Let’s dive deep into the DMV with this one! Born in Maryland, by way of Richmond, VA is a rising rhymer like no other, Mikey Polo. The one-in-a-million artist is breaking through underground barriers and climbing up the mainstream of the rap game. Now, he’s here with us to drop off a KAZI Magazine exclusive! Read more so you don’t miss out!
MIKEY POLO: OUR FAVORITE EMO TRAPPER
Early difficulties, as well as his inability to connect with his hometown’s renowned go-go scene, didn’t limit this star’s potential. In fact, it fueled him to step out of his norm and tap into his artistry. As a result, Mikey has swiftly established his own lane of emo trap music. An unorthodox marriage of candid, more raw lyricism with a traditional, heavy, Southern-infused production. Kid Cudi, Lil Wayne, Gorillaz, and Panic! at the Disco are amongst his influences when crediting his musical style and sound.
A couple of years back he relocated from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in order to pursue his passion full throttle and become the star he’s meant to be. His talents, determination and hustle have landed him a number of opportunities and deals. Without a second thought, Mikey Polo signed with Trippie Reed’s label, 1400 Gang. While they share a plethora of interests and similarities, Mikey forges his own musical path, which he dubs “emo-slime.” Although a Trippie Redd affiliate, Polo remains a one-of-a-kind stand out entity. From his defiant, pink-infused fashion sense to his frank tales of his mental health journey, it’s a brand that’s dark yet vibrant, deliberate yet uncontrolled.
WELCOME TO EMO WORLD
Mikey can confide in music for comfort and safety no matter what life throws at him. Fans can’t get enough of his vibrant, unapologetic fashion sense, face tats, and personality, on top of his ever-increasing streaming numbers. Polo’s work ethic shines through even in the midst of a global pandemic. Within just one year, he’s dropped off three full projects including: EPs – Emo Or Die and Universal!, as well as his most recent Emo World LP. His latest release features lead single “Baguette Spaghetti” with Trippie Redd—a quality quarantine bop with over half of a million streams.
Staying booked and busy, the DMV-bred artist isn’t letting up any time soon. Mikey Polo is in high demand and highly recommended, having recently released visuals for two of his most recent singles, “Fuck Off” and “Sympathy”. Both records have amassed over 100K views on YouTube within a short period of time.
Mikey Polo continues to keep his ear worm emo-trap sound looped in your brains. With a stacked catalog of unreleased gems as records, Mikey Polo is only getting his trapstar feet wet. Recently, we had a chance to chop it up with the Emo-Alime head honcho in celebration of his most recent release! Take a look at our inspiring yet fun interview right here at KAZI Magazine!
THE INTERVIEW —
- Hey Mikey! Thank you so much for taking time out to speak with myself on behalf of KAZI! Before we jump into our interview to talk everything from the rise of Mikey Polo, recent releases, what’s next and more. Please tell fans new and old, who is Mikey Polo and where did it all begin?!
So, I’m Mikey polo, you know, the emo guy. Emo like emotional. You know, I started off, you know, some R&B singer type stuff, with a little bit of lyrics and rap behind it. I’m from Maryland, the DMV area. Grew up in Maryland and went to high school in Richmond, Virginia. I was into sports a lot but I always loved music. I was like, kind of the black sheep of my family because I was shy growing up. So it was kind of hard for me to pursue music early on. Especially because nobody supported it. Making it hard for me to really get off.
Honestly, only thing I was in a spotlight for, was sports. So, once I really took myself out of everything and just said, you know what, I’m tired of people not believing in me. I took my talents to Atlanta by myself. I made myself homeless. Like, I never was homeless, off of my parents ever being like, Oh, you got to get out. But I actually decided to make myself homeless to pursue my career in Atlanta, because I felt it was a barrier.
For me, I felt it was a barrier being held back and everything. I had to just keep going, I had to just do what I had to do. I couldn’t sit under my mom or dad’s roof and be like, Oh, I’m gonna be good. So when I got to Atlanta, homelessness kind of pushed me to just be in the studios all the time. And from there, my rise began… Showcase after showcase. Networking and rubbing elbows with the right producers. Then next thing you know, it helped me.
– Mikey Polo, nov. 2021
- How do you put pen to paper? What’s your creative process like?
I don’t write anything, actually. Everything’s free style. Every single song you heard me do is straight off the top. Whether it was R&B, Rap, anything is straight off the top! I can’t write my music and read it the same way. My mom and I are both dyslexic a little bit. So it’s like when I try to read stuff that I’ve written, it jumbles up and I can’t really execute it the same way. So it’s easier for me just to punch in and say it right off feeling. Straight off emotion. So however, I feel right then and there, however, I think it’ll sound right – I’m recording right then and there. That’s why it’s good to catch me live in the moment recording, you know.
– Mikey Polo, Nov. 2021
- Although you’re originally from the DMV area, your fanbase is backed by the masses — especially ATL. How would you say both cities from growing up in the DMV area before relocating in ATL have influenced your musical sound?
Well, honestly, my mother influenced my musical sound forreal. Like my dad is from the DMV so he likes go-go. You know, me I wasn’t a big fan of it. You know, I always like r&b music because of my mom. So my mom would play Celine Dion, Luther Vandross, Jeffrey Osborne. Prince and Michael Jackson. Different people like that. So I grew up listening to that type of music, and just adding that flair on to rap music.
– Mikey Polo, Nov. 2021
THE RISE OF MIKEY POLO —
- You emerged on the mainstream scene with his song “Bugatti Spaghetti ” featuring Trippie Redd in 2020 before joining the 1400 Gang. What was that experience like?
The call was cool. Trippie, that’s my brother. I love Trip to death, That’s the bro. It’s like, I support him, he supports me. He also supports that I have my own thing, Emo Gang under 1400. So, it’s cool how everything played out. But that call actually happened. I was working with one of my bros and Asylum Records was actually looking into me. But when he called I was just like, all deals that were on the table…I was like, nah I’m going to go on tour with, bro. I’m going to do this 1400 thing with him.
That’s how that happened. It built a stronger relationship. It definitely helped me get to the mainstream look of everything. Because now I went from being underground to kind of like underground mainstream. Now people are waiting, like, what’s the next step? Is he gonna sign major? Or is he going to stay underground… like what’s gonna happen? I kind of liked that anticipation…
– Mikey Polo, Nov. 2021
- Throughout your brand, you’ve coined the “Slime Movement”. Could you elaborate more about the movement, what it stands for and how it came about for those who don’t know.
The slime movement for me that came from when I moved to Atlanta I was hanging around a lot of the YSL people, Rest In Peace my bro YSL Jet, my bro Chico, like I was hanging around with so many YSL people they kind of gave me that nickname. Basically they gave me the slime moniker because I was on the emo stuff. My nails painted black, so they were like you’re emo slime, man. So with that happening, it kind of just branded me with that in Atlanta and I ran with it. I still keep it you know, like when I dropped my first album “Slime World”. It was something that was underground, but it was still to me major because it was like, Yo, you know, it’s dope. I’m finally doing something with this moniker. And then from there it grew.
– Mikey Polo, Nov. 2021
- One of your recent releases, “Sympathy” is a must hear! In fact, you dropped the visual in the summer surrounded by family, friends and your daughter. How did the Kelly Butts-Spirito collaboration come about?
It’s not easy. It’s like I had to make sacrifices. There were times when my daughter started saying her first words and taking the first steps. I had to miss certain things. But now my daughter lives with me. I sacrificed what I had to to make sure this can happen, you know? And she knows me. She’s fully aware. I love her she’s always on FaceTime with me and I never missed talking to her. Even when she couldn’t talk, I would just FaceTime her mom just to look at her. Because I wanted her to remember me, like this is Daddy.
– mikey Polo, Nov. 2021
- In 2021 alone you’ve remained booked and busy! Dropping off 2 EPs Emo or Die and Universal!, and back to back singles including “Hot Outside”, “Feelings In My Kip”, and “Why”. How do you remain inspired and so creative to flush out back to back bangers?
Well, I have a studio in my house and shout out to Candyman my engineer. He showed me how to engineer myself. I also learned how to make my own beats. So now I just wake up whatever time I want to record myself. If people send me beats, I can do features and all of that. I’m so locked in and in tune with my music. I love it so much that I just keep recording. That’s how I always have something to drop. And I always shoot visuals. I love visuals. I’ve learned how to edit videos. it’s just intriguing to learn everything about music. So I just keep recording, I keep dropping.
Plus I see this is what they like. I’m a consumer just as much as I’m an artist. I have artists that I like listening to and I want them to keep dropping so I can listen to new stuff. I don’t care if it doesn’t have a million streams already or what. As long as I can listen to it. I’m gonna keep listening to it. I had to learn that. That was a barrier that used to get me. To be dropping songs and wondering if I’m going to hit a million right away or if I’m going to hit this. Then I told myself to just enjoy that you can drop the song now. I can actually drop when I want to now.
– Mikey Polo, Nov. 2021
- Yes! Indeed. All of these hits serve up as singles courtesy of Emo Gang Records, when did you launch the label?
I created Emo Gang Records in late 2020. Since then, I’ve had a lot of people in it claim it. The way I’m moving with it right now is like a cult. Without the negative aspect. I want everybody just to you know, if they love it, they love it. If they want to rep it they can rep it. You don’t have to be an artist, you can be whatever you want to be ands till be emo gang. As long as you respect everybody the same. I just want to make sure everybody has the equal opportunity also. We got Emo Gang graphic designers. Emo Gang marketers. In fact, we have people Emo Gang that don’t do anything but support. I feel like as long as you have the right intentions – you’re Emo Gang. If you have emotions… you’re Emo Gang.
– Mikey Polo, Nov. 2021
- With that being said, which track do you feel is the best record that you’ve penned to date and why? I know that may be difficult but you have to choose!
Yeah, because I love a lot of my records. My favorite one to date would have to be all released of course because I can’t say any unreleased. I have a lot of favourite unrelease, but my favorite song would probably have to be… “Sympathy”. All because it’s like the content that I’m talking about. I have my daughter in it. I’m really talking about some shit. I’m telling ya’ll like I’ve been through so much there’s no sympathy behind anything.
– Mikey Polo, Nov. 2021
WHAT’S NEXT? —
- Again I’d like to congratulate you on the continued success! Interested in your artistry and craft, we are eager to know — what’s next for Mikey Polo?
Well, I’m currently in album mode. I have a lot of stuff in the works. For instance, I’ve been working with a lot of different producers like Zan Gang from Surreal Gang Beats, Pink Grillz. Honorable C-Note. You know, I have a lot of songs done with them right now. But I don’t know when they’re going to release only because you know, I have a lot of stuff I’m working on like… ‘And Then There Was Emo,‘ my album.
So I might have to take some of the songs and put them on my album because that’s probably going to come early 2022 When I drop ‘And Then There Was Emo’… I feel like that’s gonna be the tape that’s gonna take me to the next level.
- OH SNAP! KAZI Exclusive! Thank you so much again for chopping it up with myself for KAZI Magazine today! I look forward to more Mikey Polo music! But, before we close out, is there a message that you’d like to leave fans with?
And Then There Was Emo is going to make everybody love Emo Gang! IT’S AN EMO WORLD! Everybody got emotions, everybody is really going to see that the underdog that was being slept on is gonna be on top very, very soon!
– Mikey Polo, Nov. 2021
