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The digital era has empowered artists to be the architects of their own careers, abandoning traditional formulas and ignoring longstanding prerequisites.
While cash kings like Jay Z and Diddy have provided a blueprint for leveraging music to bridge the gap between culture and commerce, today’s class of emerging artists are paving their own way. This new breed of self-made stars are using music as a foundation for developing global lifestyle brands, authentically creating products, platforms and experiences delivered directly to their fans. One artist that has fully embodied this shift is G-Eazy.
Stepping into the spotlight absent of magazine covers, extensive press runs, airplay, or a game-changing co-sign -- G-Eazy has managed to build a multifaceted enterprise that rivals many of rap’s most notable superstars. Since releasing his standout project The Endless Summer in 2011, G-Eazy has delivered four full-length albums, a slate of Billboard charting singles, multiple headline tours, and hit nearly every major festival stage in the states. Transitioning from small-scale venues to selling out arenas, G-Eazy has established a global audience of loyal fans that have helped propel him to become one of the top-selling independent artists of the modern era.
Bud Light recently announced G-Eazy as the featured performer for their Dive Bar Tour stop in New Orleans on August 29th and 30th. Moving to New Orleans after high school to attend Loyola University, NOLA represents a pivotal period of growth and influence for G-Eazy, who vividly remembers playing dive bars and small clubs in the city to get his rap career off the ground. In addition to giving fans a free, one-night-only show in an intimate venue, G-Eazy is giving attendees a first-listen to songs from his forthcoming album The Beautiful and Damned. Bud Light is set to live stream the performance on their Facebook page, opening up the experience to a global audience.
G-Eazy will also curate a two-day pop-up shop thematically titled ‘Gerry’s’, offering fans a visual glimpse into his world, while introducing a special capsule collection of apparel available for purchase. The limited collection will also be made available through his online store following the event.
I spoke with G-Eazy about returning to New Orleans, evolving as an artist, and using music as a platform to build a global lifestyle brand.
In the past, you’ve spoken about seeing the death of the superstar and the birth of self-made stars — How would you describe the freedom and control artists have in music today?
G-Eazy: You literally have control over your destiny. If you build it, they will come -- That’s exactly what we’re seeing in music right now. Chance The Rapper makes some of the greatest music out, and he build his brand up organically, and the fans have reacted to it. Of course, the music has to be incredible first. It all starts with the music, and how fans react to it determines the type of impact and audience you're capable of building. I don’t think the majors can force feed anything like they used to be able to. Now, it’s about what the kids react to, and what they decide matters, which is a beautiful thing. It’s a beautiful time to be in music, because artists have more access than ever, and the cream rises to the top.
You've used the music to expand into so many others areas -- How important is developing a vision beyond simply making music?
G-Eazy: There’s multiple ways I express myself. Music is my first love, and will always come first. But, there are other areas and industries I’m interested in that reflect different aspects of my lifestyle. I see it as being able to monetize your entire lifestyle — from the clothes you wear, to what you drink, to where you get your hair cut. We're in a time where you can literally monetize all of your interests. The fans connect with you and your music based on shared interests, which is ultimately what causes them to buy into your lifestyle.
Each album you’ve released has revealed a chapter of your story and explored the different thoughts and experiences you were having — What is the story you aim to tell with your next album?
G-Eazy: It’s the next chapter in my life. I think every artists' next work will reflect a new chapter in their autobiography. Each album tells a story about where they were at during a particular period, and how they have evolved. This is my third album on a major label. I’ve seen the world at this point, and life is a lot different than it was three years ago. I’m getting ready to tour Asia in a week. It’s really crazy to think of where I am now. It gets crazy being able to relate to family and friends who have been there since day one. They’re the ones that keep me grounded. That duality of success is explored in this new album — This is where I came from and this is where I am now. In a way, the two worlds have grown apart, but I still remain the same Gerald at the center. But, when you move to Los Angeles and fully diving into this world, your reality changes. Your whole perception changes. It’s about handling that separation. People view celebrity a certain type of way, but there’s a whole other side of it once you get that closer look.
How has your perception of success evolved from when you first stepped into the industry to where you stand now?
G-Eazy: My understanding of time is one thing. Time is a finite resource that you can’t get back. I have the same 24 hours you have, and you get the same 24 hours as me. As you rise, so does you chance for opportunity. You can do this interview to gain exposure, or do this event to get a bag, or do a second event that night to get another bag. Or, you're traveling to do a video shoot that you have to finish before the album is done. There’s also touring, business meetings and so many other things; your hours get filled up fast to the point that you still have to demand time to remain you. Otherwise, you’ll go crazy. That’s some of what the album is about — the duality of success. It’s important to remember who you are and stay true to yourself throughout the tornado that you live in, or you’ll get wrapped up in it. TO get more demands more, literally. Until you have so much on your plate that you can’t eat it all.
How has this new era of independence impacted the music business and what has kept you grounded amidst so much success?
G-Eazy: I think it’s really shifted the way of thinking. Traditionally, the labels have had a very systematic way of thinking. They want to make a record that sounds like what’s hot on the radio, and apply what works for one artist to another artist. That doesn’t work for everybody, and simply doesn’t work anymore at all for the most part. You have this entirely new philosophy that comes from a more honest place. I’m making the music I want to make, and the fans genuinely react to it. For example, It’s being able to take opportunities like this Dive Bar tour that reflect who I am, and connecting it back to what I believe in. Getting to come home to New Orleans and play a little dive bar I used to play when I had to pin up my own posters on telephone poles is surreal. Getting to celebrate that growth with fans who have been there since the beginning is a reminder that, even amidst this chaos and wild lifestyle, I always appreciate where I came from and remember who I am. I just came from the Bay, and the Oakland A’s hosted a bobble head night for me. My little brother played the National Anthem on his trumpet. My mom was there, my grandmother was there, and all my friends I grew up with were there. It was a crazy experience for me, because I remember buying A’s tickets and catching the bus to games in the Summer time. It’s always about coming home and reminding people that I still remember where we started.
You grew up in the Bay Area, but New Orleans has also played a huge role in your growth — How did that experience shape you and who you’ve become?
G-Eazy: New Orleans will forever be my second home. I moved there when I was 18, and it was a culture shock that truly broadened my horizons. All I knew was the Bay, and growing up in the Hiphy movement. Then, coming to New Orleans, I got a whole new cultural experience. The music and the history behind it introduced me to a completely different world. It was very influential for me at that age, having that experience, and it's a period of my life I will always appreciate.
