G-Eazy’s new album “When It’s Dark Out” comes at a great time.
After all of the great rap albums of 2015, G-Eazy slides this bragfest of an album in at the end of the year without the fear of being overshadowed by his rap peers. In a December drought of unimpressive music, G-Eazy gives us something to bump on our drive back home for the Christmas break.
The rapper released a 17-track album Friday and delivers something his fans can relish in as he climbs the contemporary rap scene totem pole. It was the best release of the week and with each listen it makes me wonder why G-Eazy has been so underrated for so long. Young Gerald proves he is a hard worker with this album as his sound has become far more mature and smarter since his freshman album. You can compare it to Mac Miller’s and A$AP Rocky’s sophomore album, the one that catapults their careers forward.
You have to be in a particular mood when listening to the Oakland rapper. It’s music to bring out your gym tank and vape pen to as you tie up your man bun and fire up your mustang. Throughout the album, G-Eazy doesn’t let us forget that he is rich, young, handsome, does drugs and just plain awesome.
G-Eazy starts off the album with the heavy-hitter “Random” a brag track in which he insists he earned his fame and hype. This will probably prove to be the most popular song on the album as it touches on the overall theme: that G-Eazy is a badass.
Next is the catchy single “Me, Myself & I” with Bebe Rexha, and “One of Them” with Big Sean. Speaking of featuring artists, there are a total of 14 features, all of which add to the album in a positive way. However features may be one of G-Eazy’s weaknesses, meaning he needs to find ways to carry a melody of a song by himself instead of relying on other artists to make his songs good in the future. Other features include Chris Brown, Keyshia Cole and Too $hort who contributes to my favorite song on the album, “Of All Things.
Other highlights of the album are the songs, “You Got Me,” “Some Kind of Drug” with Marc E. Bassy and “Think About You” with Quin.
This album is nowhere one of the best of the year, but “When It’s Dark Out” will finish out the year of great rap albums. Expect big things from G-Eazy in the future, as this album places him in contention with rappers his age.
Jack Riewe is an English senior and assistant city editor for The Battalion.
