Rapper Lil Peep, real name Gustav Åhr, has died aged 21 after a reported drug overdose.
The New York musician was a rising star that mixed emo with hip-hop, as he did in his debut album released in August. The music website Pitchfork called him “the future of emo”, back in January.
Åhr died in Tucson, Arizona on Wednesday night, hours before he was due to perform in his penultimate show of a tour to promote his album Come Over When You’re Sober.
His lyrics often referenced depression and drug use and he had spoken openly about his addictions to cocaine, ecstasy and Xanax, the prescription tranquilliser.
In February, he tweeted: “I am a depressed drug addict and I’m nearing my breaking point. Everything I love is disappearing.”
Åhr, who grew up in Long Beach, New York, was reportedly taken to hospital following an overdose and in a video he posted online hours before his death, he said he had taken prescription drugs and other substances, saying: “I’m good, I’m not sick”, while in a previous post he wrote: “When I die, you’ll love me.”
The music world has paid tribute to him on social media after news of his death emerged.
Chase Ortega, his manager, tweeted: “I’ve been expecting this call for a year. Mother f**k.”
“Peep had so much more to do man, he was constantly inspiring me. I don’t feel good man.”, DJ and producer Diplo said.
Marshmello, the Dutch dance music producer, tweeted: “Peep was the nicest person, hanging out with him, talking to him about music, the song ideas we were going to do together and touring was so amazing. Everyone will miss you man.”
“No. Not Lil Peep,” tweeted Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy, “We have to talk about mental health in open way.”
Article by Valentina Guidi.
He discovered the gem when he was 12 years old and still has it now, claiming it to be why he fell in love with music. He likes to play disc golf when he's not writing about music. He is a one-of-a-kind individual who is always the first to bust out his air guitar on the dance-floor.
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