Rapper G-Eazy, predominantly known for representing the Bay Area in California, refers to himself in previous albums as the best white rapper since Eminem. Though it’s risky to compare himself to Eminem, he proves himself to the world in his newest album. G-Eazy’s long awaited fourth album, “The Beautiful & Damned” hit the shelves early in December, revealing his struggles with newfound fame, anxiety and the music business.
The album was named “The Beautiful & Damned” because of the lifestyle that G-Eazy now lives in comparison to the life he had before. The “beautiful” part of his life is having the opportunity to create his own music and live out of his dream. The “damned” represents the parts of the music industry he never wanted a part of, including constant criticism and the celebrity lifestyle.
Throughout his musical career, G-Eazy has used two personas to describe how he feels in each situation. G-Eazy is the fun-loving party goer that has a few girls by his side every night and drinks until he blacks out. Meanwhile his other persona, Gerald, is a completely different person. Gerald is the guy that overthinks everything and warns G-Eazy to stop his reckless behavior.
The album feels as if both alter egos are arguing with each other. One is saying he should be grateful for his stardom, while the other is going insane with the shady people that surround him. Using two personas, he has split his newest album into two parts.
The first track on “The Beautiful & Damned” features Zoe Nash and sets the tone for what Gerald wants to talk about with the sound accompanying the meaning. The song starts out with something a listener would hear during a scary movie when the monster is about to make a move on his prey, which is how Gerald feels about the celebrity lifestyle he now has. It sums up his true feelings about how his life is constantly under a microscope and how his addictions are coming to light after rising to fame. The around-the-clock parties, sex with random girls and drowning himself with liquor to stop his negative thoughts have all shaped the person he is now and tears him apart mentally and physically.
Following the first track, G-Eazy pleads for “the man upstairs” to help him out in his second song “Pray For Me.” In the song, Gerald is exposing Hollywood. He describes how everyone is out to expose one another and references “The Wizard Of Oz” when he says, “Hollywood feels like a jungle, lions, tigers and bears.” Gerald is now using sound effects in his songs, and uses the sound of a tiger in this song which really adds something different to his tracks. The message behind it signifies that no matter who you trust, there is always someone trying to get you.
Switching to his alternate persona in “No Limit” featuring Cardi B and A$AP Rocky, G-Eazy mentions that whenever he collaborates with someone on a song, it always results in a large sum of cash. This is the side of G-Eazy that embraces the fame, women and money part of his status. No matter what, G-Eazy will have a girl by his side while he is drowning in pills and alcohol. At the end of the day, G-Eazy will never be sober nor will he stop his crazy lifestyle.
G-Eazy continues to fuel his ego in the sixth track off of the album titled “Legend.” G-Eazy paints a picture for his fans of what his life is like now that he has money. From drinking gallons of alcohol to spending $30,000 on an Italian dinner, G-Eazy wants people to know the life he now lives— a life of fame and money that will never stop because of his good looks and rapping skills. “Legend” is basically a song that tells all of his haters that he is living his best life, and they wish they could have his lifestyle.
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“The Beautiful & Damned” is an album that all G-Eazy fans will love and has proven to be one of his best works out of his four albums. It is different to see his personas argue with each other throughout the album because it shows that he is living two different lives simultaneously.
8/10
