Directors Sebastian Jones and Ramez Silyan does not sugar coat any of Lil Peep’s life. With an incredible amount of footage, they were able to procure along with a bevy of interviews. They assembled Lil Peep’s existence quite honestly and in-depth. At every turn, it appears that Lil Peep was documented, especially with the beautiful narration of his grandfather’s letter readings at each surmountable point in Lil Peep’s career. A fitting title to Lil Peep’s life and his name, Everybody’s Everything goes deep and is real for an artist who was solely connected to his work and let everyone else join in on his creations no matter how he felt. The film’s consistent observation of excessive drug use and flophouse lifestyle should come as no surprise. This is how it goes in the 21st century when money is hard to find and support for one’s passion even more difficult, but there’s still safety in numbers with Lil Peeps GBC group and the color pink and skull art. Lil Peep was surrounded by people always, and this is what makes him so interesting because there’s no arrogance, only raw, unique, and unabashed talent. He was not afraid to write about his emotions, and he wore his aching, tormented soul on his sleeve.
“…not afraid to write about his emotions, and he wore his aching, tormented soul on his sleeve.”
As Lil Peep evolves and his music, style, and presence are known, the music industry came calling as did his fans, which were world-wide and many. Surrounded by his peers and a devoted entourage, Lil Peep tours Europe, cuts albums, and embraces couture, runway fashion, all the while he writes his lyrics and performs them unabashedly. He is “taking the capitalism out of the music industry,” which is one of many quotes that describe his attraction and the premise of his songwriting.
Unfortunately, as the money comes in, the tours, the parties, the girls and the fame build, he grows tired and strung out. He can no longer handle the lifestyle where drugs of all types, quantities, and mixes were always gifted to him mixed with his own preferences. “The tattooed poet of a sweetheart,” as his grandfather describes him, was the “all-American you love to hate reject.” So, at the cusp of his career cementing his invention in music history, Lil Peep slips into the next world at 21 years old from an overdose. His life may be over, but he definitely will not be forgotten.
Everybody’s Everything screened at the 2019 SXSW Film Festival and available to rent on iTunes.
"…does not sugar coat any of Lil Peep’s life."
L’il Peeps “talent” might be in question to virtually anyone not in his age cohort. It isn’t a if he was an operatic singer/great instrumentalist/worldclass songwriter. So within the structures (and strictures) of that and more, this might be an interesting view – with some provisos. First, you have to be able to look at Peep’s trying-way-too-hard display of facial tats, metal inserts and a lot of other stuff that is either overdone, passe’ or just plain childish. And second, as I said, is that you have to be able to accept the “given” of this film that Peep’s “legacy” is of any note whatsoever. In 60 years will his music be played as much as Buddy Holly is today? Discuss.