"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.
Background
On August 15, 2023, Bartlett officially announced his next album, Hood Poet. He announced the single for release the following Friday, with the album to release on September 15, 2023.[1]
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
Polo G released the song's music video on August 18, 2023. It was directed by Araad and shows scenes of Polo G at a piano as well as with living individuals who each go through their own struggles.[6][7]
