Were it not for hipster girls, would G-Eazy have sold out his show on Sunday night at the Blind Pig? Maybe. We can never be sure. But I suppose it doesn’t matter.
He’s commanded massive crowds before, having opened for artists such as Drake, Lil Wayne, and Snoop…Lion…in past years. So the Pig was a very mobile vessel for G-Eazy to command (400 capacity?). Whether or not you’ve heard him before, you’d soon feel in familiar territory at a G-Eazy show. His beats and melodies are infused with doo wop and a late 1950s vibe, and he carries a similar style with slicked back hair, a leather jacket and Ray Bans.
He’s the kind of artist who gets noticed for style (check out his website) but appreciated for his three-dimensionality – he performs with a self-aware swagger and writes lyrics that stick. And, for having a sound so familiar, it’s remarkable he’s a true one-of-a-kind. For now. An hour at one of his shows hints that his take hip-hop could trend like an avalanche.
It was about an hour into his set, actually, that G-Eazy asked to light up with his fans. “Anyone down to smoke with us after the show?” Once the consenting applause began to die down, he continued, “How about now?” Lighting a blunt, he jumped immediately into the next song.
I don’t expect to see G-Eazy at the Pig again. He joins a running list of rappers I’m lucky to have caught at a front-row venue just before they outgrew it. Check out the video below and it may lead you to his Endless Summer mixtape – that’s what got me hooked.
