When It's Dark Out

When It's Dark Out
Studio album by G-Eazy
Released December 4, 2015 (2015-12-04)
Recorded 2014–15
Genre Hip hop
Length 61:05
Label RCA
Producer
G-Eazy chronology
These Things Happen
(2014)		 When It's Dark Out
(2015)
Singles from When It's Dark Out
  1. "Me, Myself & I"
    Released: October 14, 2015
  2. "Order More"
    Released: February 18, 2016
  3. "Drifting"
    Released: April 17, 2016
  4. "Some Kind of Drug"
    Released: November 18, 2016

When It's Dark Out is the third studio album by American hip hop recording artist G-Eazy. It was released on December 4, 2015, by RCA Records.[1] The album was first made available for a pre-order on iTunes on November 27, 2015.[2][3] Recording sessions took place during 2014 to 2015, with G-Eazy as the records executive producer, alongside Christoph Andersson and Southside. The album features guest appearances from E-40, Kehlani, Big Sean and Grace, as well as the production that was provided by Southside, along with several other record producers such as OZ, DJ Spinz, Boi-1da and Michael Keenan, among others.

The album was supported by four singles: "Me, Myself & I" with Bebe Rexha, "Order More" featuring Starrah, "Drifting" featuring Chris Brown and Tory Lanez and "Some Kind of Drug" featuring Marc E. Bassy.

Recording and production

Recording sessions took place during 2014 to 2015, with the executive production work that handled by G-Eazy himself, alongside with his frequent collaborator Christoph Andersson and the southern hip hop record producer Southside. The album also would include some additional production from OZ and Michael Keenan, among others. G-Eazy spoke about expressing his feelings towards his fans about the sounds and how excited he was with this album. When It’s Dark Out was constructed to sound like it could accompany a horror movie as its soundtrack. During recording and production G-Eazy stated he was influenced by both Wes Craven and Tim Burton, which is why it features many piano loops and “foggy synths” throughout the entire album.[4]

Promotion

The album's first promotional single, called "You Got Me" was released on August 17, 2015.[5] The song was produced by Southside and Christoph Andersson.

The album's second promotional single, called "Random" was released on October 29, 2015.[3] The song was produced by OZ. The song peaked at number 94 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

The album's third promotional single, called "Sad Boy" was released on November 26, 2015. The song was written and produced by Henry Daher.

Singles

The album's lead single, called "Me, Myself & I" was released on October 14, 2015. The song features as a duet track between G-Eazy and American singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha, who wrote this song, with the production that was provided by Michael Keenan. The song peaked at number 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it as G-Eazy's first top 10 hit and his highest charting single to date. The song also became Rexha's third Billboard Hot 100 single in her career as the featured artist, and the fourth for her songwriting, writing songs such as "The Monster" (by Eminem featuring Rihanna), "Hey Mama" (by David Guetta) and "Take Me Home" (by Cash Cash).

"Order More" was first released as the album's promotional single on November 13, 2015. The song features guest vocals from a recording artist Starrah, with the production that was handled by DJ Spinz. "Order More" was officially remixed, featuring Lil Wayne and Yo Gotti, which was released on February 18, 2016, as the album's second single.

"Drifting" was released on April 17, 2016, to rhythmic radio as the album's third single. The song features guest vocals from Chris Brown and Tory Lanez, with the production that was handled by Cashmere Cat, Mssingno and Happy Perez. The song peaked at number 98 on the US Billboard Hot 100, prior to its release as a single.

"Some Kind of Drug" was released on November 16, 2016, as the album's fourth single.[6][7] The song features guest vocals from Marc E. Bassy, with the production that was provided by Rice 'N Peas, with additional production provided by Christoph Andersson and G-Eazy.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic74/100[8]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
Billboard[10]
The Guardian[11]
Pitchfork Media6.7/10[12]

When It's Dark Out was met with critical acclaim by critics upon its release. Billboard gave it 3.5 stars out of 5, and noted that "a few blatant crossover-R&B attempts feel faceless, but they're largely outliers on an album that gives this former greaser novelty three dimensions".[10] Neil Yeung of AllMusic believed that the 17 tracks were "addictive without it ever growing stale" and commended G-Eazy for how he "executes flawlessly with the shrewdness befitting of his Loyola University music industry studies degree."[9]

Sheldon Pearce of Pitchfork Media thought When It's Dark Out is an improvement from These Things Happen (2014), and that the production and guest appearances seem "like a conscious effort on G-Eazy's part to flesh out his sound into something more dynamic and less one-note."[12] Ben Thompson from The Guardian stated that the album "could’ve hit a home run if it hadn’t worked so hard to cover all the bases", criticising the second half of the record.[11]

Commercial performance

On December 11, 2015, after its official release, the album debuted at number 5 on the US Billboard 200, also debuting at number one on the Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. The album sold 103,000 copies in the first week in the United States.[13] As of January 2016, the album debuted at number 6 on the UK's Top 40 R&B, making it his most successful release in the United Kingdom and the United States. On February 16, 2016, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[14] On July 7, 2016, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Track listing

When It's Dark Out — CD – digital download – streaming
No. TitleWriter(s)Producer(s) Length
1. "Intro"  
  • Andersson
  • G-Eazy (add.)
 1:11
2. "Random"  
OZ 3:00
3. "Me, Myself & I" (with Bebe Rexha)
  • Keenan
  • Andersson (add.)
  • G-Eazy (add.)
 4:11
4. "One of Them" (featuring Big Sean)
  • 2 Lz Eric LaVaughn Smith
  • ZepFire (add.)
  • G-Eazy (add.)
 3:19
5. "Drifting" (featuring Chris Brown and Tory Lanez)
 4:33
6. "Of All Things" (featuring Too $hort)
  • Boi-1da
  • Andersson (add.)
  • G-Eazy (add.)
 3:33
7. "Order More" (featuring Starrah)
 3:28
8. "Calm Down"  
The Arcade 2:07
9. "Don't Let Me Go" (featuring Grace)
  • Ighile
  • Andersson (add.)
  • G-Eazy (add.)
 3:11
10. "You Got Me"  
  • Gillum
  • Lullen
  • Andersson
  • Southside
  • Andersson (add.)
 3:28
11. "What If" (featuring Gizzle)
Southside 4:13
12. "Sad Boy"  
  • Andersson
  • Gillum
  • Henry Daher
  • Daher
  • Andersson
  • G-Eazy
 3:22
13. "Some Kind of Drug" (featuring Marc E. Bassy)
  • Rice 'N Peas
  • Andersson (add.)
  • G-Eazy (add.)
 3:42
14. "Think about You" (featuring Quiñ)
  • Gillum
  • Bianca Quiñones
  • Andersson
  • Garrette Nash
  • Gnash
  • Andersson
  • G-Eazy
 2:59
15. "Everything Will Be Ok" (featuring Kehlani)
  • Remo
  • Andersson (add.)
  • G-Eazy (add.)
 5:11
16. "For This" (featuring IAMNOBODI)GillumIAMNOBODI 4:10
17. "Nothing to Me" (featuring E-40 and Keyshia Cole)
 5:29
Total length:
 61:07
Google Play bonus track
No. TitleWriter(s)Producer(s) Length
18. "The Otherside" (featuring Liphemra)Gillum4e 3:51
Total length:
 64:56

Charts

Chart (2015–16) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[15] 36
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[16] 140
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[17] 183
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[18] 8
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[19] 12
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[20] 87
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[21] 38
French Albums (SNEP)[22] 136
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[23] 34
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[24] 13
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[25] 27
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 32
UK Albums (OCC)[27] 24
US Billboard 200[28] 5
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[29] 1

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Poland (ZPAV)[30] Gold 10,000*

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ↑ Lindsey Sullivan (2015-10-15). "G-Eazy Announces 'When It's Dark Out' Album, Premieres First Single 'Me, Myself & I'". Billboard. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
  2. ↑ "G-Eazy – When Its Dark Out [Tracklist + Album Artwork] Lyrics". Genius. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
  3. 1 2 "When It's Dark Out : Release details". Instagram. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
  4. ↑ http://djbooth.net/mobile/feature/2015-10-29-g-eazy-album-inspiration
  5. ↑ "You Got Me - Single by G-Eazy on Apple Music - iTunes". iTunes. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  6. ↑ "G-Eazy feat. Marc E. Bassy- Some Kind Of Drug Video". HotNewHipHop. November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  7. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/some-kind-drug-feat.-marc/id1175503795?app=itunes&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
  8. ↑ "Reviews for When It's Dark Out by G-Eazy". Metacritic. Retrieved 2016-01-05.
  9. 1 2 Yeung, Neil (December 10, 2015). "When It's Dark Out - G-Eazy". AllMusic. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  10. 1 2 Weiss, Jeff (December 10, 2015). "'Runaround Sue' Rapper G-Eazy Takes Big Step Up With 'When It's Dark Out': Album Review". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  11. 1 2 Thompson, Ben (December 10, 2015). "G-Eazy: When It's Dark Out review – almost a crossover home run". The Guardian. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
  12. 1 2 Pearce, Sheldon (December 10, 2015). "G-Eazy: When It's Dark Out". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  13. ↑ Mendizabal, Amaya (December 16, 2015). "G-Eazy Rules Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard.
  14. ↑ "American album certifications – G Eazy – When It's Dark Out". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
  15. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – G-Eazy – When It's Dark Out". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Ultratop.be – G-Eazy – When It's Dark Out" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Ultratop.be – G-Eazy – When It's Dark Out" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  18. ↑ "G-Eazy – Chart history" Billboard Canadian Albums Chart for G-Eazy. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – G-Eazy – When It's Dark Out". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – G-Eazy – When It's Dark Out" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  21. ↑ "G-Eazy: When It's Dark Out" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums Fusionnes - SNEP (Week 30, 2016)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – G-Eazy – When It's Dark Out". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – G-Eazy – When It's Dark Out". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  25. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – G-Eazy – When It's Dark Out". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
  26. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – G-Eazy – When It's Dark Out". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  27. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  28. ↑ "G-Eazy – Chart history" Billboard 200 for G-Eazy. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  29. ↑ "G-Eazy – Chart history" Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums for G-Eazy. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  30. ↑ "Polish album certifications – G-Eazy – When It's Dark Out" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
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