From radio-friendly bangers to introspective musings, G-Eazy’s sophomore album, When It’s Dark Out, is arguably better than his debut. The project finds him at his most vulnerable, which is where most rappers shine. The album encapsulates a mindset of an individual, who is taking his success in strides while not forgetting where he’s come from.
Whether it’s the hard hitting anthem “Random,” which opens this record or the lead single, “Me, Myself & I,” that features Bebe Rexha, the album’s complex production and dark imagery found in its verses is not much of a departure from the first studio album, These Things Happen. This is especially evident on the more confessional tracks like “Sad Boy” and the Kehlani chorus filled “Everything Will Be OK.” Hip-hop fans and music critics alike will undoubtedly acknowledge that G-Eazy is divulging his Weltschmerz.
The sophomore album is an instructional for those who aren’t familiar with G-Eazy’s work and style, which is unusual for a second album. Yet, this is the angle that the Oakland native is going for with the hope that he will become a household name. It’s difficult not to nod your head to “Drifting,” which features Chris Brown & Tory Lanez, and “Calm Down,” where he unloads and spits lines like “I’m the coldest white rapper in the game since the one with the bleached hair.”
G-Eazy recently commented that he’s studied a lot of rappers including Eminem and Kanye West, particularly their sophomore projects, in an effort to avoid the proverbial slump that often plagues musicians when they head back in the studio after their initial collection of cuts. Fortunately for G-Eazy, he struck gold this time.