Barely Holdin' On
2023 single by Polo G
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"Barely Holdin' On" is a song by American rapper Polo G. It was released on August 18, 2023, as the second single from his fourth studio album, Hood Poet. The song was produced by Southside, Dr. Luke, and Noah Goldstein.
| "Barely Holdin' On" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Polo G | ||||
| from the album Hood Poet | ||||
| Released | August 18, 2023 | |||
| Length | 2:54 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producers | ||||
| Polo G singles chronology | ||||
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Background
Composition
The song features tranquil guitars and keyboards and a fidgety beat.[2] Throughout the song, Polo raps about his mental-health and gunplay, with lines such as: "Ain't hard to figure him out 'cause all his thoughts was tweeted/ We blew some shots to shut him up, that's why his top was leakin'."[3] In the first verse, Polo G mentions his childhood friend who was shot and killed in a drive-by on September 18, 2014,[2][4] while in the second verse he raps about his upbringing, in which he raps about his heavy trauma.[2]
Critical reception
Alexander Cole of HotNewHipHop called the track "an uplifting yet emotional song that speaks to some of the trauma Polo G has faced throughout his life."[5] Vibe said that the song "soundtracks the visual, but paints a picture of the artist attempting to rationalize his own trauma, as well."[4]
Music video
Credits and personnel
Technical
- Randy Merrill – mastering engineer
- Serban Ghenea – mixing engineer
- Todd Hurtt – recording engineer
Charts
| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Hot 100 (Billboard)[8] | 93 |
| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[9] | 4 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[10] | 68 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[11] | 23 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[12] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||