"She kept sayin' G-Eazy is her favorite rapper"

            Let’s talk about this little obsession I have. His name is Gerald Gillum, G-Eazy. I won’t give you background because it’s all on Wikipedia and his website for you to read. I will say this, he’s an independent rap artist from Oakland who studied at Loyola University in New Orleans and he’s using technology and his own style to make it big.

            Like many artists, he used Myspace and, more recently, Soundcloud to share his music with his fans. His website features each album playlist via Soundcloud. The most interesting part of this, similar to other independent artists, G-Eazy gives his fan the option to purchase his music or download the album for free. Hoodie Allen has done this as well.

            Another thing worth noting is his use of webisodes on YouTube to keep fans involved in the music. The episodes titled The Life And Times Of Young Gerald, follow the team on tour. They feature little things like diners the guys visit, nightly shows and different stops on the road. G-Eazy also reaches out to fans giving them dates and locations to be a part of his music videos. He gives people a chance to be a part of his music and it’s what will make him big.

            Also on the Web page fans can sign up to join the G-Eazy Street Team. Where they can join the movement and build hype in cities G-Eazy is scheduled to visit. Fans can also engage with G-Eazy on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube.

            As an independent artist, engaging you fan base is one of the most important moves you can make. Maybe G-Eazy owes it to his bachelors degree in Music Industry Studies, maybe he owes it to his agents. Either way he's doing it right and his sold out shows prove it.

**Check out my favorite G-Eazy music video, "Been On", here