Netflix Find: Lil Peep Documentary | Everybody’s Everything
The Lil Peep Documentary, Everybody’s Everything, is the haunting profile of a genre bending star who was taken away too early.
Even though the documentary came out about 10 months ago, his story is still a prime example of how toxic the industry can be for young artists.
The documentary is made up of cell phone videos from tour, current interviews from collaborators, and intimate moments with his family members and close friends.
The Documentary’s Structure
The first few scenes of the documentary set the stage for Lil Peep’s loving and passionate, but complicated life. We see Lil Peep performing in colorful outfits while his grandfather narrates the difficult relationship Peep had with his father. Secondly, we observe Peep’s rise to fame, and the downfall of it all. The film is broken down in a timeline of his musical career, with snapshots into his young adulthood and formative moments that made him unique.
Gus Elijah Ahr, better known by his stage name, Lil Peep, was born in Long Island, New York. The documentary is guided by the idea of him growing up as an outcast and wanting to find an outlet through music. At first, his childhood friends note how they were all skeptical about his career path. Defining the odds, Peep starts connecting with others on the internet and making music in his bedroom every night.
Lil Peep got his first face tattoo when 17, hoping to push himself wholeheartedly into music. His first collective, Schema Posse, formed via Twitter. They start doing underground shows in cities like Tucson and Denver in graffitti covered and grimy DIY spaces. Soon after, he moved to Los Angeles to live with other internet friends.
Fame and Friendships in the Lil Peep Documentary
The next chapter in Peep’s career is based around GBC, GothBoiClique. They all lived in what was referred to as “The Lofts” in Skidrow, L.A. They would throw shows, make music together, and split the rent almost ten ways.
Although, it was only a matter of time before a major label picked Lil Peep. From his manager, Chase to his newfound friends, everyone could see the star qualities within him. Thus, he started selling out 3,000 capacity venues all over Europe in a matter of months. Unfortunately, he was starting to realize that he was blowing up faster than his friends and wanted to redistribute that wealth among them.
Struggling with Excessive Partying & Mental Health
Consequently, the breaking point of the documentary is at Peep’s L.A. show at The Echo on May 10th, 2017. The show is about to be cancelled as he disassociates from reality on stage, struggling to remember the words to his songs. Luckily, he snaps back into it and moves to London to find a new creative space.
Lil Peep started modeling for multiple brands and finding a new voice in the studio. He was very open about his struggles with depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder. After taking a break from GBC, he was ready to go on tour again very last minute. The tour planning was very rushed and ultimately the environment and pressure got to him and those around him.
The Death and Legacy of Lil Peep
The emotional ending of the documentary documents the death of Lil Peep, he was found dead in his tour bus on November 15, 2017. The most disturbing part of his death is that there are time stamps of Instagram videos, where he has obviously not moved and overdosed. Consequently, there are many theories to what happened to Peep.
Since his death, one album and many singles have been released. Lil Peep combines multiple genres of music in the studio. He takes influence from trap, pop punk, alternative rock, and almost everything in-between. Peep lead the L.A. underground rap scene and influenced other artists to experiment outside their comfort zone. Peep raps about his hardships with drug abuse, broken relationships, and wanting designer goods. Also, he was on the forefront of combining femininity in the hip hop, seen wearing pink and having painted nails.
There’s a very emotional tone throughout the documentary — you can feel the pain from his loved ones as they recount their experiences.
Lil Peep’s life was filled with love, change, and insecurities. He embraced himself as an individual but also knew others would judge him for his physical appearance.
