G-Eazy has spent well over a decade pouring his emotions into his music, establishing a deep, personal connection with his fan base in the process. With three platinum-certified albums—2014’s These Things Happen, 2015’s When It’s Dark Out, and 2017’s The Beautiful & Damned—and his unwavering ability to sell out shows across the U.S. and Europe, that much is evident. However, now, more than ever, the May release of his latest album, Helium, finds the 36-year-old Oakland, Calif. native with a new lease on life, love and his artistry. G-Eazy links up with XXL for an exclusive interview to discuss his new album, his latest run on the Helium Tour, dealing with personal loss and where his head is at through it all.
In many ways, G-Eazy’s life has been uprooted in recent years. He’s been left to face the harsh realities of losing his loving mother, the culture shock of making a move from Los Angeles to Manhattan and being forced to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic as a successful touring act. Those “fleeting moments,” as he describes them, has made G-Eazy realize that “balloons don’t fly forever, hence the album title, Helium.
“People come and go in your life, you know?” G-Eazy explains as he sets the tone for what Helium is all about. “I’ve experienced a whole lot of change over the past few years. Between leaving California, moving to New York, and people coming and going in my life, the biggest one being losing my mom, and just changes in my career and everything… Life is so precious and so short. So, hold it while it’s here. It’s essentially that.”
As G-Eazy describes his latest opus as a 13-track therapy session on wax. With that, he also opens up about the ways in which he’s able to look inside himself in rhyme form, as he does on album cuts like “Dream About Me.” He says it can be difficult to examine some of his own personality traits that could be considered toxic.
“You’ve got to be truthful, and sometimes, the truth is brutal,” Gerald tells XXL. “Sometimes, you can be uncomfortable, but again, that’s another factor and a part of art. I’ve not had the best history all the time with some relationships, if I’m being honest. It’s kind of like me taking ownership in some situations.”
While G-Eazy continues to highlight themes of growth and maturity through his music, one thing that has never changed is his passion for turning up for rabid crowds all over the globe. Fresh off a North American run on the Helium Tour before he heads overseas to Europe this summer, all the while amid a residency at Wynn Las Vegas, G-Eazy is most at home on the stage.
“I’m just super, super appreciative of the fans for pulling up and showing out for me,” G-Eazy says in the video below. “Getting that love every night on stage, there’s nothing like it. That’s the highest high. You’re up there in front of thousands of people, and they’re all in sync. They’re all in a flow. These are all strangers packed into a room and the one commonality they all share is an appreciation of your music. That’s the best feeling, and I perform my heart out.”
Check out G-Eazy below as he chops it up even further with XXL about his new album, the tour life, more plans as an actor in feature films, the vast opportunities in the current state of hip-hop and much more.
Watch G-Eazy’s Interview With XXL
Listen to G-Eazy’s Helium Album
See Which Rappers Are Going on Tour in 2025
→ Continue reading at XXL Mag
