My City: From the Bay to New Orleans, G-Eazy Makes His Own Sound (Exclusive Interview) Posted by Nathan S. on 06/05/12 | Filed under Features, My City, G-Eazy

From Topeka, Kansas to Vancouver, Canada and everywhere in between, I started the "My City" interview series to showcase just how much dope hip-hop is coming out of places outside of the LA/NYC epicenters of mainstream rap. In that spirit G-Eazy, an artist as unique as the Bay Area and New Orleans locales he calls home, is the latest to join our series to talk about the hyphy movement, NO"s bounce music scene and, of course, burritos.

RefinedHype: You grew up in the Bay Area but now live in New Orleans. Many would think of those as being very different places, but musically and culturally are there similarities between the two areas?

G-Eazy: They're similar in that they're both totally weird places. Each has a really rich, unique culture that you won't find anywhere else. They're all full of weirdos, artists and musicians.

RefinedHype: The Bay Area is known for both its underground/experimental scene (i.e. The Heiroglyphics) or its hyphy scene (i.e. E-40). On the surface your music doesn't sound like either; how did the music you heard growing up in the Bay affect your sound and style?

G-Eazy: Well, in high school (2004- 2007) the hyphy movement was very real, and that was a huge influence on me. Mac Dre was everybody's favorite rapper, E-40 was killin it on a national level with "tell me when to go" and Keek da Sneak had a buzz that was out of this world. So at that time, I think the influence was much more noticeable - but as I've grown and matured as an artist and as a person, I've gotten to travel and live in different places that have influenced me as well.

RefinedHype:Specifically, how has New Orleans changed the music you make, if at all?

G-Eazy: Well first off, New Orleans is in the south. I grew up on west coast rap. We were all very aware of the south, but it took me going down there to really experience it - their culture, their slang, their style, and their music and rhythms, especially when it came to club music. I found out about bounce music when I got here, which is this crazy, energetic type of dance music that's unique to New Orleans. Aside from bounce music though, Lil Boosie was poppin, there was a solid local scene, and then you had Lil Wayne who was a huge influence on me, especially when I first moved because that was when his buzz was really at a peak, right before "Carter 3".



RefinedHype: If I'm rolling through your city, where can I find you?

G-Eazy: If I'm in the Bay, I'm definitely getting a burrito at Gordo's on College ave in Berkeley...if I'm in New Orleans, you won't catch me out much, I live in my studio.

RefinedHype: Last words? Shout outs? Confessions? (This is essentially a chance for you to touch on anything else you'd like to, promote anything you'd like to, etc.)

G-Eazy: I'm working on finishing up this new album before I head out on the Vans Warped Tour this summer. I'm real stoked about this new music because I made all the beats without using samples, and I feel like the subject matter shows my progression as an artist and as an individual. I'm done with school now, and I'm making a living doing what I always dreamed of, so I really got to go in all the way and commit to this project which was dope.

For more from G-Eazy, check out his "The Endless Summer" album, streaming right now over at the mothership.