Most casual music fans would probably classify Delaware artist Lil West as a rapper, but one listen through his catalog and it's clear that elements of pop and rock music seep into everything he makes. He cites Saosin, HIM, Underoath, and AFI as early influences, and says that emo music informed the way he communicates through songs.
And it probably wouldn't have happened without the internet. On the heels of his new EP Vex Part 1, we asked Lil West to write about how he developed such an eclectic taste in music, and he shared the details in the best/most convenient way he knows how: via text messages.
You can listen to Vex Part 1 on all platforms now, and read Lil West's text message feature below.
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