The music industry over the years has witnessed artists with a vision which was obscurely never kindled with and they took different genres and created a new genre in itself. It dates back to electronic guitar manipulation by Hendrix and even Elvis Presley. There have been artistically different rebels all along the journey, country music’s rebellion was Rock and Roll, followed by metal, punk, and so on. Netflix Documentary – Lil Peep: Everybody’s Everything directed by Sebastian Jones and Ramez Silyan, is a dive into the life of a boy who was destined to be a legend.
With every generation, we saw an artist who broke the boundaries of the preconceived notions about the genre. Kurt Cobain created grunge, a genre that didn’t exist before. Such artistically transformed genres of music paved the way for electronic music and hip-hop took full advantage of it with people emerging like Dr.Dre, Tupac, Eminem, Notorious BIG, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, etc.
In the already established genre steps in a kid from Long Island, New York, Gustav Alijah Årh known as Lil Peep!
This Netflix Documentary due to the availability of cellphones in this age is a dive into the life of the artist and understanding various perspectives of life.
Humble Beginnings
Gus was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and had a very rough childhood due to the trauma of his father leaving him and his mother on her own. This split created a black hole in his heart and he became too much of an introvert, he didn’t even attend his classes due to bullying and resorted to being in his darkroom with his thoughts rattling his brain, performing for people was something which was almost impossible due to his breakdown.
He tried to channel his angst with writing and performing like Seshollowaterboyz and thus he started to write and perform in his high school days under the name “Trap Goose”.
He was couch surfing at his friend’s house, Brennan Savage.
Then he started to spiral downward into substance abuse and just started writing raps. The raps he wrote no matter the state of his mind were lyrical gems, as it was real pain that resonated with people around the world.
The resonance was so immense that he gained huge popularity on social media sites and music giants like YouTube and SoundCloud. His fusion of lyrics like My Chemical Romance, Bullet For My Valentine, Greenday, with the trap beats and chords of guitars and various other instruments. The product was something that was extremely new to the people and they felt the lyrics.
Gus dropped out of school and then moved to Los Angeles without a flinch.
Sold Out Globally!
Parting ways with his old friend he met various artists online and before he could fathom he was in a room full of people listening to his latest mixtape which garnered 4000 views in a week.
Then with the group GothBoiClique, he pursued his career as a professional rapper making everyone happy no matter how much angst is in him.
His first tour was sold out in 5 countries over 4 continents, people who didn’t even speak English were chanting every lyric in unison. No openers or fillers or anything just his fans and people who wanted to feel the new wave in music.
Then out of the blue one drug put an end to everything. Fentanyl took another victim after Mac Miller.
Mother’s love and Pain of losing his Child
Late. Jarad “Juice WRLD” Higgins said “What’s 27 clubs we ain’t making past 21” sadly he was true. Lil Peep died of Fentanyl overdose and another blossoming talent and a son was lost.
The series makes you understand the pain and even feel the pain of Liza, his mother. Everything is so raw that you might feel even a little bit of angst over opiate-induced drugs.
I won’t disrespect any emotions by using the word acting but sheer realism in her eyes is enough to convince you. The letters that are read and the whole screenplay is created by adding various Instagram posts and also from his friends. The editor has done a commendable job to make sure the real story and situational impact can be obtained.
Netflix Documentary Lil Peep: Everybody’s Everything is one of a kind that raises awareness while making sure you feel everything that Gus has been through. A must watch for music lovers.
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