For Chicago-born rapper G Herbo, being able to tour again means everything.

On Friday, Dec. 3, G Herbo took the stage at One Centre Square in downtown Easton to perform for a room packed with fans. Audience members also got to hear fan favorites like “PTSD” and “Who Want Smoke??” and see special guests such as Lil Zay Osama, Shaun Sloan and DCG BROTHERS.

G Herbo’s newest album, entitled “25,” was released in early July and was well-received by fans, debuting at #5 on the Billboard top 200 chart and racking up over 182 million streams so far. The album features big names in the hip-hop industry, such as 21 Savage, Polo G and The Kid LAROI. He said that the strong reception to “25” holds a lot of value to him.

“When I started rapping, it was just something I had fun with. It was a form of therapy, a way to really express myself,” G Herbo said. “So for me to get global notoriety, and people all over the country and the world to appreciate my work, it means a lot. It makes me want to keep going. It’s all I need.”

With a capacity of 1,000 people, One Centre Square’s venue was smaller than any other stop on his tour. G Herbo noted that this small space lent to a sense of intimacy.

“I like the personal vibe, intimate vibe. It gives me more of an intense show because I can feel the people’s energy. We can lock eyes, I can feel and touch them,” he said. “When it’s an intimate crowd, I could feel those people’s emotions and their energy. I feel like they know me, and I know them.”

Prior to this tour, the last time G Herbo was able to perform in front of an audience was in early March of 2020, an experience shared by many other musical artists.

“It means everything to be able to, first and foremost, still be relevant to my fans, to be blessed and still be able to touch so many people after I’ve been doing it for so long,” he said. “I went on my first tour in 2014, something like that, so all these years later, being able to tour in front of my fans, it means the world to me.”

G Herbo expressed that his favorite song of the concert was the last one he performed, “Turning 25.” Before beginning the song onstage, he stated that turning 25 is a real blessing where he comes from in Chicago.

“When I’m on stage, I try to take you on a journey. It’s like a rollercoaster,” he said in the interview. “Out of all the up-tempo shit where I got the crowd going crazy, I feel like at the very end, they locked in and paid attention to the message I was trying to get them to receive.”

G Herbo gained inspiration for the album from rappers like Meek Mill, Jay-Z, Jadakiss and Juelz Santana, as well as other artists he grew up with. Additionally, G Herbo said that he is inspired by himself, explaining that part of the importance of his work is staying true to himself by bringing his fans on a journey from his roots to his perspective on life. 

In honor of his performance in Easton, which took place across the street from the Crayola Experience, G Herbo decided that if Crayola were to name a crayon after him, it would have to be a shade of red. The explanation behind this choice originated from the roots of the color red throughout his life.

“For one, I come from a red zone, where you face a lot of death, gun violence and a high crime rate. Also, I shared blood, sweat and tears to get here. My eyes are red crying, I spent sleepless nights to get where I am now,” he said. “Also, I had to go from the red to the black financially. I’ve been in a space where I had to make my way in, make mistakes, learn and be the man I am today.”

To end his show, G Herbo gave his fans a big thanks for making their way to see him perform, which was met with a roar of applause. Just before leaving the stage to see fans, he let the crowd know that, while it was his first time coming to Easton, it would certainly not be his last.