Many rappers find a niche and take advantage of it, and that's exactly what G-Eazy has done over the past few years. The 25-year-old really started gaining hype ever since the release of his breakout mixtape, Big, which was followed by another impressive project, The Outsider, and his biggest appeal was in his unique rapping style that rested atop bedroom-beats usually consisting of an older sample flipped into a smooth hip-hop instrumental. At the point in his career, G had a small but quickly expanding fanbase, but it wasn't until the release of his most acclaimed mixtape, The Endless Summer, that the rapper/producer really started to peek into the mainstream, mostly with his breakout song, "Runaround Sue". G-Eazy slightly varied his style with each release, and after dropping off his most popular and promising work, Must Be Nice, almost two years ago, the California kid has returned with These Things Happen, a full-length project that totally reflects his creative experience. The first song on the project to catch our attention is "Opportunity Cost", an incredibly polished track in which G-Eazy reflects on his rise to fame and wonders about his career's future. The beat's fresh sonic atmosphere is created by echoing electronic noises, deep synths, and an airy soundscape, but the hard-hitting percussion underneath it all contributes to a head-nodding hip-hop feel. Blackbear, the song's producer, pulls a unique move near the conclusion by lifting the effect on the electronic melody and revealing that it actually stems from a set of pristine piano keys, and we couldn't be more impressed with the inclusion. "Opportunity Cost" definitely contains some of our favorite verses from G-Eazy to date, and the track finishes with the moving audio of a message left from one of G's relatives. If you were a fan of Must Be Nice, you'll probably enjoy our next pick, "Let's Get Lost". Although this track was released a few months ago (we actually posted a remix of it by Jarreau Vandal), the release of G's album brings a prime opportunity to shed some additional light to the track. Oscillating synths, crisp percussion, and altered vocal chops constitute the beat, while G-Eazy coasts atop it all in his signature style. If you've heard "Mad" and "Acting Up" by the man, you might remember Devon Baldwin, who reappears alongside the rapper with some stunning vocals that add the final touch the track needs. Lastly, we took a liking to another one of the previously released singles, "Tumblr Girls", which is packed with phenomenal production from one of G's biggest collaborators on the album, Christoph Andersson. The song radiates G-Eazy's signature sound with its fresh electronic percussion, celestial soundscapes, deep synths, and echoed vocal chants. If you've been following G-Eazy on his ascension to fame, you're probably aware of the massive changes in style that he's gone through. However, even though These Things Happen definitely is a new sound for the rapper, both his honesty within his verses, and his prowess in his production still remain, so if you're a fan of his old work, be sure to at least give our picks a good listen. On the other hand, if you're a new fan of G-Eazy and you really enjoy our selections, we recommend backtracking through his discography a bit, because you're sure to find a couple older tracks that you'll dig. You can grab our favorites and check out the rest of These Things Happen on iTunes.
G-Eazy