Over time, as many emerging acts landed major label deals and mainstream exposure, bloggers earned the respect and credibility needed to be considered gatekeepers of the culture. The period introduced a youthful collective of early adopters and tastemakers who built their own platforms, showcasing artists that would likely be undiscoverable to the masses otherwise. Transitioning into the early 2000's, bloggers became the curators of Hip Hop. However, that was before the birth of the digital era.
For nearly two decades, A&R’s held the prime positions, radio Dj’s broke the records, journalists accessed and told the artists’ stories, and popular TV shows brought the energy of the times to life. 2015 (Photo by David Diaz / rap's golden era, traditional media shaped public opinion, introducing the trends that would penetrate pop culture and become the pulse of young America. G-Eazy pictured outside the set of his video shoot for "You Got Me" in Los Angeles, CA on Sept. “You have to be dope, you have to find an audience, and reach that audience with your identity and your message.” “What that does is it takes the power away from the gatekeeper and puts it into the hands of the creators,” he states.
As witnessed through the triumphs of his own career, G-Eazy believes the responsibility now rests on the quality and effort of the artist. Artists are empowered to be the architects of their own careers, driven by the liberating belief that it's possible to accomplish anything, even without meeting the list of longstanding prerequisites. More significantly, there isn’t a clear and transferrable measure of success. There isn't a definitive formula to follow, or certified checklist to complete. The new rules of rap are that there are no rules. With the genre boasting a multibillion-dollar price tag, Hip Hop is reaching an inevitable turning point. “You see the death of the superstar, and you see the birth of all these self-made stars.” “It’s actually shifting to a build it and they will come, for the first time,” he claims. Dre have provided the blueprint for successfully navigating the business and converging art with commerce, Hip Hop’s new breed of artists are forced to pave unconventional pathways to reaching the highest measure of success. While cash kings like Jay Z, Sean “Diddy” Combs, and Dr.
Though history will forever function as a valuable frame of reference, observing the current landscape, tradition is seemingly obsolete. “Print isn’t what it was 10 years ago, and TV ratings aren’t what they were 10 years ago, and social media certainly isn’t what it was 10 years ago – the power is shifting”Īs the convergence of music, media and technology collectively evolves, so do the criteria for breaking artists and classifying superstars. “You don’t need mainstream media outlets, the big TV looks, or the magazine covers,” he declares. “The gatekeepers don’t control the gates, and the powers that be aren’t as powerful.” What he’s referencing is the evident decline in impact and influence that was once held in the hands of major labels and mainstream media. “The game is changing in a big way”, G-Eazy tells Forbes. This can be credited, in part, to the fact that the perceived pressure of garnering publicity or gaining public approval doesn't weigh heavy on his shoulders, nor does he feel it needs to. From his refined rockstar aesthetic and polished demeanor, G-Eazy embodies a sense of self-assurance that few artists are bold enough to embrace. Instead, G-Eazy carries a calming confidence, appearing naturally poised and precise in his expressions.
There are no social stunts, tabloid trails or click-bait controversy. He also lacks the deep-rooted desire for acceptance that inspires desperate attempts at drawing attention or seeking recognition. He’s missing the rebellious bravado that blares from the aura of artists who wave a flag of non-conformity. Perhaps, what's most fascinating about G-Eazy’s ascension is that he doesn’t fit the perceived prototype of your typical independent rap star. The release of the video further amplified momentum for his campaign, tallying just below 47 million views to date. The lead single, “I Mean It”, quickly caught fire, spending three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and streaming more than 738K times on Spotify in it’s first week. 1 placement on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop chart, also peaking at No. His 2014 release, These Things Happen, earned G-Eazy his first No.