On December 8th, just under a week past his 21st birthday, rapper Juice WRLD suffered a previously unknown medical condition at Chicago’s Midway International Airport, and was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. The circumstances surrounding this strange occurrence were originally very unclear, but examiners later discovered that Juice had passed due to consequences from an apparent drug overdose, after which he had a seizure and went into cardiac arrest. He allegedly took Percocet pills “in order to hide them from federal agents” after landing in the airport, leading to an inevitable drug overdose. His death has rocked the worlds of family and fans alike, highlighting the impact that he had on such a large portion of the world.

Juice was still on the rise when he passed away, continuing to release songs with other famous artists and releasing new music for his adoring fans. He first became known for his song “Lucid Dreams,” which peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and led to an extremely large fan base. Many of the artists that he worked with on songs following his hit have opened up about Juice’s death, expressing their grief at the loss of yet another young artist and their respect for Juice’s powerful music. 

Juice was known for often rapping about problems like drug addiction not often seen in such a realistic light, helping to open the eyes of his listeners and portray drug addiction as the serious problem it is. Juice’s mom, Carmella Wallace, along with other members of his family have since opened up about his death, emphasizing the fact that “addiction knows no boundaries and its impact goes way beyond the person fighting it” [2] Juice was able to discuss difficult topics through the beauty of his music, truly showcasing the pain that he felt from his own addiction and the consequences that resulted from it.

Juice’s girlfriend also spoke out about his career, speaking publicly about how much Juice had loved his fans the positive impact that they had on him. She told the audience at L.A.’s Rolling Loud musical festival, where he was honored, that ““He literally loved every single one of [his fans]” [3] The powerful impact that he was able to have on his entire fanbase and the world at large is evident through the amount of people who rallied together to support his grieving friends and family, showcasing their eternal love for him.

Juice WRLD’s death has served as yet another example of a talented young artist passing before his time. He had a major impact on those who listened to his music, and is likely to be an artist who stays alive through the loving memories that fans and family alike share.

[1] https://www.vulture.com/2019/12/how-did-juice-wlrd-die-cause-of-juice-wrlds-death.html

[2] https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2019-12-12/juice-wrld-family-death-drugs-addiction

[3] https://people.com/music/juice-wrld-girlfriend-aly-lotti-breaks-silence-after-his-death/