I Know by Polo G Lyrics Meaning – Unveiling the Struggle and Catharsis in Modern Rap
Lyrics
(Dmac on the fucking track)
(Tahj Money)
Mmm, mmm, mmm
Bondin’ over drugs and pain, dirty Sprite share
My dawg was one of a kind, I know your type rare
I know life is a bitch and she don’t fight fair
How the fuck I wake up from a dream to a nightmare?
Left us behind, you seen that light glare
I know you walkin’ up to Heaven on them white stairs
Why I can’t just pull up to your crib and see you right there?
Nobody love you ’til you dead, that’s when they might care
Let’s just be friends before we rush into a label
Wanna know if you really for me, girl, what’s your angle?
It’s only for the better if I’m tryna change you
Lovin’ me ain’t easy, if you leave, I don’t blame you
Trauma got me fucked up, so I’m mentally unstable
I got wrapped up in my emotions, now I’m tangled
Deep in my thoughts and overthinkin’ can get painful
Watch how I move, one wrong decision can be fatal
Hidden messages, conversations with my angels
Just walk with me and you’ll see I’m tryna save you
Most times I’m by myself I’m still confused from betrayal
From rags to riches, shit’s still hard, I’m just on phase two
Bondin’ over drugs and pain, dirty Sprite share
My dawg was one of a kind, I know your type rare
I know life is a bitch and she don’t fight fair
How the fuck I wake up from a dream to a nightmare?
Left us behind, you seen that light glare
I know you walkin’ up to Heaven on them white stairs
Why I can’t just pull up to your crib and see you right there?
Nobody love you ’til you dead, that’s when they might care
Livin’ on his own and he runnin’ out of options now
‘Cause he felt like he couldn’t be his self at his mama house
Hittin’ licks, missin’ school, junior year he thought ’bout droppin’ out
Him against the world, .40 on him when he poppin’ out
On his dark road, he just tryna find a proper route
Hate the criticism, he uses music to block it out
By his auntie, he was molested as a baby boy
Messed up his head, it even changed the way he play with toys
Up late night rappin’, then they told him to quit makin’ noise
Stuck in his feelings, he be spendin’ every day annoyed
He wanna stand over a nigga, leave his face destroyed
He miss his hood, now this something that he can’t avoid
Bondin’ over drugs and pain, dirty Sprite share
My dawg was one of a kind, I know your type rare
I know life is a bitch and she don’t fight fair
How the fuck I wake up from a dream to a nightmare?
Left us behind, you seen that light glare
I know you walkin’ up to Heaven on them white stairs
Why I can’t just pull up to your crib and see you right there?
Nobody love you ’til you dead, that’s when they might care
The landscape of hip-hop often feels like a battleground where artists lay bare their souls, providing a raw look into the tribulations and triumphs of their personal journeys. Polo G’s track ‘I Know’ is a piercing odyssey through the heartbreaks and hard-won insights of someone who’s walked through fire to find wisdom. Though the song’s achingly beautiful melody might first attract listeners, it’s the depth of the Chicago native’s lyrical content that ensnares and keeps you reflecting long after the final bars fade.
Polo G, unflinching in his vulnerability, intertwines narratives of pain, loss, and introspection, encapsulating the harshness of his life’s experiences. Yet, ‘I Know’ goes beyond mere exposition. It stands as a monument of resilience, a reminder of the transformative power of hardship. Let’s break down the layers that form the complex tapestry of Polo G’s profound storytelling.
Grappling with Grief: A Life Gone Too Soon
The poignant chorus of ‘I Know’ pays homage to a fallen comrade, a shared journey marked by addiction (‘dirty Sprite share’) and the unanticipated goodbye (‘how the fuck I wake up from a dream to a nightmare?’). Here, Polo G touches on an all too common theme in the lives of those ensnared by the streets—a landscape littered with loss and premature farewells.
The vivid imagery of heaven and white stairs reflects the artist’s struggle between acceptance and the innate human desire to reverse the irreversible — the yearning to ‘pull up to your crib and see you right there.’ This tension forms the crux of the song, underscoring a brutal reality while revealing a chasm of emotional anguish.
Untangling the Webs of Love and Trust
Polo G’s call for authenticity before commitment (‘Let’s just be friends before we rush into a label’) unfurls his guardedness. He seeks to discern motives and fearlessly examines the notion that even our closest connections may require an angle, a self-serving purpose.
The artist acknowledges his own difficult nature (‘Lovin’ me ain’t easy’) and is starkly open about his mental health struggles. His lines spin a narrative of self-awareness and the complexities involved in allowing someone into a life buffeted by fame and inner turmoil.
The Hidden Heart of ‘I Know’: Conversations with Guardians Unseen
Beyond the struggles with external relationships, Polo G ventures into the realm of the spiritual. ‘Hidden messages, conversations with my angels’ is potentially the most profound line in the song, opening a gateway into the rapper’s private spiritual encounters and his quest for guidance amidst chaos.
These ‘angels’ could be metaphors for Polo G’s inner voice, his conscience or even lost loved ones guiding him posthumously. It highlights an inner dialogue that often goes unnoticed in the boisterous bravado that is characteristic of the hip-hop world.
Piercing Through the Facade: A Child Haunted by Trauma
Polo G doesn’t just share his own scars; he delves into the narrative of another—perhaps a younger version of himself or someone close to him—enduring an unspeakable violation by a trusted adult. This moment of candor (‘By his auntie, he was molested as a baby boy’) exposes the devastating impact of childhood sexual abuse and its life-altering effects.
The impact of trauma is outlined with heartbreaking clarity—altering play, disrupting dreams, and displacing joy. ‘He miss his hood, now this something that he can’t avoid’ resonates as the individual’s attempt to return to a sense of normalcy, irrevocably changed by a violation of innocence.
Memorable Lines That Cut Deep: From Dreams to Nightmares
‘How the fuck I wake up from a dream to a nightmare?’ is a startling line that encapsulates the essence of ‘I Know.’ It’s the quintessential juxtaposition of aspiration against reality, hope against despair. This line symbolizes the abrupt end of something beautiful – a life, a dream, a possibility.
Life’s fickle nature is thus at the forefront of Polo G’s lyrical exploration. Its cruel unpredictability (‘life is a bitch and she don’t fight fair’) is not just acknowledged but wrestled with throughout the song, leaving listeners to ponder their own encounters with such harsh truths.
