On December 8th, 2019 Juice Wrld or otherwise known by as, Jarred Higgins, a 21 year old Chicago rapper overdosed in his hometowns midway International Airport. For fans of Juice Wrld, it was a devastating blow. Juice Wrld was one of the many hip-hop legacy rappers to unexpectedly pass away over the course of the past three years, with a heavy heart filled with grief, condolences goes out to the music industry. Juice Wrld’s vivacious personality and clever lyrics had made him immensely popular. Juice was so unique from his ability of producing his style of music that reached and affected a new uncovered audience. Having similar issues with mental health, thousands of fans can relate to Juice Wrld and his music, even more so with young adults and a range of the younger generation. These specific fans began to not feel as alone in the world and was able to be heard for the first time.
With so many Americans suffering in silence with demons from their own head, Juice Wrld, and other influencers, began normalizing speaking up about mental awareness, talking with friends and family about suicide, and seeking additional help from hotlines to licensed trained professionals. In a statement by ‘Teen Mental Health’ that 1 in 5 young people suffers from a mental illness, that’s 20 percent of our population. We live in a world today, where mental health is still only seen as a stigma, but with the number of individuals becoming more aware, stigma numbers drop. Juice Wrld was in the middle of bringing light to not only mental illness but also to the unspoken issues that ran around in society. He also wanted to warn the younger generation just as Tupac and Biggie once did. Encouraging for Juice speaking through his lyrics, leaving a message for the world to hear and sense of release for those struggling under the weight of depression and anxiety.
Rap music continues to still be stigmatized around the world even viewed as unproductive and even damaging toward society. Even more so now when society’s change is in such high demand.
The unexpected tragedy left the fans that relied on Juice Wrld’s music to get them through a day, heartbroken and uncertain of what was in store for the future. Hopelessly, a lot of beloved fans showed respect by playing his songs on repeat. After listening over a few times, fans quickly realized his lyrics had chilling details that were easily dismissed in the pass, came to a realization he very well could’ve been crying for help all this time. A cry for help, for just one soul to hear what he was really speaking about, realizing now after his sudden death, especially in his newly released song called ‘Wishing Well’ making lyrics like ‘I cry out for help, do they listen? Ima be alone until it’s finished.’
That’s not all, countless songs have subtle lyrics hinting for someone to see pass the fame, past his tough guy act, and past his passive aggressive behavior to see he was drowning and begging for anybody to come give him a deep breath of fresh air. Another example to this conspiracy is Juice was fooling his fans that he was in fact getting better and overcoming his disease with drug abuse, and that he was living ‘normally’ and would have everything a ‘wealthy rapper’ would have, but his lyrics would make anyone think otherwise, in ‘Fighting Demons’ he says, ‘I got rich, I got rich, I’m living that fast life.. and that’s suppose to make me happy. I got a couple questions. How come that.. don’t even make me happy.’ Proof that money does not in fact bring you happiness.
With Juice Wrld’s death, he left behind an impactful legacy that was just beginning to blossom after signing with Interscope records back in 2018. Soon after releasing his album ‘Death Race for Love’ quickly became Juice’s first no. 1 album through Grade A/ Interscope on March 8, 2019. Coming a long way from trying to establish a music career on SoundCloud and going by ‘Juicee the Kid’ to winning multiple music awards, signing with a major record label, and to now, a unforgettable icon that will forever be missed by thousands of fans who will carry his music down to generations to come.
Check out JUICE WRLDS songs for the album FIGHTING DEMONS and much more, click on the link below.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxA687tYuMWjarqslZz0mA2PlE_iS5BzC
