Gustav Elijah Åhr, known professionally as Lil Peep, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. He was a member of the emo rap collective GothBoiClique. Helping pioneer an emo revival-style of rap and rock music, Lil Peep has been credited as a leading figure of emo rap music and served as an inspiration to outcasts and youth subcultures.
Lil Peep (left) performing with Fat Nick in San Antonio in November 2016
Lil Peep performing in Los Angeles in May 2017
Lil Peep performing in October 2017
Before he died of an accidental overdose on November 15, 2017, in Tucson, Lil Peep was believed to be on track in taking SoundCloud rap into the pop mainstream.
Emo rap is a fusion genre of hip hop and emo music. Originating in the SoundCloud rap scene in the mid-2010s, the genre fuses characteristics of hip hop music, such as beats and rapping, with the lyrical themes, instrumentals, and vocals commonly found in emo music. Lil Peep, XXXTentacion, and Juice Wrld are some of the most notable musicians in the genre.
Emo rapper Lil Peep
Image: Juice WRLD Les Ardentes 2019 (cropped)