Born Gerald Earl Gillum, Oakland rapper G-Eazy didn’t so much rise to hip-hop’s top ranks as he slid in through the side door, building an organic following through a series of mixtapes before scoring a viral hit in 2011 with “Runaround Sue.” That success led to a pair of independent releases and eventually his major label debut, 2014’s These Things Happen, which included a showcase with a fellow Bay Area rap icon, E-40, in “Far Alone,” and G-Eazy’s early mission statement “I Mean It (feat. Remo).” As G-Eazy’s popularity grew, so did the depth of his introspection, which often involved contemplating the perks and pitfalls of stardom. You can hear him walk that tightrope in his increasingly darker and textured tracks, such as “Drifting” (from 2015’s When It’s Dark Out) and “Sober” (from 2017’s The Beautiful & Damned).