In a recent interview with Larry King, rapper G-Eazy was asked to respond to claims that he gets compared to Eminem.
G-Eazy neither agrees not disagrees. He says nobody likes comparisons, but that it’s an honour to be compared anyway, because Eminem is the greatest. He then makes a somewhat convoluted comment about how nobody likes being put in a box, but that they’re ultimately necessary.
“I don’t think anybody likes to be compared to anybody. It’s beyond an honour, Eminem’s the greatest to ever do it.” He continued, “I don’t think anybody likes to be put in a box, but the world needs boxes, the world needs categories, it just comes with the territory.”
It’s a smart way to frame his response in a way which acknowledges that comparisons are in fact made.
Yes, we do need categories, and yes white rappers tend to get compared on some levels (well, one). But G-Eazy and Eminem?
I’m not trying to diss you, G. I really liked your album When It’s Dark Out, and although I fundamentally disagree with some of your lyrics and performance antics, you’re very talented and your fans love you.
The simple truth is that you don’t get compared to Eminem, you just don’t. I’ve literally never heard anyone compare you. Even you deny it! Here is a recent interview where you flatly deny being compared to Eminem because you’re both white.
The only person who has made a comparison on a skill or lyrical level has been you, G-Eazy, on the song Calm Down, with the lyrics “Fuck it, I’m the coldest white rapper in the game since the one with the bleached hair.”
In terms of music and production, your songs are completely unrelated. Same with your flow, themes, lyrics and actual vocal tone. You’re both white, but that’s where the similarities end. For the record, Beastie Boys, El-P, Action Bronson, Aesop Rock, Mac Miller, Lil Dicky and 95% of Australian hip-hop is also white, but they don’t get compared to Eminem either. Yelawolf maybe, but that’s only because he’s signed to Shady Records. So to say that people need categories and boxes, and you and Em happen to share one, just isn’t true in 2016.
Again, G, I’m not dissing you. I think you’re great.
But nobody thinks you’re Eminem.
That’s all.
Image: Michelle Grace Hunder / Howl & Echoes
As we get further through the year we are seeing more and more artists releasing stand alone singles unaccompanied to projects, and today has been no different. In the last 24 hours we have been treated to a whole handful of tracks that have just been released because, well why not. Here are some of our favourites:
Big K.R.I.T, Sticks and Stones
After recently appearing on the beat making series Rhythm Roulette and cooking up some series heat, Mass Appeal have now decided to release the full version of rapper Big K.R.I.T.’s track, entitled Sticks and Stones.
The whole thing just screams Southern rap, from the up-tempo beat sampled from the randomly chosen Linda Clifford 80s record, to Krit’s grooving singing, unorthodox rap flow and good vibe lyrical content. At just under two minutes long, my only beef with the track is that is over too soon.
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The Alchemist, By Any Means (ft. MC Eiht and Spice One)
Acclaimed producer The Alchemist, who has worked with everyone from Action Bronson to Nas, has recently linked up with West Coast legends MC Eiht and Spice 1 to release this loose yet hard-hitting track. It features a mesmerising Arabic instrumental wail throughout, combined with live sounding drums, qualities which interestingly mix with the MC’s verses. MC Eiht delivers his classic OG style, spitting bars about the streets and gang banging, while Spice echoes this with gun talk and his demand for tacos.
The single will be can be streamed for free, but is also being sold in limited numbers on 45 vinyl as a part of The Alchemist Craft Singles which also sees collaborations from the likes of Schoolboy Q and Mac Miller.
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D.R.A.M, Don’t Let D.R.A.M. Be A Hot Boy
After recent collaborations with SZA and Donnie Trumpet, this Virginian artist has decided to bring back Missy Elliott’s single Hot Boyz, by releasing his soulful new track Don’t Let D.R.A.M. Be A Hot Boy using the 1999 instrumental. Similarly to Elliott, DRAM’s powerful and deep singing voice is amazing through this tune, and when thrown in with his contrasting fast yet cruisy rap flow, the end result is some hella feel good music.
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OG Maco, As A Man 2 & So Simple
The man behind the 2014 banger U Guessed It, has today dropped two new tracks in collaboration with producers OG Vader and Harry Fraud. As A Man 2 features this dark and raspy sub based beat where Maco flexes on how the haters doubted him and label him a one hit wonder. So Simple on the other hand is a much brighter tune on which Maco reminisces on the old days with an auto-tuned singing flow. While these tracks feature quite opposite themes, they both feature quite emotional lyrics, signifying a change of direction for the Atlanta rapper.
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G-Eazy, Order More (Remix ft. Lil Wayne & Yo Gotti)
If you were aware of G-Eazy’s album, When It’s Dark Out, which dropped November last year, you probably know the heavy hitting, sensual single Order More. After releasing the music video last month, Eazy has now come out with the remix featuring acclaimed rappers Lil Wayne and Yo Gotti. While these are two pretty big names in the genre, personally this remix comes off pretty weak and average, but that’s just me.
It wasn’t too long ago since G-Eazy passed through the country. Read our interview with him here.
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Image: RadioUTD
G-Eazy was recently in town on his When It’s Dark Out world tour, promoting his album of the same name. His live performance has quickly built a reputation of it own, and he played to huge crowds across the country. Our lovely ladies at Melbourne radio program Back to the Future spent a few minutes having a quick chat with the man himself about his growing success, musical upbringing, what he’s currently listening to – and what he’s most afraid of.
Read our review of G-Eazy live in Melbourne
Check out our photo shoot and live photos of G-Eazy in Melbourne
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSfpSOBD30U
Great to have you G-Eazy, is this your first time in Australia?
Nah, I was actually here almost to the date a year ago, we toured here for the first time and I fell in love with it out here, the energy is just different. The concerts and the crowd are more hype, more rowdy.
It must be nice to come from somewhere like the states and see that your music is translating all the way over here.
You can’t put that into words. That’s like the, “I have to pinch myself every day” kinda thing, or when I look at a map and how far away we really are; it’s a beautiful thing.
Can you tell us how long you’ve been making music and how you originally started getting into rapping and producing?
I started when I was fourteen. Basketball was some people’s calling, football or soccer, you guys call it football here I guess, but I was just drawn to music. I’ve always been creative since I was little, whether I was drawing or whatever, and I just got into music. I grew up with hip-hop, so that was naturally what I was drawn to.
Do you have a musical background? Where your parents listening to music? What was the type of things you were listening to as a kid?
Both my parents are visual artists: they’re hippies who grew up in the sixties, so they would play a lot of sixties rock around the house. But the music I was listening to was Tupac, E40, Mac Dre, Eminem.
Do you remember what drew you to that music originally?
I mean, it was what I was around as a kid, culturally. My aunt and uncle were in rock band and I really looked up to them and would go to their shows on weekends.
Your song Me, Myself and I went gold and platinum, your album These Things Happen went gold and your sophomore album When It’s Dark Out went gold! What does that feel like after coming from a background of slinging mixtapes at a hotdog stand? What does that success feel like?
*laughs* Yeah, there’s two sides of the equation. One, it’s very humbling, to get that kind of recognition after working this hard for this long, to see it come together the way it has and to be recognised with that sort of certification of “gold” and “platinum”, that’s a big deal. These are the types of things you dream of growing up, but at the same time on the other side of the coin, it’s like I’ve always dreamed big, so when you dream big in that sense, I’m just getting started. So you try and maintain that type of perspective.
So your goals are kind of even bigger than that?
Absolutely, I want to keep going as long as I can.
G-Eazy live in Melbourne. Image: Michelle Grace Hunder/Howl & Echoes
Can you tell me the first concert you ever went to?
The first concert I ever went to besides seeing my aunt and uncle’s shows was Kanye West. I was like thirteen. He was touring off College Dropout. Ironically, he was given his gold plaque on stage that night. He got it for the first time that night. He was tripping. It was inspiring to see.
Can you tell us one thing no one knows about you?
I’m scared of pigeons. I have a terrible phobia of pigeons.
Does that stem from something in particular?
It stems from nothing! I just don’t mess with birds, they drive me crazy. I can’t walk down the street and be around birds. I’m not really scared of ducks though. I was recently chilling in the park and the ducks were cool.
Seagulls?
I don’t mess with seagulls, no. If I’m on the beach just chilling on a towel and as seagull comes up I get all uncomfortable and try scare it away.
You went to the University of Layola, and I read you recently went back and gave a lecture. What was that like?
It was really cool to get to go back to my old school. I just felt really inclined to do it, to be able to talk to kids that are in the same shoes that I was in. I remember being there and kinda wanting some proof in the pudding: you go to school, you hate it and you’re like, why am I here? Who ever made it out of here and did anything? I was like, “Yo, I was in your same shoes hating it just as bad as you are but if you really commit to being something and put the work in, it’s all possible.”
That must have been hugely inspiring.
Yeah. I just wanted to go back, like a peer could. Whereas sometimes your old teachers can’t really translate; but it’s like, “What do you really know about how I’m living? Put yourself in my shoes. You’re from a different area.”
G-Eazy in Melbourne. Image: Michelle Grace Hunder/Howl & Echoes
What are you listening to right now?
Ty Dollar Sign, Jeremih, BJ the Chicago Kid just put out a new album which is really dope. Goldlink: I play that album a lot. Vince Staples: his album is incredible. I was listening to Common today. Common is one of my favourite rappers, Be is a classic album in my opinion. I just randomly felt like putting on Be.
We always finish our interviews with some quick fire questions. So I’ll give you two choices and you just pick one.
Cool.
Type or Write?
Type
Bus or Plane?
Tour bus definitely. You don’t have to wake up and go through security. You just sleep on the bus.
Mac Dre or Lil Wayne?
Man that’s very difficult but I’ll have to say Mac Dre just for the soil.
Johnny Cash or the Beatles?
Why are you doing this to me?
We always do this. We got to make it hard.
Wow. The Beatles I guess.
Pizza or Chinese?
Chinese.
Vinyl or digital?
Vinyl.
Gardening or cooking?
Oh the G in G-Eazy stands for gardening, so gardening. I don’t really know how to do either one though, at all. I know how to make top ramen. That’s the extent of my cooking. And waffles. I make some fire ass waffles.
Whisky or tequila?
Whisky all day baby.
The Roots or Souls of Mischief?
I say The Roots have a longer and more prolific career, for what they have done and what they have given us but then Souls of Mischeif, that’s for the town. I guess The Roots. I just played with them on Jimmy Fallon, that was an honour.
Playing at a festival or your own headline?
Umm, wow. These are tough. I mean festivals are heaps of fun, but I’d probably say my own headline.
Stage or studio?
I dunno what’s better. Getting paid or getting laid, I just know when I’m getting one the other’s getting away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxnaPa8ohmM
Images: Michelle Grace Hunder
G-Eazy aka Young Gerald took the stage of Max Watts on Tuesday night on his When It’s Dark Out world tour. This was Gerald’s second time in Australia and he wasn’t shy letting us know how much he loves it down here: “The people in Australia go way harder than they do in the States, you make people in the states look like pussies!”
The night started with support act Nico Ghost, a local emcee who recently supported Wu-Tang Clan at their Margaret Court Arena show, and performed at Beyond The Valley festival.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cecrGhzBvew
The venue was packed full of twenty year olds, anxiously awaiting the self proclaimed “rap game’s James Dean”. As I stood stage right, next to the media pit and the artists door, security were flurrying about in a state of stress. One leaned over to me and said, “Everyone’s freaking out, it’s going to get too wild.” I could see why: the sold out show was full of young, horny, suburban kids.
The stage was set up with a DJ and drummer; I find when a rapper has live instrumentals it always makes for a more interesting show, so it got off to a good start. His DJ began the set with m.A.A.d city by Kendrick Lamar, immediately setting the vibe for the night. G-Eazy soon walked out – guarded by four security guards – in his signature leather jacket adorned with pins, skinny jeans, sunglasses, and Comme des Garcons Chuck Taylors. Opening with Random, the song was an explosive way to begin the set, pumping up the audience as he confronts the idea that he just lucked into fame. “This is the anthem”, chants the crowd, knowing every word to the song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub9x6AH32zg
The crowd rapped along to each and every song, both from When It’s Dark Out and his 2014 debut album, These Things Happen.
As he jumped around the stage, hyping the crowd to do the same, I looked around and saw a whole venue full of young adults chanting along to “Bitch, I got a lot of a hoes and they all up on my dick / All up on my dick, all-all up on my dick.“
I couldn’t help but feel uneasy as he rapped about girls being “hoes” and “thots” (a term I think should be eradicated from everyone’s vocabulary) to an audience of predominately young women. I am someone who can appreciate, and at times look beyond ignorant hip-hop, but I found G-Eazy to lack the substance and lyrical content compared to other artists in that genre, meaning that I couldn’t pass his lyrics off has just being within the realms of the hip-hop lexicon. I did appreciate his style, beats, sound, and energy but not his confronting and misogynistic lyrics.
He name-called and belittled his female fans that night. Was I the only one who found it hard to sit through?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEWYwQR9jPE
I like the foundations of G-Eazy’s music, but as a woman, this show was uncomfortable. I understand a lot of music is reaction based, and there are particular markets an artist wants to tap into, but my concern is: does G–Eazy consider the influence his lyrical content has over his audience? (And are they really his ideals?) The show was entertaining up until the lyrical content took a turn, and I felt like it became more about how many notches G-Eazy has on his belt than an actual hip hop gig.
Image: Howl & Echoes/Michelle Grace Hunder
We caught G-Eazy live in Melbourne last night, where he was performing in support of his recent album When It’s Dark Out.
Click here to check out our photo shoot with the 26-year-old rapper.
California-based hip-hop artist G-Eazy is currently on tour in Australia, promoting his stellar sophomore album When It’s Dark Out, which was released in December last year. We met up with the 26 year old, real name Gerald Gillum, in Melbourne ahead of his headline show at Max Watts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSfpSOBD30U
G-Eazy Tour Dates 2016
March 1: Matt Watts, Melbourne
March 3: The Metro, Sydney
March 4: The Met, Brisbane
March 5: Villa Nightclub, Perth
Read our interview with G-Eazy
G-Eazy just exudes confidence. From humble beginnings in Oakland, California, the self proclaimed “rap game James Dean” is making his name known in hip-hop with the release of his latest album When It’s Dark Out, following on from his 2014 debut release These Things Happen, which peaked at Number 3 on the Billboard Top 200. Working his way to the forefront of hip-hop with a slew of underground mixtapes, G-Eazy is firmly rooted amongst the upper echelons, and that trend looks set to continue.
Much is the norm for the modern day hip-hop artist, G-Eazy has forged his own style, releasing a collaboration with renowned streetwear label Rare Panther. Rated amongst GQ’s ‘Top 10 Most Stylish‘ at New York Fashion Week, there’s no question that G takes his James Dean moniker very seriously.
A hit with the ladies, and a hit with the charts, we spoke with the Bay Area’s latest sensation about working with legends of West Coast, the Grammy’s, and partying with some of the new generation of rappers.
You rep the bay area so openly in your music, what does it mean to look at the tracklist of your new album and see legends such as Too $hort, E-40 and Keyshia Cole?
It’s a dream come true. These are people that I look up to, you know? I mean to have them involved in my project, to get their support, that means a lot to me.
Tell me about the process of getting in the studio with some of these legends?
It’s hard to make it all line up sometimes, but it was really fun working with Too $hort in the studio, that was an experience I’ll remember forever. Everyone’s got their own process, their own methods, how they write, how they work. The dopest thing about it all…the dopest thing about working with Too $hort was witnessing him do that in person, you know what I mean? You’re so familiar with his voice, but then when you hear it back in the studio while he’s recording it, and you hear him say “BIATCH!” actually in front of you and in person, you’re just like “Wow I just saw Too $hort say that with my own eyes.”
Your first week sales of the new album are seemingly blowing a lot of other rappers out of the water, surely that’s due to the relationship that you’ve garnered with your fans?
My music is really honest, it’s really open. So the fans feel like they know me in a sense, because the music is so transparent, and a lot of them have kind of grown with me, the ones who have been on board for a number of years now who have been supporting me from project to project to project they’ve seen the growth and been there with me. They feel like they’re a part of it, and they are.
From your last project to this current release, it seems like you’re aiming for a more multi-faceted and dynamic sound, although the honesty is still there, but was that a natural progression for you as an artist?
It was definitely a progression from the last album. I guess it really picked up from where we left off in a sense, but I think with any project, its important to push things forward, to evolve, to grow as an artist and take a turn.
2015 has been a massive year in hip-hop, with plenty of newcomers, what have been some of your highlights of the year as a rap fan?
It’s been an incredible year, almost everyone dropped this year. There’s some really, really, really incredible projects, from Rae Sremmurd [SremmLife] to Ty Dolla $ign [Free TC], to Vince Staples [Summertime ’06], to Future [DS2], to Goldlink [And After That, We Didn’t Talk], Drake and Future [What a Time to Be Alive], to Drake [If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late], there’s been a lot man, it’s been dope. Travi$ Scott‘s album was dope too.
We’ve seen some solid hip-hop recognition with the Grammy announcements, are the accolades something you strive for as an artist?
I mean everyone’s got values dude, some people value selling a lot of records, some people value shifting the culture, some people value accolades and awards, I’ve never really thought of an award as the benchmark for success necessarily, because at the end of the day, music is subjective. It’s not necessarily a sport, so you can’t have the Olympics of music, especially nowadays when everything is so genre-bending anyway, it’s tough to put five nominees within one genre and put them up against each other, it’s not like you can tell who ran the fastest or who jumped the highest. It’s just creative bodies of work.
I guess if you’re making music with the intention of winning an award it might detract from the honesty that’s so evident in your music?
Yeah, yeah, you’ve just got to do what makes you happy and follow your heart and find motivation in whatever it is that you value.
Lotta That was hands down my favourite track last album, and One of them (feat. Big Sean) is giving me the same vibes all over again, what’s the goal when you jump on a track with Sean?
The goal is just to snap. Sean’s one of my favourite artists, one of my favourite rappers, he can rap his ass off, so you know when you’re gonna trade verses with him, you’ve gotta go your hardest.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YMwflE7OTY]
That’s gotta be a good thing right, you want to be on tracks with people that are making you push the boundaries of what you’re doing?
Yeah, absolutely, but there’s a time and a place. Some aspects of hip-hop are competitive, it is similar to a sport, but then there’s other records…Like you’re not trying to compete with someone on an introspective record, or a song about a girl, or a record where you’re just telling a story.
When you sit down and think about what you want to accomplish in 2016, what can we expect?
Well we start to tour the top of the year, literally, the first show is January 6th, so I’m just looking forward to travelling the world man, and getting that experience, seeing different countries, meeting the fans, and taking all that home with me.
You’re touring with A$AP Ferg, so I have to ask…who struggles to keep up with who during a night out partying?
*Laughs* I think we’re a pretty even match, we partied together in New York the other night, for the album release party, and it was a ragefest. I think I tapped out at like 5?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdxfC-yHIP8]
When it’s Dark Out is available now, make sure you cop it!
You can also catch G-Eazy down under this March:
Sydney: 3rd March 2016 @ The Metro Theatre
Melbourne: 1st March 2016 @ Max Watts Melbourne
Brisbane: 4th March 2016 @ The Met
Perth: 5th March 2016 @ Villa Nightclub
Written by Sam Armatys & James Tait
This week saw us drowning under a mountain of video clips so good we just had to share them all in a super sized edition of our round up. ALL OF THE VIDEOS. Expressionistic dance, stunning landscapes, public park rage, regurgitated spaghetti, and 90’s revival; we’ve got it all.
The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Pish
The video to accompany single Pish off upcoming oddly titled Mini Album Thingy Wingy, has all the trappings of a cinematic epic contained in just over five minutes. About to embark on their 25th Anniversary Silver Jubilee tour, the track throws back to the classic BJM shoegaze sound, with drawling vocals and guitar lines for days. Frontman and mastermind behind the band, Anton Newcombe, has expressed a strong interest in creating soundtracks to films, and this video obliges with a beautifully shot exploration of a Japanese woman’s obsession with dance. It is a story about being consumed by your passion night and day and all the joy and madness that ensues. With a brilliant performance from actress Hinako Matsumoto, it is a must see.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlwQVZUTdJA]
Toiné Houston – Summertimmme (Reminiscing Part 1)
If your days have been warming up and you have been searching high and low for some smooth sounds to groove away a sunny afternoon, then look no more. Toiné Houston brings a silky anthem for the summer with her latest track, and has a video that is just too damn cute to pass up. The clip traces the blossoming of a childhood romance with a 90’s production quality that makes it feel like a cross between a Brandy video and the movie My Girl. It’s full of nostalgia and a great track from the neo-soul songstress’s upcoming Love States EP.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_9qhQGPGdc]
Floating Points – Nespole
Remember when Sia released the Chandelier video and everyone was blown away? Well, it seems she has opened the door for more and more music to be brought to life by expressionistic dance moves, with varying levels of effectiveness. One of the best to follow the path has landed this week, with the latest clip from Floating Points, for single Nespole. Every sound of the minimalist electronic track is mimicked by two ballerinas (both played by dancer Kiani Del Valle), with hypnotic motions that explore the malleability of the human body. Light and dark, they spar off against each other across a vast auditorium in a beautifully choreographed sequence. The track comes from EP Eleania, out November 6th.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfYP7uTZX8Y]
Hedge Fund – Boyfriend
Sydney indie post-punkers Hedge Fund have released a video for new track, Boyfriend, that demands your attention. If you have ever felt so sad and angry you want to rip up the grass, roll in the dirt and beat the shit out of tree, then this is the clip for you! The clip follows YouTube sensation Jordan Markovina (you might know him better as the hilarious and awesome friendlyjordies) as he goes on a shirtless rampage in a public park, and you can’t help picturing bewildered passersby marvelling at the scene. The high energy track is fistfuls of fun to match and will be stuck in your head for days.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rzk0Lt1jaI]
Loose Buttons – Thrill
These indie rockers from NYC released new single Thrill last month and have followed up with a video that embraces their sound, with lo-fi hues that bring back memories of blowing on VHS ribbons after too many plays. Director J.D. Aronson says of the clip “I think we ultimately stayed true to the notion of ‘the thrill’— living in the moment, and being the most authentic version of yourself.” The video traces a night of shenanigans from skating behind cars, to dancing in the street, to the kind of night swimming that would make R.E.M. proud. If you ever taped Rage and re-watched it, you will be oh so familiar with those streaky lines and yellow hues, and it’s a fun little exploration into creating memories.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDXxKRtLN-A]
Elk Road – Not to Worry feat. Governors
Not to Worry is the first track from young Perth producer Elk Road that was released earlier this year and has since received loads of attention. The video clip to accompany it was released this week, and plays like a post card to the artist’s hometown. With stunning landscapes that could find themselves in a tourism commercial, it’s beautifully shot by production duo Matsu & Parks. Juxtaposing the vertical lines of feeling trapped in café’s and office buildings with the horizontal lines of freedom on wide open roads and fields of flowers, it’s an ode to stepping out of the monotony of daily life. You can check out Elk Road at Your Paradise festival next month, Sydney’s Electronic Music Conference in December.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNSnxC7QkwQ]
Cosmo’s Midnight (feat. Kučka) – Walk With Me
I’m not usually one for pop music, but this is a damn near perfectly crafted slice of the artform from Sydney twins Cosmo’s Midnight. The vocal assist from Perth electronic songstress Kučka is a sugary falsetto delight that never threatens to become sickly sweet. The dream pop beat is infectious, the synths all kind of lush and the chorus guaranteed to stick in your head. The video is the perfect accompaniment too, Kučka lazing around her bedroom with a Husky, the Cosmo’s Midnight boys riding scooters around an affluent suburb in a pair of tracksuits robbed straight out of the lost property bin at a 90s squash court. There’s pickup basketball, scooter rap squats and Kučka in a kiddie pool before the trio meet up to throw down some of the sweetest choreographed suburban street dance moves you’re likely to see all year. Perfect.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLXJzKdIlXE
Frøkedal – First Friend
Sticking within the pop world, although dialing it back just a little bit, is this absolutely NSFW video from Norwegian artist Frøkedal to accompany First Friend from her debut I See You EP. It starts out innocently enough, a young couple (portrayed by a pair of Norwegian actors) getting all touchy-feely in the late afternoon balcony sun, I can dig that. But then all of a sudden there’s a hand spider-walking with the creepiest of movements across the railing and then she’s regurgitating spaghetti into her partner’s mouth like some kind of messed up but honey-throated mother bird. The lyric ‘in an ordinary world I want nothing more than having you inside me’ is taken to graphically visual heights, with the woman spending the last minute of the song literally eating her partner, blood everywhere and grinning like a maniac. Shit escalated quickly, but it’s a cool and quirky film clip that swipes right with an ice cold pop song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jts61jbBeCk
Little May – Seven Hours
Just shy of releasing their debut album For The Company this week, Sydney trio Little May have given us an absolutely stunning music video for their song Seven Hours. The song is rock at its most hauntingly beautiful. The video features a back and forth living room ballet between a couple tangled up in their emotions. My favourite part of the entire thing is the menacing black storm cloud hanging above them as they lay on the bed together before the dude wakes up to find his bed out to sea and a humpback whale almost blowing him out of the water. Even if the song was garbage (and it is the absolute polar opposite of that) we’d watch this video over and over again just for the mindblowing visuals. Amazing.
G-Eazy – You Got Me
Sordid is probably the best way to describe the latest music video from Oakland born and raised G-Eazy. The trap beat is positively grungy, the bass turned all the way up as G-Eazy and his entourage enjoy a seedy night out on the West Coast. They visit (and eventually are thrown out of) a dankly fluorescent strip club, choosing instead to roam the streets in the wee small hours clutching bottles of champagne and riding around with the windows rolled down. It’s ratbag and it’s glorious.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3wlroM2gZ8
L-Fresh The Lion – Get Mine (feat. Parvyn Kaur Singh)
If you don’t watch this video and immediately wish you had a crowd around you to start a slow clap then I don’t know what to tell you. L-Fresh The Lion comes straight out of Sydney’s southwest with a pretty simple message (if you read between the lines of his verbose and socially conscious rapid fire flow) for the sadly perpetual horde of un-Australian racists and bigots he probably has to deal with on a daily basis: fuck off. The video features L-Fresh looking dapper as all get out, delivering an address to an unseen crowd with Australian flags adorning the background, interspersed with grainy television footage of past Prime Ministers (Tony Abbott’s shit eating mug getting quite a look-in), as well as from dark days in our recent history like the Cronulla race riots and those fuck-awful Reclaim Australia rallies. And the man is a goddamn talent, sharp as a tack. He wrote an op-ed piece to accompany the release of this video that is absolutely spot on; highlighting how the words and actions of our political leaders have a poisonous trickle-down effect on our national narrative.
L-Fresh The Lion, doing Australian hip hop proud and a name you need to watch out for.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiIj-enNs34