G-Eazy Lights Up, Premieres Song, Moves Fans During Yahoo Concert
It's evident why Oakland rapper G-Eazy was able to establish millions of YouTube plays years before he secured a major label recording deal. When he played the Yahoo On the Road series' stop at the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio on Monday, he connected with his fans via his performance, music and personal interaction.
[Photos: G-Eazy in Concert for Yahoo On the Road]
The 25-year-old Loyola University graduate appealed to the college audience by smoking marijuana on stage, thanking them for their early support, and connecting with select fans during a meet and greet.
Instead of closing the show with his biggest radio hit, the artist, who released music independently for more than six years, instead offered the audience a treat he was sure they would appreciate -- his song "Loaded," a record about partying and getting high. One of the women standing on the side of the stage handed him what appeared to be weed, and he took a couple puffs before exhaling and riling up the crowd. Moments later, mounds of silver, black, and white confetti poured over the audience, literally ending the set on a high note.
G-Eazy wanted to do something special for Columbus, where he has toured for the last five years. The rapper, who was nominated for the Best Music on Campus MtvU Award in 2009 -- when he was still in college -- said the town's early support is integral in his pursuit of playing arenas. When his dream is ultimately fulfilled, his Columbus fans can help him celebrate and acknowledge their longtime support by dedicating his track "Been On" to new followers. The boastful record is about being the first to accomplish particular conquests.
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The rapper, who has toured with Lil Wayne, was quite good at personalizing his music for Columbus. For "Lost," he stepped off the platform to take a selfie with a fan's phone and to shake hands. When rapping "I Mean It," he kneeled center stage and adopted a conversational style polarizing enough to have a hypnotic effect on his listeners, similar to the character he portrays in the song's music video.
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G-Eazy also graced Columbus with the first live performance of These Things Happen's song "Opportunity Cost," a poignant entry that explains how the demands of success often do not allow adequate time to maintain relationships with loved ones.
Still, the tall, slim entertainer kept the energy level high, frequently hopping across the stage like a kid dancing in front of his television for songs "Monica," "Far Alone" and "I Ain't Missing."
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Some fans fortunate enough to participate in a meet and greet before the concert were brought to tears. When taking individual pictures with the more than 30 fans, G-Eazy took a minute to speak to each, and autograph paraphernalia. He even recognized some of his listeners from videos posted online before the show. Fans walked away speechless, crying, or excited about their friendly exchange.
YouTube personalities Settle Down Kids, who interviewed G-Eazy earlier in the day, were just as impressed with the rap star, who they asked about his hometown, style inspirations, video game preferences, and decision last year to sell all of his possessions. G-Eazy offered fun, down-to-earth answers that felt more like a conversation than an interview.
His appeal is rooted in his ability to be more relatable than inaccessible; essentially the antithesis of the average pop star.
DJ Ruckus kicked off the night with a rousing, turntable set that featured hip-hop, EDM, and rock selections.