Death of Lil Peep Inspires RHS Artists
December 4, 2017
Rising emo rapper Lil Peep passed away Nov. 15, leaving a lasting influence that has been spread to artists and fans at RHS who now carry on his legacy.
Peep was at the forefront of the emo rap scene which has recently been gaining popularity.The genre blends indie and emo rock instrumentals with rap lyrics that convey personal messages which contrast the street themes of modern day hip hop. These themes made Peep beloved by his followers.
“I feel in today’s day and age it is more common to see kids our age having depression, anxiety, PTSD even, and there are people out there that can speak to them through music,” senior Miguel Welanetz said.
Welanetz, known as “Young Sluma�� on Soundcloud, is a rapper and passionate fan of Peep. He said in times of hardship, he turned to Peep’s music as an escape and cites the “realness” of Peep’s lyrics as the separation between him and other rappers.
“[His lyrics] are real and they’re from the heart. You listen to some of these other rappers [and] they have no meaning, they just want to sound cool,” Welanetz said. “But Peep talks about depression, he talks about anxiety, he talks about love, he talks about loss, all these things that other rappers are too afraid to talk about.”
Welanetz is not the only musician at RHS who has been influenced by Peep’s work. Junior Cole Nelson makes hip hop music on Soundcloud under the name “Cnelly,a�� and has cited Peep for some of the techniques he uses in his music.
“Lil Peep inspired me to experiment in my basement with my voice in a more melodic manor,” Nelson said.
Both artists were shocked and heartbroken, when they heard of Peeps passing, knowing that Peep would never make music again, an artist they cared for and admired deeply.
I feel in today’s day and age it is more common to see kids our age having depression, anxiety, PTSD even, and there are people out there that can speak to them through music
— senior Miguel WelanetzWelanetz has drawn parallels between the lyrics and subject matter of his songs compared to Peep’s. His upcoming album SLUMLORD, reflects these similarities and is partially a tribute to Lil Peep.
“If we can put as much heart in our music as he did,” Welanetz said, “we can carry on his legacy. And that is what I’m trying to do.”
