Liza Womack, Gus’ mother, was a major part of the session in New York last night as she gave a heartfelt speech to kick off the evening. She explained why COWYS Pt. 2 is such a monumental moment for any future releases that may be made posthumously for any artist as she said, “First: Gus was a trailblazer in his field. He was one of the first young artists to invent a new type of music by blending together different styles. In a way, his emo-rap, or emo-trap, or alternative rock music style represents this strange transformation—a kind of mutation of music genres. Gus’s style was unique. Gus’s style was honest. He was an honest person.”

“This is the album that Gus would’ve wanted—and, yes, I know what he would’ve wanted, and so does [Smokeasac],” said Womack. She went on to praise Columbia Records and everyone who worked on the album by saying COWYS Pt. 2 “is important because it’s the album to serve as the model for the way we handle the problem of the posthumous release of the work of the young artists who have left no explicit directions about what to do with their work if they die before they release it themselves. If you care enough to pay for the artist’s work, then trust in the artist’s work. Honor the young talent by honoring the work. Thank you to Columbia Records for doing just that. You are indeed releasing an important album and a damn fine one.”