Several weeks ago, our Romanian friend Vlad the Revealer at Celebrity Address Aerial inquired as to the identity of the new owner of a exceptionally-tall house in the Beachwood Canyon neighborhood of the Hollywood Hills. It took Yolanda a hot minute but after we slapped and poked and walloped a few unsuspecting people, we finally got the answer.
Before we prattle away, however, the house was sold by an actor/musician named Shane West, perhaps best-known for his roles in a variety of films and TV shows including ER, Nikita, and Salem. Our Mr. West appears to have taken a slight loss on the house: he purchased the property for $1,775,000 in 2006 and just sold it for $1,758,000.
Anyway, the new owner — who took title under a blind trust — is a guy named Gerald Gillum, better known to many young hip-hop fans the world over as G-Eazy.
Mr. Eazy — 27 years of age — was born and raised in the Bay Area of NorCal. He seems to have had a rather rough childhood growing up, with his parents divorcing and his mom shacking up with a woman to whom Mr. Eazy would grow close, only to eventually find her dead at home from a depression-fueled suicide.
Our young fella graduated from Loyola University New Orleans in 2011 and quickly immersed himself in the US hip-hop landscape. He released mixtapes and performed on the Vans Warped Tour and at other assorted venues before releasing his debut full-length studio album. That record — 2014’s These Things Happen — soared to the top of the Billboard Hip-Hop/R&B and Top Rap Albums charts and also peaked at an impressive #3 on the weekly top 200 albums chart.
Mr. Eazy has capitalized on his initial success by embarking on a completely sold-out world tour and releasing a sophomore album, 2015’s When It’s Dark Out. That year alone, he also headlined (or co-headlined) world-famous festivals like Lollapalooza, Electric Forest, Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, Made in America, and Austin City Limits.
Yolanda has never heard a G-Eazy song, mind you, and we plan to keep it that way. At our age, we have an instant and lasting dislike for anything new and confusing. However, it’s worth noting that Mr. Eazy’s releases typically get good reviews and he’s also quite the stylish figure with his clean-cut appearance, slicked-back hair, and leather jackets. We definitely approve of the James Dean-ish look. So stick around, Mr. Eazy.
But we digress.
This house was built in 1979 in a rather unattractive faux-Tuscan style with 3,642-square-feet of living space. The property itself is downright puny — barely .15-acre, not all of which is usable due to the hillside’s steepness. That’s fairly typical for this neighborhood, however.
But here’s the thing. The owner of this home has absolutely got to be in tip-top physical condition. (Unless they are a masochist, of course.) This has gotta be the tallest and most stair-filled structure we’ve ever discussed on this blog. Soaring a full five floors from the street, the property absolutely towers over the road below. That’s great for views but not necessarily great for Mr. Eazy when he comes home with a trunk full of Gelson’s shopping bags. The kitchen is on the fourth floor and don’t even ask about the elevator. There isn’t one.
Say it ain’t so!
Oh well. At least the Porsche-driving Mr. Eazy will appreciate that the house contains a two-car garage, a definite boon in this crowded neighborhood. Parking is precious.
Strangely enough, the “front door” — if that’s indeed the appropriate term here — appears to be located way up on the fourth floor of the residence. Hand-carved wood-and-glass-doors swing open to floors that appear to be hardwood. A colorful chest sets off the entry vestibule.
To the right of the doorway is the dining room; to the left is a living room with vaulted wood-beamed ceiling, fireplace, and sets of French doors that take in jetliner views of an enormous swathe of the LA basin and — on a clear day — the Pacific Ocean.
The recently-renovated kitchen has medium-grade appliances and milk-white countertops. And just around the corner are another set of steps that lead to the fifth floor, which contains three of the home’s four bedrooms.
Another oddity of the house is that it sports not one but two master suites. The first is located on the top floor and contains a spacious bedroom with views galore, dual vanities, and an old-timey tub-slash-shower setup. Goodness, everything about that thing just seems awkward.
A second master bedroom is located down a narrow flight of stairs just off the kitchen and features a very similar layout.
Somewhere else there’s a room with a writing desk, a large settee with a thin coffee table, and a black-and-green globe that Yolanda fiercely covets.
The property is much too small and steep to have any sort of formal backyard, but it does sport staircases that lead down to a trough-style swimming pool. There’s also spacious brick terraces with a full outdoor BBQ and seating area w/ firepit. Just watch your feet on those bricks during a sweltering summer day, Mr. Eazy. Ouchies!
A self-contained guesthouse (not pictured here) directly above the garage houses a large game/billiards room and a room that could be utilized as a recording studio.
If you’d like a more in-depth look at this house, check out this YouTube video tour.
As far as we can tell this is the first home purchased by Mr. Eazy in LA or anywhere, for that matter. Mazel tov, felicidades, grattis, congrats, etc.
Listing agents: Edward Faktorovich, Figure 8 Realty; Sherri Rogers, Nourmand & Associates
G-Eazy’s agent: Megan Haley, Coldwell Banker