggles, and hardships Polo G has faced throughout his life. This includes poverty, street violence, incarceration, and personal loss. Navigating "through da storm" symbolizes his journey of perseverance and resilience.
• Gucci Tiger Growling: The line "...my engine roaring and that Gucci tiger growling" uses the image of the Gucci tiger motif on his clothing to symbolize his newfound success and aggressive ambition. It parallels the sound of his car's engine, linking his material wealth to a powerful, almost predatory, presence.
• Dripping Like a Fountain: Polo G uses the simile "I be dripping like a fountain" to describe his expensive taste and fashion. In modern slang, "drip" refers to style and swag. Comparing it to a fountain vividly illustrates an overflowing, constant stream of wealth and high fashion.
• The Devil: The lyric "Tryna work towards these blessings but the devil keep interfering" is a metaphor for the constant temptations and negative forces that try to pull him off his path to success. The "devil" represents street life, crime, and internal demons that challenge his perseverance.

• "Everybody go through something, it's all about persevering": This is the song's central message and most significant recurring motif. It appears in the hook and encapsulates the track's entire philosophy, serving as a powerful, universal declaration of resilience. Its repetition drills the core theme into the listener's mind.
• Family Imagery: References to his family are a powerful recurring motif. The song begins with his sister's voice, and he repeatedly mentions his grandmother's spirit guiding him and the memory of his mother's tears. This grounds his struggle and success in his love and responsibility for his family, making them his primary motivation.
• References to Jail: His experience with incarceration is a recurring point of reference. He mentions being "locked up again," the shackles, and making phone calls "through security." This motif serves as a constant reminder of his past hardships and the storm he has navigated.
• Past vs. Present: The motif of contrasting his past poverty with his current wealth recurs throughout the song. He mentions not having a place to sleep versus now having thousands, or having no allowance versus buying expensive things. This repeated comparison emphasizes the distance he has traveled and the life he has escaped.