G-Eazy, Scary Nights | Album Review 💿

Following the release of an EP of ‘B–Sides’ in September 2019, G-Eazy returns with a moderately enjoyable eight-track EP, ‘Scary Nights,’ in October.  

“Bitch lying on me like she tired / I might have to fuck around and call Kamaiyah.” Whether it should’ve been or not, “No Limit” was one of my jams in 2017.  Honestly, G-Eazy had his fair share of bops on his 2017 album, The Beautiful & Damned.  Yeah, he proved time and time again that he was a playboy, but he definitely had his moments. After dropping an EP of B-Sides earlier in September 2019, he drops an eight-track EP in October 2019, Scary Nights.  Scary Nights won’t change your life mind you, but it’s a moderately enjoyable EP that does just enough to ‘tickle your fancy’ until the next full-length Eazy LP.

“Scary Nights”

G-Eazy kicks off Scary Nights with none other than the title track, ✓ “Scary Nights.” As the title suggests, the song is dark and edgy, set in a minor key – SCARY NIGHTS y’all! Is it particularly scary? Umm no, not really – it’s more cocky, confident, and drippy than anything else.  He does get a tough chorus that’s memorable enough (don’t call it catchy necessarily though) and does shout out Nipsey Hussle on the third and final verse: “Rest in peace, Nipsey, wearing blue with that.”  It should also be noted that “Scary Nights” is co-produced by Ben Billions, Nils, Boi-1da, Jahaan Sweet, and The Rascals.

Boi-1da and Jahaan Sweet remain behind the boards for the sleek ✓ “I Wanna Rock,” which is also co-produced by Sevn Thomas and Audi.  As expected, G-Eazy is ‘turnt up’ to the nth degree, dripping in swagger.  Compared to “Scary Nights,” he has a catchier chorus, if for no other reason that it’s dumber and more repetitive: “I wanna rock, I wanna rock /… If you feel better, you can hate me then.” G is joined on the brief, sub-three-minute cut by Gunna.  Like Eazy, Gunna flexes hard including the filthy lyrics, “She give me head, make me feel like the president / I’m cumming while I’m thumbing through these presidents.” Is that gangsta or what?

“Full Time Cappers”  

After welcoming Gunna on “I Wanna Rock,” G-Eazy keeps the guest spots coming on another banger, “Full Time Cappers.”  He enlists French Montana for the melodic chorus, which appears after a brief intro and precedes Eazy’s first verse. “Fuck a scrimmage, this ain’t practice / We put asses in the rafters,” Montana spits, eventually asserting, “We don’t fuck with full time cappers.” Money Bagg Yo also joins the party on the second verse, bringing Casper (The Friendly Ghost) into the mix: “I can see right through a lie, Casper.” Eazy also brags his way through the third verse, opening with the piercing bullet, “Bitch, you not a factor.” #Dead

The first half of the eight-track project concludes with “Big Ben” featuring Preme.  Preme sets the tone on the hard-nosed first verse, exhibiting a respectable flow by all means. G-Eazy takes command on the second verse, which immediately segues.  Continuing his never-ending confidence, and an appealing flow (even where the depth is debatable), Eazy finally reveals what he’s getting at with the title, “Big Ben” on the chorus.  I quote, “Got the big face Rollie call my watch Big Ben.” Yeah, it’s corny as albeit, but because he’s big ballin’, and his wrist is ‘froze,’ well, his watch is a big/prestigious as Big Ben.  Whatever.

“K I D S” 

“We don’t never really sleep, I’m still up now / Dodging raindrops, tryna duck clouds / I don’t fuck with people, I don’t like crowds / It’s my world and I don’t give a fuck now, yeah.” Okay… ✓ “K I D S” begins the second half of Scary Nights.  Following an intro, G-Eazy sets the tone himself, showcasing his distinct tone and again, a compelling flow.  Beyond the flow, the production of “K I D S” shines with kicks, clapping snares, and liberal, hyper-rhythmic, sizzling hi-hats (Chy and Nitrose).  Of course, Eazy is joined once more by a guest, Dex Lauper, who is quite introspective at times throughout his verse:

“Can’t believe my brother died outside of grandma house
He just took a bullet to the brain, now I’m standing under a cloud
No one ever gonna give a fuck about you now
That’s why I ride around with a stain and there ain’t no looking down.”

After several collaborative tracks, G-Eazy goes solo for just the second time on Scary Nights with “Hittin Licks.” Charlie Heat and Searato give him a cool production with an energetic beat to spit over and do what he does best – flow well and of course, talk shit.  The wheel is not reinvented on “Hittin’ Licks,” but Eazy gets a catchy chorus out of it by all means.

“Demons & Angels”

Two big names join G-Eazy on the penultimate number, ✓ 🤩“Demons & Angels.”  That would be Grammy-winning R&B artist Miguel and multiplatinum West Coast rapper, The Game.  Focusing on the collabs first, Miguel sounds as soulful as ever, never over-singing, yet shining on the chorus. As for The Game, he’s on autopilot on the second verse, spitting at one point, “Wear my heart on a sleeve of this Off-White hoodie / You need some time to grow up, I know, I drafted a rookie / I’m Phil Jackson in this ill jacket / Pardon my head, yeah, I feel like I wrote Illmatic…” With such star power, Eazy could pretty much sit back, right? Right, but, he drops a respectable first verse before deferring to Miguel and The Game ;).

Scary Nights concludes with the third and final solo cut, “A Very Strange Time.”  Following so many collaborations on a 26-minute project, it is smart that G-Eazy makes sure his voice is the final one heard.  Produced by Christoph Andersson, the sound is quite sweet, with colorful synths and banging drum programming.  The flow continues to be where Eazy’s ‘bread is buttered,’ while the poppy chorus is quite interesting.

Final Thoughts

All in all, Scary Nights is an enjoyable EP. That’s pretty much all that you can say about the effort really. G-Eazy doesn’t really ‘scare’ anybody with this project (wacky album art and all), nor does he progress beyond the work of his previous albums, namely The Beautiful & Damned (2017). Still, as far as EPs go to tide over fans until the next full-length LP, Scary Nights does its job and shows that Eazy hasn’t change much if any.

✓ Gems: “Scary Nights,” “I Wanna Rock,” “K I D S” & 🤩“Demons & Angels”

G-Eazy • Scary Nights (EP) • RCA • Release: 10.18.19

Photo Credit: RCA