G-Eazy’s Hip-Hop Sampling Strategy: Building on Nostalgia

They say that "old is gold," and music proves this statement to be true. Sometimes, we get lost in the nostalgia of old-school classics and picture ourselves with an afro, wearing a Letterman jacket and Ray-Ban glasses. Thankfully, through sampling, creatives like G-Eazy have kept these golden oldies alive in their contemporary music.

Music sampling is the reintegration of portions of already published recordings into a new piece of music. In this article, we'll discuss how G-Eazy established a brand based on sampling with his unique taste for doo-wop and older music genres. Sit back, and read on.

G-Eazy isn't a new name in the hip-hop scene. He has released eight albums, six mixtapes, one compilation, and 10 extended plays to date. Born Gerald Earl Gillum on May 24, 1989, in Oakland, California, the rapper became famous in 2011 after releasing the hit mixtape The Endless Summer.

G-Eazy attributed his hip-hop sampling-based brand to his upbringing in Oakland, where the hyphy movement, pioneered by Mac Dre, was the norm. He fondly remembers how his mother, his "No.1 fan," bought him his first CD, "Mac Dre's the Name" in 2001. 

His community of friends, schoolmates, and neighbors also significantly impacted his career path. He stated, "Growing up in Oakland back in the day, you just had to be a rapper; every other kid wanted to be a rapper."

G-Eazy's love for doo-wop music style stemmed from the fact that his mother and grandparents, who co-raised him, always had it on repeat in the family home. His mother, an artist and professor of art, and his father, also a professor of art at California State University, had a strong influence on his career path as an artist. 

Growing up, he tried flipping the doo-wop and discovered that its tempo and rhythm sounded perfect with contemporary rap songs. Hence, he began his career in music sampling. He experimented, adding half-timed drums and 808s to doo-wop samples, and created masterpieces. As of May 2025, G-Eazy had sampled 171 tracks, 103 remixes, and 34 covers.

G-Eazy's sampling journey began before he gained significant recognition as a rapper.

By the time G-Eazy enrolled at Loyola University New Orleans in 2006, his mind was fixated on a career in the music industry, so he chose to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music. It was during his time at university that he first began music production. He later joined a group called the Bay Boyz, where he gained recognition as a hip-hop artist, opening for artists such as Lil B and Cataracs.

It was not until 2011 that G-Eazy made a breakthrough with his mixtape The Endless Summer. The hit song of this mixtape, a sample of the 1961 version of "Runaround Sue," showcased his early sampling talent. The song garnered over 4 million views on YouTube in a year, which was respectable in 2011. 

The Endless Summer mixtape utilized dozens of samples, with many songs incorporating elements from other artists, including lyrics, vocals, and beats. Notable samples are listed below, along with the corresponding album tracks:

In 2014, G-Eazy made his major label debut with These Things Happen, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and No.1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album sold over 240,000 copies, and following its release, G-Eazy embarked on his first international tour, which included stops in the U.K., New Zealand, and Australia. He toured locally the same year, playing at popular music events such as Lollapalooza and Electric Forest.

The album included 10 song samples, and the most notable include the following; 

The Beautiful and Damned album was released at the perfect time for Gen Zs, who were coming of age. Research indicates that 15% of this age group thrives on nostalgia and things that remind them of the past. What could be more nostalgic than a G-Eazy album full of sampled music?

The Beautiful & Damned had an impressive reception, becoming G-Eazy's third album to reach the Top 10 on the Billboard 200. It debuted at No. 3 on the chart with 122,000 album-equivalent units and received Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America for reaching 1 million units in combined sales and album-equivalent units in the U.S.

The Beautiful & Damned album featured 20 tracks, and the standouts include:

G-Eazy has released dozens of singles independently of his main albums, many of which incorporate samples. He has also collaborated with a wide range of artists across various genres, some of whom have adopted elements of his music style.

Copyright infringement is one of the biggest hurdles for artists who use sampling techniques to establish their brand. The technique was popularized during the 1980s by artists such as Public Enemy and De La Soul. At a time when the legal framework was almost nonexistent, copyright infringement became a huge issue. 

Fortunately for G-Eazy and other modern-day artists, the intellectual music property law has evolved to provide legal avenues for navigating copyright challenges. Additionally, G-Eazy has made some of his tracks free to avoid profit-related legal battles.

G-Eazy is one of the few artists who identified an underexplored niche and specialized in it. His sampling techniques allow him to evoke feelings of nostalgia and familiarity in his audiences. 

In May 2025, G-Eazy released yet another sampling-themed album, proving his longevity in the industry. The doo-wop style will undoubtedly live on, thanks to younger artists who have been inspired by G-Eazy's music style.