Lil Peep’s new album Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 2 is set to drop on Friday, November 9, and last night in New York City, his label held an album listening party for the project. During the event, Peep’s mother Liza Womack spoke about how she’s strived to promote and safeguard her son’s musical legacy since his death. She views the release of Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 2 as a model for the industry when it comes to handling the death of an artist and the subsequent release of their music.

“This album is important also because Gus is dead,” she said during her speech. “It’s important because Gus is dead, but this is the album he would have made if he were living.”

She went on to explain that the rise of the opioid epidemic in the US has given young artists a new way to cope with the pressures of fame, often with deadly results.

“Young music artists in this field are dying too often, and features are both very easy to manufacture and all the rage,” she said.

According to Womack, the artist-focused process for releasing Peep’s new album should be considered an industry standard.

“Come Over When You’re Sober Pt. 2 is important because it is the album to serve as the model for the way we handle the problem of the posthumous release of the work of young artists who have left no explicit directions about what to do with their work if they die before they release it themselves,” she said. “If you care enough to pay for an artist’s work, then trust the artist’s work. Study the artist, his words, and his work. Listen to him. Don’t chop it up and put features on it unless it’s somehow clear to you that that’s okay with him. Locate and trust in the producers and collaborators the artist himself trusted. Honor the young talent by honoring their work. Thank you to Columbia Records for doing just that.”

Peep’s mother arranged the deal with Columbia Records following his death last year, with the label stepping in to help her navigate how to handle the release and promotion of his recorded work.

“I feel very proud of what Columbia Records has done with Gus' album. I feel very proud of what [Smokeasac] has done to preserve the legacy of his and Gus' album. This is the album Gus would have wanted. And yes I know what he wanted,” she said. “Gus cared deeply about his music, and he cared far more about the quality of his work than about making it big. For Gus, and I’m quoting his words, it’s all about the music.”

Yesterday, Columbia dropped “Cry Alone,” the lead single from Peep’s upcoming album. It’s one of 11 songs that are set to appear on the album, and features production by IIVI and Smokeasac. It’s also worth noting that there was some controversy surrounding the release of Lil Peep and XXXTENTACION’s “Falling Down,” a collaboration that was arranged after Peep’s death. Peep collaborators including Tracy and Fish Narc spoke out against the song, while Smokeasac, Makonnen, and others said Peep would have approved of it. Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 2 drops on November 9, slightly less than one year after Peep’s death.

Catch up on all the lyrics to Lil Peep’s “Cry Alone” on Genius now.