Erykah Badu Weighs In On Lil Peep's Death

Erykah Badu thinks Lil Peep's death is more complicated than it seems -- it's not just a cautionary tale about addiction, it's also a warning about mental illness issues for young people in America.

As we first reported, police strongly suspect the 21-year-old rapper died of a fatal overdose. When we got Erykah Thursday in NYC ... she was extremely somber about the challenges youth face these days. As a mother of 3, she says kids, in general, are desperately trying to stay stimulated while coping with a wave of negativity -- which is why they turn to drugs.

Badu's take isn't all that uplifting, but it's arguably crucial and definitely thought-provoking.