{"id":76995,"date":"2021-03-07T14:10:05","date_gmt":"2021-03-07T20:10:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kjhk.org\/web\/?p=76995"},"modified":"2021-03-08T15:21:47","modified_gmt":"2021-03-08T21:21:47","slug":"20-best-lil-peep-tracks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kjhk.org\/web\/2021\/03\/07\/20-best-lil-peep-tracks\/","title":{"rendered":"20 Best Lil Peep Tracks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Deegan Poores | Markus Becerra<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lil Peep, the emo-trap artist who passed away just over three years ago, was a pioneer in the genre that has continued to grow since his passing. During his life, he was rejected by hip-hop fans for not being rap enough and emo kids for not being true to the genre\u2019s roots. Regardless, his popularity and fame have soared over the last few years. I think that this largely comes down to the content of his songs. Peep was a sensitive, thoughtful person who cared deeply about those around him. He recognized early in life that being a sensitive person in America and in modern society, in general, can be exhausting and defeating. This comes through in the way he writes and frames his songs, using typical trap lyrics of over-indulgence and self-destruction to soundtrack his attempts to cope with this realization. At its best, his songwriting was deeply personal but intimate and relatable with choruses that were made to be screamed alone in your car. Some people may pick songs that lean toward the mainstream, but we tried to strike a balance between these two branches of Peep\u2019s output. These are our picks for the twenty-best Lil Peep songs. &#8211; Deegan Poores and Markus Becerra<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>20. Cobain:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Lil Peep - cobain (ft. Lil Tracy) (Official Video)\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HX3CtTLcwJk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCobain\u201d references the late \u201cKurt Cobain\u201d and has Peep rapping about his pain, drug usage, and the troubles of love. It\u2019s a staple Lil Peep track that perfectly encompasses his aesthetic and does a good job of defining him as an artist. The track also features a great verse from Lil Tracy and highlights the great chemistry between these two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>19. The Brightside:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Lil Peep - The Brightside\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xAMgQQMZ9Lk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Come Over When You\u2019re Sober, Pt. 1<\/em>, Lil Peep\u2019s official debut album and the only one released during his life, was divisive upon release. Many critics found his emo-tinged vocals to be monotone or annoying and his lyrics to be retreads of his earlier work. Some fans took the more accessible song structures and cleaner production as signs that he\u2019d sold out. However, I think it has a lot of great songs, and \u201cThe Brightside\u201d is a great example. It\u2019s like an emo ballad with trap drums and production. The featured guitars are palm-muted and liquidy, then transition to big and anthemic during the choruses. The lyrics find Peep jealous over a girl and are similar to The Killer\u2019s \u201cMr. Brightside\u201d, but filtered through the drugs and depression of Lil Peep\u2019s music. <em>COWYS<\/em> was a big step for Peep, and it was never supposed to be his final work. I hope it one day receives a critical reevaluation like other major label breakthrough emo albums such as Jawbreaker\u2019s <em>Dear You<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>18. Walk Away As The Door Slams:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Lil Peep - walk away as the door slams (feat. lil tracy) (Official Audio)\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ovvZ2f6ipXw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWalk Away As The Door Slams\u201d contains one of Lil Peep\u2019s most memorable choruses in his discography. Not only is it well crafted, but contains an amazing hook, and a fantastic vocal delivery fueled by raw emotion. You really can\u2019t get more emo than this. Lyrically, Peep expresses his frustration with the constant fighting and troubles he has with his relationship. Tracy\u2019s verse adds to the theme of the track by addressing the stress of a long-distance relationship and dealing with the pain and uncertainty that comes with an unhealthy lifestyle. Peep and Tracy try to tell their significant others that they have \u201csomething to do.\u201d They simply cannot be present all the time in their relationships in order to pursue what really matters to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>17. The Song They Played (When I Crashed Into The Wall):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Lil Peep - the song they played [when i crashed into the wall] (feat. lil tracy) (Official Audio)\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Pd8khriHqyc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Song They Played (When I Crashed Into The Wall)\u201d is one of the more upbeat and cathartic songs Lil Peep has in his catalog. It is the kind of song that makes you feel like the rest of the world is happening underneath you, and the consequences of your actions feel like they\u2019ll never manifest. On a track built around an acoustic sample of Blink-182\u2019s \u201cThe Fallen Interlude\u201d and wavy bass, Peep and Tracy address moving on, growing out of one\u2019s environment, and not wanting to return feeling like a failure. It\u2019s escapist through nihilism, and it shows an acceptance of the fate this way of living brings by ending prematurely midway through the last chorus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>16. Lil Jeep:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Lil Peep - lil jeep (Official Video)\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zUPPrimH7Ow?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Along with the track \u201cCrybaby,\u201d this is also one of Peep\u2019s more simple tracks. The beat consists of a sample of \u201cTwo People\u201d by Jacques Siroul, some percussion, and a hard-hitting 808. This track goes along with the general production-style found on the <em>Crybaby<\/em> mixtape. Peep\u2019s performance and the flow on this track really help make this track stand apart from the rest. The chorus is catchy, features a unique flow, and the sparseness of the instrumental helps it stand out from the rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>15. Hellboy:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Lil Peep - hellboy (Official Video)\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/s9t1ZfMZfH4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>HELLBOY<\/em>, Lil Peep\u2019s second mixtape of 2016, is generally regarded as Peep\u2019s best release, and there\u2019s a strong argument for that. It cleaned up some of the murkier aspects of his music, emphasized the anthemic hooks, but still kept the unlicensed emo samples and some abrasive elements. The opening title track displays this clearly. It opens the mixtape on a cinematic note with a sample from the 2007 film <em>Hellboy: Blood and Iron<\/em>, and then transitions into a sample of Underoath\u2019s \u201cToo Bright to See, Too Loud to Hear\u201d. Peep\u2019s lyrics ride the line of being lonely but independent and being both tender and insular as he rejects love while longing for compassion. No other song captures the core of the themes and sound of Peep\u2019s music quite like this one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>14. Skyscrapers (Love Now, Cry Later):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Lil Peep - skyscrapers [love now, cry later] (Official Audio)\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/J51Lh5GcSA8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The instrumental on \u201cSkyscrapers&#8221; is beautiful, and Peep gives us a very well-crafted hook to go along with it. This song does a great job evoking powerful emotion and really makes me think back to when things were a bit more simple, in my life at least. It\u2019s often expected of us to really take advantage of our lives by living in the present, as looking too much into the future can lead to a ton of pain. Having experienced something like this, I relate heavily to Peep\u2019s lyrics here. A great performance and melodic instrumental really makes for a powerful listening experience that makes me feel like I\u2019m astral projecting. The emotion I feel from this song is sometimes too much where I have to skip when it comes on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>13. Awful Things:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Lil Peep - Awful Things ft. Lil Tracy (Official Video)\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zOujzvtwZ6M?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The most commercially successful single Lil Peep released during his life, even though it didn\u2019t peak on the Billboard Hot 100 until after his death, \u201cAwful Things\u201d was the last collaboration he released with Lil Tracy. The music video features Peep and Tracy in a cartoony high school as Peep pines for a girl and ultimately burns himself alive for her acceptance. The song is one of Peep\u2019s more instrumentally dynamic. This song features live guitar that changes between sections, has one of his most anthemic choruses and when compared to his early songs that would just be a single verse twice, is much more constructed and developed. After his death, fans started streaming the song sending it to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 as a tribute to his life. Although it didn\u2019t quite make it and peaked at #79, it was the first sign of the imminent pop culture breakthrough and popularity that would follow with his posthumous collaborative releases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>12. Driveway:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Lil Peep - driveway (Official Audio)\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/teMZk4bCgSw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Driveway is Lil Peep\u2019s commitment to not let fame or money change him, but at the same time, he struggles with his current relationship as he constantly finds himself being hurt. The closing track on his 2015 mixtape <em>CryBaby<\/em>, Driveway is one of Peep\u2019s more lyrically extreme tracks, with his lyrics painting images of him (CONTENT WARNING) blowing his brains out&nbsp; \u201cjust for fun.\u201d This very intense and vivid imagery is accompanied by a somber guitar sample of \u201cI\u2019ve Given Up on You\u201d by Real Friends and results in a fantastic closer to one of Peep\u2019s best projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>11. Better Off (Dying):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Lil Peep - Better Off (Dying) [Audio]\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5eAJWvxH_A4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the hidden gems in Peep\u2019s debut album \u201c<em>Come Over When You\u2019re Sober, Pt. 1<\/em>,\u201d Better Off (Dying) is one of Peep\u2019s faster songs in his discography.&nbsp; Featuring a melodic guitar, Peep really seems to give no f***s here. He\u2019s set on living life and \u201cdiving in\u201d but seems to be aware of his reckless lifestyle and the things he\u2019s dealing with. He wants the person he\u2019s talking to to know that they probably \u201cwon\u2019t make it\u201d and that they would be better off lying to each other or even dying at that point. This song shines during the second verse when the guitars pick up speed and makes the track exciting and a bit more diverse than its standard structure. Overall, we have a very lyrically extreme track that showcases Peep\u2019s ability to deliver aggressive vocals and encapsulates the emo-fueled aesthetic that this album contains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>10. Crybaby:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Lil Peep - crybaby (Official Video)\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/inocgEraxo0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCrybaby\u201d, which was tattooed above Lil Peep\u2019s right eyebrow, is one of his most startlingly spare tracks. The beat is made up of little more than a sample of Brand New\u2019s \u201cThe No Seatbelt Song\u201d, hi-hat and snare, and a loan 808 every few bars. With his vocal drenched in delay, Peep lets us in on how his emotional detachment keeps him from opening up in relationships and causes him to hurt his partner, even though they\u2019re just as detached as he is. Placed at the beginning of <em>Crybaby<\/em>, the 2016 mixtape that I think was the best project he released during his life, offered a summary of the music that resonated with his fans and cemented his legacy: \u201cI\u2019m making music to cry to\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>9. Star Shopping:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"lil peep - star shopping (prod. kryptik)\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qwzQPh7dW_4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most iconic Lil Peep songs, \u201cStar Shopping\u201d was ultimately the song that put Peep on the map. Driven by a sample of Yppah\u2019s \u201cNever Mess With Sunday\u201d, Peep expresses his love for, presumably, his long-time girlfriend Emma Harris asking her to give him some time while he figures things out. He asks her for a chance, and even though he isn\u2019t the man her family wants her to be with, he will do his best to fill those shoes while still being himself. I remember discovering this song on Soundcloud back in 2015 and was my first introduction to Peep and emo-rap. This is a landmark track not only for Peep\u2019s career but for the emo-rap genre. This lo-fi melancholic beat along with Peep\u2019s melodic flow does a great job at showcasing the raw emotion and hope that Peep asks for in his relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>8. 4 Gold Chains:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Lil Peep - 4 GOLD CHAINS ft. Clams Casino (Official Video)\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NEoVjmfYlJ8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Featuring amazing production by Clams Casino, \u201c4 Gold Chains\u201d highlights Peep\u2019s loyalty, as well as bringing to light his struggles with fame and relationships. Casino\u2019s beat is slow and woozy, with nice melodic synths and a booming bass that really compliments Peep\u2019s delivery here. We are reminded how much Peep struggled with fame and meeting the expectations of others. In this track, it seems that he doesn\u2019t want to be famous, but embraces it in order to provide for those he cares about the most even if it means indulging in substance abuse and meaningless relationships in order to escape the pain. This posthumous release is very bittersweet for this reason. Peep\u2019s vocals and Casino\u2019s production come together seamlessly and give us a very authentic yet different Lil Peep experience. This song reminds us of how much Peep was struggling before his passing, especially with his rising fame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>7. Gucci Mane:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Lil Peep - gucci mane (Official Audio)\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mZEoHjaGFdY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Gucci Mane was a big influence on Lil Peep and he shouted out the Atlanta trap god on many early tracks. This track from Peep\u2019s 2016 mixtape <em>HELLBOY<\/em> serves as his greatest tribute. The beat, one of the first made by producer Charlie Shuffler, combines midi acoustic guitar with woozy trap production to create a landscape for Peep\u2019s croons about dying and being high since last Friday. The song doesn\u2019t have much light lyrically, but the guitar provides a bittersweet hope to get better that puts it in the best Lil Peep songs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>6. White Tee:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"lil peep w\/ yung bruh - white tee\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fudsUhWAG_o?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>On the first song they made together, Lil Peep and Lil Tracy instantly found a spark. The pair collaborated on many tracks through GothBoiClique, and \u201cWhite Tee\u201d sets the template for them. It features a free-associative and elemental hook from Peep and a quick but melodic verse from Tracy over a sample of The Postal Service\u2019s indie anthem \u201cSuch Great Heights\u201d. How well they work as foils for one another was apparent from the very start, as they went on to work with each other on many other tracks, many of which are on this list. It\u2019s a short and sweet song that\u2019s more prioritized with flexing than emoting, but it has an energy that serves as a nice break from the darker moods of a lot of Peep\u2019s catalog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5. Life\/Life Is Beautiful:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Lil Peep  - Life [Lyrics] HD\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fFb9-sYtQ6Q?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Lil Peep - Life Is Beautiful\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2ORsrbQa94M?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLife is Beautiful\u201d, a posthumous remake of an early loosie called \u201cLife\u201d, is one of Peep\u2019s more morbid and direct songs. It seems jarring at times, but it\u2019s also very real, honest and well crafted. Life becomes extremely painful at times. Sometimes we enter a place so dark that we really cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it feels like when we enter this place, we are confined to it forever. However, through all the pain and suffering, we still are tasked to be grateful and find beauty in the darkness. On \u201cLife is Beautiful\u201d Peep uses juxtaposition to describe just this. There are a bunch of horrible, seemingly unsurpassable scenarios that we can find ourselves in, yet we still find that \u201cLife is Beautiful.\u201d We can only try to convince ourselves of this so much. Peep is brutally honest about his experience with this, and the result is a dark track that is oddly comforting, and, for me at least, serves as a reminder that it\u2019s okay to admit that life can suck sometimes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. Witchblades:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"witchblades - lil peep x lil tracy\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/E7sP6t1QyrI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Witchblades has a very melodic trap beat that hits subtly but hits hard. Peep and Tracy don\u2019t shy away from talking about the culture and lifestyle of the GothBoiClique. They\u2019re committed and loyal and this really fuels the track. This track has some of Peep\u2019s and Tracy\u2019s best chemistry and contains Peep\u2019s HARDEST hook: probably one of the most memorable in his discography. This is one of those tracks that really just gets me moving and makes me feel like I\u2019m living a life that I\u2019m currently not, but in a weird and aggressive way. It\u2019s a fantastic track where Tracy and Peep embrace their differences in society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Kiss:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Kiss\" width=\"1170\" height=\"878\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iPQa_4gzjdA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cKiss\u201d is the song that introduced me to Lil Peep through a \u201cBest New Track\u201d designation from Pitchfork. I remember listening to the track on my headphones on SoundCloud on the bus going to a marching band competition and showing it to my friends. I was instantly hooked by the way it combined the trap production I was starting to get into at the time with the emo guitars I was raised on by my parents through bands like Fall Out Boy and Taking Back Sunday (and those sleigh bells!). I was intrigued by the single\u2019s cover art, was that what Lil Peep really looked like? It looked more like a blurry picture of Link from <em>The Legend of Zelda<\/em> to me. It offered a lot to dive into, and dive I did. As I learned more about Peep and listened to his mixtapes and EPs, \u201cKiss\u201d stayed with me as one of my favorite songs of his, and I went back to it repeatedly. It was one of Peep\u2019s most ambitious tracks with four distinct sections. The intro, featuring a prominent sample of Better Luck Next Time\u2019s \u201cShoebox Memories\u201d (Acoustic), has an epic filter sweep in the SoundCloud version that was taken out of the official version that sets the scene perfectly for the love-struck but bittersweet tone of the rest of the song. Peep layers hooks throughout the other sections as the instrumental shifts halfway into a sample of \u201cHow Do I Tell a Girl I Want to Kiss Her?\u201d by Modern Baseball. \u201cKiss\u201d is one of Peep\u2019s brightest and catchiest songs and set the stage for the more streamlined sound of his official debut album, <em>Come Over When You\u2019re Sober, Pt. 1<\/em>, the only album released during his life. It\u2019s not one of his more popular songs, at least by Spotify standards, but it highlights the anthemic quality that was the light at the heart of Peep\u2019s music\u2019s depressing nihilism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. White Wine:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"lil peep x lil tracy - white wine\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wckAAh-V428?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Built around a sample of The Microphones\u2019 \u201c(Something)\u201d, \u201cWhite Wine\u201d was the song that introduced a lot of people to Lil Peep, Lil Tracy, and emo-rap in general. It introduced people to the hypnotic yet anthemic qualities of Peep\u2019s hooks and their offhanded cold, detached nihilistic lyrics with suicidal overindulgence. It introduced people to the foil to many of Peep\u2019s best songs, Lil Tracy, who comes as an almost comical but no less druggy foil to Peep\u2019s never-ending despair.&nbsp; Before his passing, it felt like it was just one of Peep\u2019s best songs to scream-sing along to, with his most anthemic hook and best pregnant-pause in emo rap. After his passing, Peep screaming \u201cLord why do I gotta wake up\u201d just feels tragic. On top of everything, this song introduced people to a theme Peep captured very well in many of his songs: the perpetual mental health crisis and self-aware self-destructiveness of substance abuse. Everything about the song now feels linked to loss, especially considering it features a Phil Elverum sample the same year he released <em>A Crow Looked At Me<\/em> under his Mount Eerie moniker, a devastating album about the loss of his wife to cancer. While scream-singing this song now comes with the heavier heart of lessons learned from seeing what happens when one gleefully and fearlessly stares into the abyss, it still holds up as an anthem for those who\u2019ve learned those lessons but don\u2019t care, just like those who have come before them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Gym Class:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"lil peep - gym class\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/heJNHYCSsIc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Putting this song at number one felt controversial to us, but it was the only song that felt right. \u201cGym Class\u201d floated around on SoundCloud and YouTube for years without being officially released due to its sample of UK electronic group The Boats\u2019 \u201cThe Ballad For The Girl On The Moon\u201d, but it gained a mystique as Lil Peep became more popular due to its early lo-fi video (with a much less heavily tatted Peep!) and anime girl single cover. It was one of Peep\u2019s most spare tracks, with a just single verse repeated twice, morose piano and strings and deep cavernous 808s, but captured the hypnotic nihilism that defined Peep\u2019s music during his life better than any other song. However, rather than diving into hedonistic pleasures like most Peep tracks do (without completely abandoning them), it\u2019s nostalgic and finds him reminiscing on his experiences of f*****g, taking drugs and anxiety with a girl in high school, dreaming of the kind of heights and stardom that he never got to experience. As the second verse is about to end, Peep\u2019s vocals suddenly cut out without finishing the line as the beat rides out. This was the first song I turned to the night Peep died, and that moment grabs me each time. Although it was released almost two years before his passing, it felt prophetic that Peep\u2019s time would be abruptly cut short before he was able to share everything he had inside him. I miss Peep and often think about how much potential he had and what he could have done. I\u2019m grateful for all the moments and feelings he was able to capture during his life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Deegan Poores | Markus Becerra Lil Peep, the emo-trap artist who passed away just over three years ago, was a pioneer in the genre that has continued to grow since his passing. During his life, he was rejected by hip-hop fans for not being rap enough and emo kids for not being true to the genre\u2019s roots. Regardless, his popularity and fame have soared over the last few years. I think that this largely comes down to the content of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":76996,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3731,3741,3734,3226,15,3268],"tags":[8640,18,2658],"class_list":["post-76995","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cbi-arts-and-culture","category-cbi-music","category-cbi-online-content","category-culture-articles","category-featured-on-kjhk","category-music-articles","tag-lil-peep","tag-music","tag-review"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/kjhk.org\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_3144-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kjhk.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76995","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kjhk.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kjhk.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kjhk.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kjhk.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=76995"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/kjhk.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76995\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":76998,"href":"https:\/\/kjhk.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76995\/revisions\/76998"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kjhk.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76996"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kjhk.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76995"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kjhk.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=76995"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kjhk.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76995"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}