B.O.M.B. Fest '011 - G-Eazy's Triumphant Return to CT

G-Eazy’s set was easily the funnest/funniest thing about last year’s B.O.M.B. Fest. Out of nowhere came this white kid in a basketball jersey, dropping classic lines like “I like to drink, I like to smoke, I like to chill and get high” and “my life is a party”. Most of what we heard that day would fit at the end of an episode of Entourage, playing over the end credits as Turtle moves to repack the bong. After the set he was giving out copies of his CD, Big, which has easily been our most-played free album in ages.

Digging deeper reveals a softer, more introspective G-Eazy. The album’s leadoff track, “This is Me” (embedded below), waxes on topics going beyond just “making it big” but touching on his (over?) reliance on substances to make it through the day and wanting to help his mom through his music and future success. You feel the depression, the hopelessness felt by so many people these days, bordering on desperation for something better. It’s truly a heartfelt moment to start off what is largely a party album.

This Is Me by g-eazy

His new mixtape, The Outsider, retains two of those key party tracks, the above quoted “California Culture” and the aptly named “My Life is a Party”, but shows off a higher rap IQ than one would have guessed based on those tracks. A diverse array of samples and collaborators make every track seem fresh, ranging from indie-rock darlings Vivian Girls and Tennis to the electronica master Dam-Funk (also playing B.O.M.B. Fest this year). What stands out most on The Outsider, however, is G-Eazy’s tight delivery and talent as a wordsmith, skillfully playing off his samples and collaborators rather than becoming second fiddle. Check out the title track from The Outsider, as well as his signature track “California Culture” featuring Dam-Funk, embedded below, and don’t miss his B.O.M.B. Fest set Saturday 4:00-4:30. We sure won’t.

The Outsider (ft. Vivian Girls) by g-eazy