[JACQUES]: Chicago rapper Juice WRLD, known for his vulnerable lyrics and blending of
hip-hop and emo rock, has passed away at the age of 21.
According to reports, the artist passed away
on December 8th after suffering a seizure at Chicago’s Midway Airport.
Born Jarad Higgins, the Illinois native was a marquee artist of the SoundCloud rap era.
In less than three years, Juice went from a quiet online buzz to a number one album
on the Billboard 200.
His sound was heavily influenced by mid aughts pop rock and hardcore acts like Fall Out Boy,
Senses Fail and The Devil Wears Prada.
I had this crush on this girl she was like real world emo as fuck.
She said something about this group of music she listened to and I knew about them because
of Tony Hawk. and I went home and listened to it and I ended up liking it
[JACQUES]: And he often channelled his emotions through his raps.
JUICE: It’s a blessing and honestly somebody gotta do it.
// It’s ok to express the way you feel nobody’s gonna shove you in a locker for that.
[JACQUES]: Juice WRLD also often cited Eminem as an important musical influence, which can
be seen in his many references to prescription drugs and sometimes violent lyrics about women,
something Genius has covered in the past.
JUICE: All his old shit..that’s like a part of who I am, I wouldn’t be who I am without
Eminem’s music.
[JACQUES]: He started uploading music in high school and caught a heavy buzz in 2017 after
his first official single, “All Girls Are The Same,” where he shouts out Beatles singer
John Lennon, who was known for being unabashedly singing about his feelings, as a reference
to Juice's own complicated emotions.
Sadly and coincidentally, the two both died on the same day. December 8th.
He followed it up with “Lucid Dreams,” which peaked at no.
2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
He later signed a reportedly multi-million dollar deal with Interscope.
In May 2018, he released his major label debut ‘Goodbye & Good Riddance’ to critical
acclaim.
His most recent effort, ‘Death Race for Love’ was released in March 2019 and bowed
in at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
[JACQUES]: Juice’s music was peppered with references to prescription drugs and lean,
something he credits to future.
JUICE WRLD: I was listening to Future back when I was in 6th, 5th grade, wanting to sip
lean in 5th, 6th grade.
[JACQUES]: But he took care to show both sides.
JUICE: I try not to make it completely a positive, like, connotation about it?
Because realistically doing drugs you’ll die.
[JACQUES]: And his passing is being felt far and wide.
ELIJAH: My favorite moment of Juice WRLD’s was watching him perform at Rolling Loud in
Miami.
That was the first and only time I got to see him perform but without a doubt I’ll
say that he is the greatest performer of our generation.
[JACQUES]: Genius reached out to our community and some Juice WRLD fans to talk about his
impact.
Juice was first and foremost about the fans so this was the best way to
tell the story.
JUICE: I always look forward to shows and I always look forward to interacting with
my fans and having a good time.
Every show to me is a blast.
// I’ll be in a performance and I’ll think to myself wow, all these kids are really here
just T’d up cuz of me.
MATT: The first time I came across Juice was in a car.
My friend played him for me.
It was “Lucid Dreams” like his first real, big song.
[JACQUES]: A Genius member echoed that sentiment writing in quote.
When I first heard “Lucid Dreams,” I was going through heartbreak myself and I must
have played that song 100 times.
Another community member sent us a note that reads quote.
[He] was spreading some of the most positive messages I had seen across the music industry.
we lost a good one in him, and I’m gonna miss such a positive member of the hip-hop
community.
RIP JUICE His top scholar on Genius added quote.
Juice WRLD was a different type of rapper.
His ability to freestyle and find bars was unseen, the best examples were his hour(!)
long freestyles that he did.
[JACQUES]: But his emotional vulnerability is what sold him.
JASON: he was young and he spoke on what everybody was thinking but nobody wanted to say.
ALEX: My favorite song definitely have to be ‘Robbery.’
I really like he brought in some lyrics, some line from Escape the Fate, “Reverse the
Curse.”
[JACQUES]: One fan from Sri Lanka told us how Juice’s music helped him after a breakup.
VISVHA: It really made me feel like i’m not alone and things will eventually get better.
[JACQUES]: But all in all, fans found that Juice was there for them during their toughest
times.
MATTHEW JORDAN: He meant a lot to me, he helped me get through a lot of tough times, even
like tough emotional times with a lot of heartbreak issues, all that.”
DZANA: Juice WRLD was on and this was earlier this year and after a really intense bout
of depression I’d had and Juice WRLD had gotten me through that.
SLOAN: His music really stuck with me, touching on mental illnesses and him being the same
age, it was very relatable for me and my life.
CARLY: He wasn’t making things beautiful.
He was talking about the demons and the dark days and all of us have them
[JACQUES]: At only 21, Juice is the latest rapper to pass away at such a young age joining
XXXTENTACION and fellow emo-rap pioneer Lil Peep.
Sadly, he memorialized the two on his 2018 track, “Legends.”
The cut references the so-called ‘27 Club,’ a list of legendary musicians, including Jimi
Hendrix and Kurt Cobain, who all passed away at the age of 27.
JUICE: I felt like it was very important to
memorialize X and Peep because they changed music for everybody.
// All you can do is keep them in your hearts.
Remember them for all the great things they’ve done and learn from their mistakes so you
won’t end up in the same situation.
[JACQUES]: Florida’s Ski Mask the Slump, who was friends with both Juice and X, took
it especially hard tweeting quote.
BRUH AT THIS FUCKING POINT TAKE ME TOO
They Keep Taking My Brothers From Me Bruh JUICE: My nigga just walked in this bitch.
Me and my brother from another mother, we gettin’ rich.
I’m Jacques Morel with Genius News, bringing you the meaning and the knowledge behind the music.
Peace.