When It's Dark Out

''When It's Dark Out'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper G-Eazy. It was released on December 4, 2015, by RCA Records. The album features guest appearances from Big Sean, Chris Brown, Tory Lanez, Too $hort, Yo Gotti, Lil Wayne, Kehlani, E 40, Keyshia Cole, Rick Ross and Kevin Gates. The production was provided by OZ, DJ Spinz, Boi-1da and Michael Keenan, among others.

The album was supported by four singles: " Me, Myself & I", "Order More", " Drifting" and "Some Kind of Drug".

''When It's Dark Out'' debuted at number five on the US ''Billboard'' 200. It also debuted at number one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. The album sold 135,000 copies in the first week in the United States.

Recording and production

Recording sessions took place during 2014 to 2015, including executive production work by G-Eazy himself, along with his frequent collaborator Christoph Andersson and record producer Southside. The additional production from the album was provided by 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 the 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.

Promotion

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

The album's second promotional single, "Random", was released on October 29, 2015. The song was produced by OZ. The song peaked at number 94 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and was certified Platinum in 2021.

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

Singles

The album's lead single, " 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, with production by Michael Keenan. The song peaked at number seven on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, making it as G-Eazy's first top 10 hit and his second highest charting single to date behind "No Limit" featuring A$AP Rocky and Cardi B which peaked at number 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song also became Rexha's third ''Billboard'' Hot 100 single in her career as a featured artist.

"Order More" was first released as the album's promotional single on November 13, 2015. The song features a guest appearance from American singer Starrah, with production by DJ Spinz. The official remix was released after, which features guest appearances from American rappers Lil Wayne and Yo Gotti.

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

"Some Kind of Drug" was released on November 16, 2016, as the album's fourth single. The song features a guest appearance from Marc E. Bassy, while the production was handled by Rice 'N Peas, with additional production by Christoph Andersson and G-Eazy. It has since peaked at number 97 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100.

Critical reception

''When It's Dark Out'' was met with generally positive reviews 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". 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."

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." 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.

Commercial performance

''When It's Dark Out'' debuted at number five on the US ''Billboard'' 200. It also debuted at number one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. The album sold 135,000 copies in the first week in the United States. As of January 2016, the album debuted at number six on the UK's Top 40 R&B, making it his most successful release in the United Kingdom and the United States. On July 7, 2016, the album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Track listing

Notes
* G-Eazy and Bebe Rexha are billed together as ''G-Eazy x Bebe Rexha'' on "Me, Myself & I".

Sample credits
* "Of All Things" contains a sample of Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless), written and performed by Crystal Waters.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Decade-end charts

Certifications

References

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2015 albums
G-Eazy albums
RCA Records albums
Albums produced by Boi-1da
Albums produced by Kane Beatz
Albums produced by Cashmere Cat