Rapper-singer Lil Peep exhibits growth and a clearer portrait of his artistry on his posthumous full-length LP, ‘Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 2.’

Sadly, emo-tinged rapper Lil Peep passed away at the age of 21 on November 15, 2017. Although the heavily tatted, often ‘sad’ rapper is no longer living, his posthumous, full-length album, Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 2, has arrived. Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 2, comprised of 11 tracks, follows the 23-minute, seven-song Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 1, the only project the rapper while alive.  Personally, I was mixed on his debut project, but definitely begin to see the direction that Peep was going – the full picture if you will – on Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 2.

“Broken Smile (My All)” 

“Broken Smile (My All)” initiates Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 2 fittingly, with a broken, sad tone from Lil Peep on the intro.  The tempo and the energy picks up on the chorus that follows, but Peep is clearly locked into a full-on emo mindset, as he sings about heartbreak and ultimately blames himself for making mistakes.

“She was the one with the broken smile

Now that it’s done, she was the one

She was the one that was worth my time

Now that she gone, I know that I’m wrong.”

“Runaway from here / Everybody so fake / Everybody so fake, I swear / I don’t wanna go back there.” ☑ “Runaway” features slick, rock-infused hip-hop production, a typical backdrop for the rapper. Following the aforementioned excerpt from the intro by the rapper, a relatively lengthy, repetitive, and catchy pop-rapped chorus follows.

“Take me, away from here
Everybody so fake
Everybody so fake, I swear
But I don’t wanna go back there
Everybody so fake
Everybody act like they care…
Why the fuck do everybody act like they care?
I was dying and nobody was there
Please don’t cry, baby, life ain’t fair.”

Beyond the chorus, there is only one verse that ‘checks off boxes’ regarding the rapper’s characteristics.  Much of modern rap is less concerned about conventional forms and more about vibe, and that’s the case with Peep on “Runaway.” All in all, the record is a success.

“Sex with My Ex”

Lil Peep keeps things dramatic (and incredibly ‘emo’) on ☑ “Sex with My Ex,” where he asserts on the ‘passionate’ chorus, “Fuck me like we’re lyin’ on our deathbed / I can feel that sudden emptiness / I’m here to grant you one last wish.” He follows with one relatively simple, but effective verse, later repeated.  There’s also an interesting bridge, where he sings, “Catch a feelin’ / Catch a feelin’ now / I still feel your skin all over me / Sex with my ex.” Three songs in, Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 2 is strong.

As aforementioned, while alive, Lil Peep seemed less fixated on traditional song structures and form. ☑ “Cry Alone”  bucks the trend, somewhat, following a more discernable form with intro, chorus, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, and outro.  Even so, there’s still the sense that “Cry Alone” has a bit of nebulousness, with choruses and verses running into each other with little separation.   This isn’t necessarily a rub however, as it works out pretty sweetly for Peep.  Other things that work out well include the rock-tinged production and of course the youthful, tortured ‘energy’ of the rapper gone far too soon.

“Leanin’”

If things didn’t already feel real with regrets over his ex and depression, they become real on “Leanin’.” Lil Peep seems to go down a dangerous, downward spiral, which is chilling considering he’s no longer living.  From the beginning, he discusses his lifestyle, which includes “Poppin’ pills.” Even more eyebrow raising are lyrics such as “Bury me with all the lights out” (eerie) and “I was trying to die last night, survived suicide last night / Woke up surprised / Am I really alive?” The destructiveness of the drugs, and Peep’s on self-destructiveness continues on “16 Lines.” He states on the chorus, “16 lines of blow and I’m fine / Break my bones, but act as my spine / I wonder who you’ll fuck when I die?” Again, he ultimately died from an overdose, which makes songs like “Leanin’” and “16 Lines” more troublesome.

“Life is Beautiful”

“I know it hurts sometimes, but it’s beautiful.”☑ “Life is Beautiful” is arguably the deepest, most meaningful, and socially-conscious song ever released by Lil Peep.  Notably, the record features more lyrics and more variation than most by the rapper/singer. Notably, on the first verse, he references racial injustice, police brutality, and America’s justice issues.  On the second verse, he’s clearly depressed (“Woke up in the morning, now you doing the impossible”), while the third verse references the possibility of suicide (“And if I try suicide, would you stop me?”) and eventual death (“There comes a time when everybody meets the same fate / I think I’ma die alone inside my room”).  This record is nothing short of chilling.

Once more, on “Hate Me,” a special girl (an ex), is the focus of Lil Peep’s heart and mind.  He admits to his craziness, but knows his ex is lying about hating him. That said, Peep remains ‘tortured’ here, much like he was throughout his brief career. “IDGAF” speaks to that characterization, as he asserts on the chorus, “I been on my own, baby I been fuckin’ up / I don’t even know, if I give a fuck about anything / I don’t give a fuck about anything.” His feelings seem to be sincere, as he references a dangerous, potentially deadly situations as he spits, “I can’t feel my face but I won’t stop.” Matters of the heart also continue to faze Peep:

“Bleeding out my laptop

Blood leaking out my laptop

Fuck me till my heart stop.” 

“White Girl” naturally references both a girl and of course, cocaine. Like much of Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 2, it paints a troublesome portrait of the rapper’s depressed, self-destructive lifestyle. “Fingers” concludes the standard edition of the album (some versions expand to include “Falling Down” and “Sunlight on Your Skin”), finding the late rapper obsessed with a particular girl, once again.

Final Thoughts

All in all, Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 2 provides a more accurate picture of the direction Lil Peep was going in compared to Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 1.  While the brand of rap Peep uses may still be polarizing for some, it definitely feels like the rapper evolved and matured more on his second, unfortunately posthumous, project.  Yes, it’s incredibly sad that the 21-year old rapper is no longer here with us, but he leaves intriguing music despite his brief career.

☑ Gems: “Runaway,” “Sex with My Ex,” “Cry Alone” & “Life is Beautiful”

Lil Peep » Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 2 » Columbia » Release: 11.9.18

Photo Credit: Columbia