It's always hard when an artist dies, as so often, they go so young. Such was the case for rapper Lil Peep, who passed away last night before a show in Tucson, Arizona at The Rock nightclub. Peep, real name Gustav Ahr, was only 21. The initial report broke online, after some of Peep's close friends discovered the artist's body on his tour bus before he performed. It was soon confirmed, and the hip-hop world responded in shock and sadness, sharing their thoughts and condolences through various platforms. Many speculated that Peep had died from a drug overdose, and now, reports from the Associated Press and Billboard have revealed more details about the incident.
Though no official cause of death has been announced, an autopsy has been conducted, and Sgt. Pete Dugan said that there is evidence pointing to a Xanax overdose. Peep was an open Xanax user, and several of his Instagram posts have taken on a chilling context in the wake of his death. In one, Peep claimed to have consumed six Xanax pills, and in others, he captioned ominous messages about his own death, including a recent picture reading "When I die You'll love me." Unfortunately, many of today's new age rappers have become open about their Xanax use, and Peep's premature death has raised a debate about the rising glorification of drug use in art.
Superstars like Lil Uzi Vert have rapped about their own struggles with addiction, and the massive XO Tour Life features lyrics like "Xanny, help the pain, yeah, please, Xanny, make it go away, I'm committed, not addicted, but it keep control of me." And Lil Uzi is but one of many, and it's not uncommon to hear reference to drugs like Xanax or Percocet in new wave hip-hop. At the end of the day, they ultimately cost a young man his life, and the finality of that has yet to truly sink in. As of now, a medical examiner is undergoing an extensive toxicology report, which could take between seven and eight weeks.
Once again, rest in peace Lil Peep.
