Things are Happening Again
Inside the talented mind of G-Eazy
Ever since his first album dropped These Things Happen in June of 2014 we always knew G-Eazy would become a household name, and, after many successful plays and hitting number 3 on the US Billboard 200, there’s no denying the guy’s got some serious talent – with no signs of him stopping anytime soon. But inside the mind of G-Eazy is something more complex, he’s a bonafide creative and seems to always achieve what he sets his mind to. From designer gear to number one tracks featuring the freshest talent, the one thing that really stands out is G-Eazy’s dedication. Here, we speak to G-Eazy to understand his art and the meaning behind his message, take a look!
Talent: G-Eazy / @g_eazy
Photography by Joyce Charat / @joycevisuals
Talent Booking: Emily Blair Marcus / @emilyblairmarcus
Production: Burgerrock Media / @burgerrockmedia
EP/Manager: Matt Bauerschmidt / @2mattyb
Model: Zoe Fioravanti / @zoefioravanti
Creative Director: Irma Penunuri / @burgerrock Production Coordination: Emily Blair Media / @emilyblairmedia Line Producer: Pete Williams / @peteypants Photo Assistants: Taylor Perez / Unico Clemente /@itslit.biz Groomer: Kata Baron /@katamakeup Styling Lead: Anastasia Walker / @neoncomplex Styling Assistants: Damien Lloyd / @thedameeffect & Shonie Duet / @shonthebomb Location: Resorts World Las Vegas / @resortsworldlv
Welcome G-Eazy, it’s a pleasure to have you. Firstly nice job on the new track release ‘Running Wild’ ft Kossisko, “pretty faces love status,” love that line. So, what was the inspiration behind the song? I wanted this new project to be a full circle experience from my first album These Things Happen and one of the songs that really raised its hand from that album was “Tumblr Girls”, so it felt like the perfect song to sequel and share with the world after all this time. It was funny because initially that song wasn’t even going to be on the album but everyone loved it so much that we had to add it to the album.
You’ve come a long way since the days of your first album These Things Happen (2014). What has your journey been up to this point and what have been some of the highlights? I consider myself fortunate and blessed to have found what I love to do in life, especially at such a young age. To get to do what you love for a living is extremely rare. Music has taken me all over the world and back a couple times over – I’m just grateful. That feeling is a big part of what this new album These Things Happen Too is all about. I started out with a vision that nobody else probably would have believed in, I fell in love with making music and believed in something, a dream that didn’t exist yet. In high school, I was making my own beats, recording songs and teaching myself how to design album covers on a version of photoshop I downloaded on LimeWire. At college in New Orleans is where I met my managers Matt Bauerschmidt and Jamil Davis, and that’s when I continued putting the plan together. We used to grind it out on early tours glorified road trips just trying to put together any type of momentum. We reinvested everything back into the business from shooting videos to just continuously hitting the road and eventually it paid off when I was able to open on tour for one of my idols – Lil Wayne. This is right after Tha Carter III so at that time, Wayne was completely on top of the world. On that tour is where I made most of my first album on the back of the bus… so that album was kinda symbolic of me approaching the industry/the building/my record label from the ground level and looking up – so my new album reflects my current perspective from the floor I’m on now kinda looking back at my journey and how I got here.
Have you seen your style of music change over the years and who would you say has really influenced your personal evolution? Absolutely, I feel that change is only natural and I always want to experiment and grow in my craft. My influences range from Ye, E-40, Nina Simone, Amy, Nas, Radiohead, Chet Baker, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, (etc, etc, etc…) I’m influenced by many genres and styles – and I don’t have just one sound. So with this album, I wanted to touch on my many inspirations but also bring it back full circle – I never wanted to be put in a box and I’ve worked hard over the past few years for this album to be a reflection of that.
Three fav rappers of all time? Mac Dre, E-40, Jay Z, Nas, Ye, Drake, Em, Nas, Jadakiss, Andre, Cole, idk… I can’t cap it at 3.
We love the blog G-Eazy.com, by the way, especially the gear, and the booking information is very useful. Do you manage the blog yourself cause you’ve done a really good job about it, very organized? Haha, I appreciate that. Nah, I don’t manage it myself but I’m tuned in to all the design and look/feel of my overall brand from the videos, to the merch, etc… Sometimes I’ll just see someone wearing a shirt and send a pic to my creative team who can help reinterpret it through my lens.
Your last album The Beautiful & Damned came out in 2017, then there was the EP in 2019 and we couldn’t help but notice you mentioned ‘These Things Happen Too’ on your Instagram, are you currently working on a new album we can look forward to? Yeah, it’s been a long time since my last album and I kinda took a detour of creative self-expression during quarantine to learn piano, start producing again and find my singing voice. I feel like it’s sometimes hard when you’ve gotten this far in your career to just add a whole new element to your game but that’s what I tried to do during COVID. I went from never having spent more than a full week in my house to quarantining for over a year so I just poured myself into giving my all to this album. I’ve been working tirelessly on it for the past four years and luckily the world will get to experience it soon… it’s been too long.
When fans see a performer on stage we don’t really think about all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes. I mean, you’ve got a bachelor’s degree in arts, do you think having that background helps you better understand the music you want to make? I’ve been around the arts my whole life. My parents are visual artists and my aunt and uncle were in a band so this just felt like my natural path. College was a long time ago now but I’ve never quit studying music and my craft. I’m also hungry to keep learning and improving. But yeah, I don’t think people really know how much goes into getting the production just right, the whole mixing process and then once the song is done, rehearsing with the band and just figuring out how to bring the songs to life on stage in both an audio and visual sense.
You’ve worked with some of the masters in the industry from a diverse range of artists. Who would you say still inspires your music and creativity? Off the top, my sensei E-40. I grew up on him, but just watching the way he’s stayed relevant and active through all these decades is the most inspiring. He’s probably the most prolific ever at his level. Outside of rap though, I listen to a lot of other stuff. As far as production goes, I draw a lot of inspiration from film scores, Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer, Clint Mansell, etc…
You did a collaboration for Good Life with singer Kehlani that received more than 13 million YouTube views in its first month… How was that experience cause now it’s sitting well over the 300-million mark, which is really impressive… I think Kehlani’s one of the greatest artists of our generation, her talent is undeniable. But yeah, I love the connection between movies and music so it was dope to get to work on the song for the movie and see it roll during the end credits. I was lucky enough to bring her out on her first tour years ago so it’s hella cool to keep watching her flourish and keep growing into the superstar she is.
You’re young, in your prime, and an inspiration for upcoming talent. If you had to be remembered for one thing, what would that be and why? Having sex and making music.
Do you think the industry has changed over time, like are people more concerned with making money at the cost of making really good music? I think every generation has always feared that “real music is dying”… Most people don’t like change, but I think it’s completely natural to have those feelings. The intersection of art and commerce will always be tricky. At the end of the day though, I think quality and substance will always find a way to cut through the noise and stand the test of time.
Have you noticed you can’t put a price on creativity? You’ll see the simplest music video telling the most amazing story. Do you have any favorite music videos at the moment? Nah, that’s totally true, I mean one of my favorite videos that I’ve ever put out is “Been On” and it’s a really simple video. It’s really more about the ideas than the budget.
If you had the chance to work with any one musician, present or past, who would it be and why? Kanye. Or Flea.
Aside from your tour calendar do you have any new projects or events you’re currently working on or promoting at the moment? These Things Happen Too, coming soon.
Also, what is the best place for fans to keep up to date with your schedule? My website G-Eazy.com and my socials @G_Eazy…
What was it like shooting for Playboy, what’s the inspiration behind the shoot and do you have favorite moments from the photoshoot? It was epic! Definitely a bucket list kind of moment. We shot everything in Vegas – I wanted it to feel timeless and classic, a lot of the initial inspiration came from the movie Casino.
Playboy is known to only feature females on its cover but has made an exception for legends like Hugh Hefner and now you. How does it feel to make such a breakthrough move in your career and were you hesitant? Not hesitant at all, I felt like this was a legendary opportunity.
