In anticipation of his new album release “When It’s Dark Out” and world tour with A$AP Ferg, Arts and Entertainment had the chance to talk with G-Eazy, one of America’s most prominent up-and-coming hip-hop artists.
“When It’s Dark Out” is set to release Dec. 4, 2015.
Arts and Entertainment: To get us acquainted, can you tell our readers a little bit about how you got your start? Particularly, did your degree from Loyola in Music Industry Studies have a significant impact on the direction of your career?
G-Eazy: I fell in love with making music when I was a freshman in high school and never looked back. I didn't want to go to college to be honest, but my grandma pushed me and I figured if I was gonna go for anything it would have to be something I was passionate about — and the only thing I cared about was music...So it ended up being a dope experience for me, I got a lot out of living in an environment/community full of other like-minded kids with similar ambitions to do stuff in the music industry.
A&E: How has your sound developed as an artist from “These Things Happen” (2014) to “When It’s Dark Out” (2015)?
G-E: It's definitely evolved. I'd say it's more sophisticated, it's definitely more personal, and it's taken a darker turn, from the mood of the music to the vibe and the way I've approached songs conceptually.
A&E: Where do you draw inspiration from during the writing process? What would you say are the three most important factors when writing?
G-E: It starts with the beat, all depends on the mood of the music and the energy of the drums. From there, it's all intuitive, I respond to the music and start mumbling gibberish stumbling on words here and there until ideas come. In terms of important factors, it's all about having a good vibe in the studio...Lighting matters, I gotta have my whiskey, and it matters who's in there, I kinda like to be alone when writing.
A&E: Was there ever a point in your career when you thought about quitting? When would you say your career really began to take off?
G-E: Never. I never had a plan B or a fall back option so it was always music or nothing. I don't know when it started to take off, everything’s been so gradual, but I guess I would say when the last album dropped things kinda took a turn.
A&E: Your new single “Me, Myself, & I” already has over 5 million views on YouTube and over 15 million streams on Spotify. What can you say about the overwhelmingly large response?
G-E: It's humbling...I'm just grateful people are enjoying it, and that they can relate to it because it's a real personal record. I think, whether or not they've been in those exact situations or not, I think the sentiment is universal enough that people find ways to relate.
A&E: How would you say your online following has evolved since the "Bay Boyz" and MySpace days, and how has the manner in which you interact with your fans online changed since then?
G-E: I mean, it's night and day, but it definitely didn't happen overnight. That was ten years ago when me and my homies were releasing tracks on MySpace when we were in high school. But the idea's still the same, I still make music at home and upload it myself and share it online.
A&E: The music video for “Me, Myself, & I” suggests how deeply you wrestle with fame while trying to remain true to yourself. Can you speak more to this sentiment that comes out in the video?
G-E: I mean, no matter how many times you've heard the story about artists going from nothing and then end up having a hard time adjusting to fame, there's still nothing that can personally prepare you for how crazy it gets sometimes. You're constantly under a lot of pressure, and your life is under a microscope at all times. What matters at the end of the day though is staying happy and staying true to yourself, so it's all about maintaining a level head and staying grounded.
A&E: What can we expect for your upcoming tour?
G-E: It's gonna be epic, I'm really hyped to get back on the road, it's been a long time since I've been out there on an actual tour cuz I really took the time to focus on this album. But I'm excited, the lineup is crazy too so I think fans are gonna get a hell of an experience.
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