November 15, 2017, was a regular morning for me. After taking care of my normal morning rituals, I got to work on the BeatStars social media and objectives for the day. As I was going through different social media channels I started seeing a lot of R.I.P. posts for someone named Lil Peep. While I heard the name before, it wasn't something that resonated with me on a personal level. Ignore it and proceed with my day, right? Nope. Something about this pulled me in and insisted I dig deeper. So I did. His songs "Awful Things" and "Brightside" were two songs that popped up after I searched his name, and provided me with an idea of who he was musically. A sound with a rap/rock vibe and pretty dope harmonies, but I could tell there were underlying issues personally based off of his lyrics and persona. After that, I decided to search for who he was and the cause of his death. A simple google search provided me with a ton of info. Lil Peep's real name was Gustav Åhr. He just turned 21 years old on November 1st, he liked tattoos and was popular in the underground music scene. His fanbase was dedicated, invested, and supportive. Oh, and he released a ton of music on Soundcloud! I liked the few songs I heard but wasn't blown away. But again, something told me to dig deeper. I think it was because I could hear the potential, I could hear the passion, I could hear the pain and I could tell something was special about him. While searching more, I came across the news that he potentially overdosed on Xanax (Benzodiazepine) or Xanax laced with Fentanyl...The point of this article and interview is not about the details of his passing, so I won't dive too deep into that side of things, but the reason I mentioned these details is important. I lost one of my best friends on August 27, 2012. He had a lifelong fight with prescription medicine and ultimately left us after overdosing on Opiates and Benzos. So Lil Peep's passing definitely resonated with me, as I know the struggle oh too well. So I dug deeper. I came across a song called "Star Shopping."
This is the song that made me get it. This is the song I would tell anyone who never heard a Lil Peep song before, to listen to. The comments on this video are amazing. The majority of them were about how the song saved their life, helped them get through a difficult time, and stopped them from committing suicide. How many songs can you show me that have that same feedback and response? I know there are others out there, and I'm not saying Lil Peep is the greatest artist of all time, but it speaks volumes about WHOLil Peep was. Drugs or No Drugs, Lil Peep was human. He made mistakes. He was not perfect. And unfortunately, he died way too young. But he also touched people. He reached people and helped them with their problems while he struggled internally with his own. And songs like "Star Shopping" will be around forever to help people, even if Lil Peep is not. That's powerful to me. That's what music is about to me. It's supposed to touch people, it's supposed to give you goosebumps, it's supposed to be so relatable that you would cry over someone you never met. I continued to check out more songs, and the more and more I listened, the more I was impressed. Yes, there were songs I didn't like, but for the most part, Lil Peep gained another fan. I always want to know WHO produced a record. A huge hit or a newly uploaded BeatStars beat. Production interests me and it's something that has been part of my life since a very young age. I found out a 23-year-old producer from Nashville, Tennesee named Kryptik produced "Star Shopping" and three other tracks for Lil Peep. I decided to hit him up a few days after Lil Peep passed away to send my condolences and see if he would talk to me about Peep, their relationship, and his role in the music. Kryptik responded and agreed to talk to me, and what I found out was amazing. The power of music, technology, networking, and creating is insane. Two Soundcloud accounts in 2015 turned into this.
It's what we are doing at BeatStars. It's what we strive to accomplish every day. Connecting artists and producers, helping people provide for themselves, and pushing innovation. And most importantly, making incredible music. So without further adieu... Shout out to everyone makin' my beats, you helpin' me preach,This music's the only thing keepin' the peace when I'm fallin' to pieces - Lil Peep on "Star Shopping"
An Interview With Lil Peep's Producer, Kryptik
Trampe: Right off the bat, how long have you been producing? Kryptik: I started producing instrumentals about 2 years ago, but I put out my first beats in 2012. I started out making EDM before I really figured out my own sound which I'm sure will be an ever-evolving process. Trampe: I have my own feelings about your beats, but how would you describe your sound? Kryptik: Overall, I would say that my sound is mostly sad/melodic, but it honestly varies based on what I'm feeling when I sit down to start a session. Sometimes I've had something running through my head for a bit and it all comes together when I go to work. Other times I start with a blank slate and just build as I go. Trampe: What is in your creative arsenal currently? Kryptik: I pull everything together on my Mac Mini using Logic Pro X for my DAW and an Alexis Q25 midi controller. For my sound I have my KRK Rockit 5 G3 speakers are sent through my PreSonus audio box. Trampe: So let's talk Lil Peep. I think the main thing I (and a lot of people) want to know is HOW did you meet him and start working with him? Kryptik: I first discovered Lil Peep on SoundCloud in September 2015. He'd just posted "Praying To The Sky (Prod. Greaf)" and I commented on the post "you're about to blow". I guess he checked out my music and asked me to make a beat for him. I put together the instrumental for "Star Shopping" the following day and sent it to him. The very next day he sent me the FINAL version with his vocals. He said his mic had broken halfway through the recording, but we were excited about what we had and went ahead and posted it anyway. The rest is history.
Trampe: So just like that you guys connected, vibed, created, and literally changed people's lives. WOW! That blows me away. Kryptik: Yep. We collaborated on this song without ever sitting down together, but I can tell you that I remember it giving me chills when I heard my beat with his lyrics. Lyrics were definitely his thing, and hearing the finished product made me realize that making music is what I REALLY wanted to do. Trampe: So not only did it change tons of other people's lives, it changed yours too...Wow. So what went into this beat? Kryptik: I was browsing through different music to help me get a starting point for this new project and stumbled upon the track “Never Mess With Sunday” by Yppah and loved the guitar, so I sampled it. I wanted to put emotion into the beat but also wanted to keep it simple. I have to admit that I was very new to making instrumentals, so I didn’t really know what I was doing, but it seemed to work this go around. Trampe: So you were a brand new producer who met Lil Peep on Soundcloud? Then made a beat the next day and are part of one of his most popular songs? Crazy! Kryptik: Yep. Gus and I actually worked together through SoundCloud when we were both new to the scene. Unfortunately, we never got the chance to meet in person, but we had a really good connection when it came to making music which allowed us to work together on several songs. The internet has opened a lot of doors for people everywhere to work together on projects without being limited to where you live.
Trampe: Absolutely. It's a beautiful thing. And it's crazy how a song can affect someone. What do you think about all the comments on "Star Shopping?" Kryptik: It's amazing how much a song can affect a person when they can relate to what it's about. Life can become overwhelming and know that you're not alone in what you're going through can be a relief. Peep really had a way with words, and his lyrics helped give solace to those who were going through similar things. I still receive messages all the time saying “You and Peep saved my life with that song”, telling me that we helped them through a time when they were depressed/suicidal. The feeling you get reading messages like those is indescribable. I never thought I could make such a difference to people and would like to thank Gus for that opportunity. It was very exciting seeing him getting so close to really making it in the business. I have to say that I do really regret not taking the time to meet him in person and shake his hand and thank him for making me who I am today. Trampe: That's real man. It's amazing how all this played out and affected so many people positively in the process. It sucks he had to go so early, what were your thoughts when you got the news? Kryptik: It's terrible what happened. There's no way around that, but hopefully, we can all learn something from this ordeal. He'd just turned twenty-one, was young, and had a lot promised to him. Drug addiction and depression are at an all-time high in America right now, and these issues do not discriminate and affect ALL TYPES OF PEOPLE. We all need to think about and acknowledge the issue. More and more people struggle every day, many never getting the help or support they need because it can be so overwhelming to everyone involved. Like many, I understand these frustrations because I've been there too and IT IS HARD. It's easy to say "I'll just quit", or "I'll just keep toughing through because one day I'll be happy" but it's hard to actually DO those things. I just want to make sure that people know that if you need help and you are willing to do what it takes to change things, that there are people there that will help you. Trampe: I can 100% relate and agree with you totally. I'm glad we got the chance to talk, thank you for doing this Kryptik. I know you did other joints with Peep and have some other music coming out, please tell us about that. Kryptik: For sure man. Thank you too. Yea, I produced a total of 4 songs for Lil Peep. It all started with "Star Shopping" then "The Way I See Things", "Nothing To You" and "Give You The Moon". Unfortunately, I do not have any unreleased songs with Peep and it's sad that we won't have any more opportunities to work together. I'm working with some awesome artist's rights now with some new collabs coming out very soon, so keep your eyes open. I'm also releasing an EP titled "goodbye..." in early January on SoundCloud and YouTube (and possibly other streaming services) so also be on the lookout for that. Thanks again, BeatStars.
