US rapper G-Eazy strikes gold with Australian audiences; says success is giving back to mom

Hip-hop artist G-Eazy is bringing his energetic live show straight from Oakland, California all the way down under for a string of sold out Australian shows.

G-Eazy, or Gerald Earl Gillum to those who know him, has been trailblazing across the globe with a show that promises to deliver high energy.

“I'm always living in the moment, especially when I'm on stage, and it starts with me, the crowds gonna feed off what I give them,” Eazy tells us via email.

Touring Australia for the second time, he’ll take over the stage at the Metro Theatre in Sydney to perform a sold out show on Thursday, March 3. Eazy kicked off his tour with a packed out show in Melbourne and will be performing in Brisbane on Friday, March 4 and Perth on Saturday, March 5.

Looking less like a traditional hip-hop artist and more like a dapper James Dean reincarnate, Eazy, 26, is looking to take it easy in between his Australian concerts.

“I definitely wanna spend some time at the beach and go swimming. The espresso is hella good here.”

In an age where artists, especially rappers, rely on the reputation of their live shows to pay the bills, it’s important for fans to experience their favourite artists in full force. Since G-Eazy has admirers from Vancouver to Belgium all the way to Australia, he’s been hitting the road pretty hard in order to get to everybody.

“The lifestyle is definitely crazy, this last year has been a roller coaster, but there haven't been many dips yet so I feel thankful and blessed.”

And the man has several reasons to feel that way. From collaborating with heavy weights like Chris Brown and Big Sean to underground artists, Eazy has found the perfect balance to create his cinematic, if not sometimes bleak, music and travel the world.

His newest album, "When It’s Dark Out", plays true to the title as it's a look into the deep and unknown realm of one’s troubled psyche and the world that creates it.

When asked if he has any influences outside of rap, G-Eazy goes on to talk about how film and literature have affected him just as much as music has.

“I'm very observant as to what happens around me, I watch and I listen and I pick up little things all the time that inspire me.”

Even though he’s racked up millions of views on YouTube and has sold hundreds of thousands of albums, the rapper sees his accomplishments in a different way.

“To me, success is being able to send money to mom every month and help her out. She did everything she could for me when I was growing up and always encouraged the music, so it makes me happy to give back."

If you’re looking to see G-Eazy’s live show you better hop on a plane to Perth by March 5 since that’s the only concert that hasn’t sold out yet.

G-Eazy's album "When It’s Dark Out" is available now.