Police are investigating whether the powerful opioid fentanyl played a role in the death of 21-year-old rapper Lil Peep.
Lil Peep, whose real name was Gustav Ahr, was found dead on his tour bus ahead of a scheduled concert in Tucson, Arizona earlier this month.
Authorities in Tucson say they have received multiple tips Lil Peep had been in possession of drugs laced with opioid, TMZ reports.
The rapper, who gained a cult following online, was initially thought to have died of a suspected Xanax overdose.
Lil Peep, whose real name was Gustav Ahr, was found dead on his tour bus ahead of a scheduled concert in Tucson, Arizona earlier this month
The Pima County medical examiner’s office completed an autopsy after his death.
They said a drug overdose was the likely cause but that toxicology test results would take six to eight weeks.
Peep was found dead on his tour bus by his manager Chase Ortega.
He was reportedly surrounded by drug paraphernalia, Xanax, marijuana and an unknown powder.
Sarah Stennett, who runs First Access Entertainment, a company that previously worked with Ahr, said in a statement that she was ‘shocked and heartbroken’ over his death.
‘He was highly intelligent, hugely creative, massively charismatic, gentle and charming,’ she said.
‘He had huge ambition and his career was flourishing.’
Toxicology tests: The rapper, real name Gustav Ahr, posted an Instagram photo just hours before his death that appeared to shows pills on his tongue
The rapper, who gained a cult following online, was initially thought to have died of a suspected Xanax overdose
A Long Island native who later relocated to Los Angeles, Ahr built his career on homemade mixtapes released on the audio sharing platform SoundCloud.
Millions of online listens led to the August release of his first full-length album, Come Over When You’re Sober, Part 1.
In a 2016 interview with Pitchfork, he described his confessional music as a new version of ’emo,’ the rock genre that was occupied by bands like Good Charlotte and My Chemical Romance in the 2000s.
With tattoos covering his body and parts of his face and a shock of blond hair, Ahr’s striking appearance caught the fashion world’s attention.
He made runway appearances for several labels in Europe and his ambitions in that realm rivaled his dreams for his rap career.
‘I think the fashion world really needs me right now,’ he told GQ in August.
Officials said a drug overdose was the likely cause but that toxicology test results would take six to eight weeks
Cute couple: Bella Thorne took to Instagram and shared images of herself and Lil Peep as part of a heartfelt tribute
In her statement on Thursday, Stennett passed along comments by Ahr’s mother.
‘She asked me to convey that she is very, very proud of him and everything he was able to achieve in his short life,’ Stennett wrote. ‘She is truly grateful to the fans and the people who have supported and loved him.’
Fans and friends took to social media to mourn the rapper’s death including his former fling, 20-year-old actress Bella Thorne.
She posted a few pictures of the pair partying together as part of her heartfelt tribute as well as an Instagram story mourning his death.
Thorne noted that ‘hearts are breaking everywhere’ and that the rapper’s smile ‘always lit up the room.’
In an eerie twist, just hours before his death, the rapper shared an image on-stage with a caption reading: ‘When I die you’ll love me’ while also posting a shot in which he seemed to have placed two pills on his tongue.