Rapper and singer Juice WRLD dies at age 21

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Photo by Mac Downey

Juice WRLD passed away on Sunday at Chicago’s Midway Airport. The rapper and singer was 21, having just celebrated his birthday a week ago on Dec. 2.

Trevor Babcock

Rapper and singer Juice WRLD, born Jarad Anthony Higgins, died at the age of 21 Sunday morning.

Reported by TMZ, Juice WRLD suffered a seizure at Chicago’s Midway Airport while returning home from California. Law enforcement sources told TMZ that Juice WRLD was bleeding from the mouth when paramedics arrived at the scene. He was pronounced dead a short time after he arrived at the hospital. The cause of death is currently undetermined. 

Juice WRLD first gained popularity on Soundcloud with hits “Lucid Dreams” and “All Girls Are The Same,” where he was the most liked, listened to and shared artist on the platform in 2018. “Lucid Dreams” reached as far as No. 2 on the Billboard Singles Chart.

The success of the two songs earned Juice WRLD a multi-million dollar record deal with Interscope Records. “Lucid Dreams” and “All Girls Are The Same” were the lead singles on his first studio album, “Goodbye & Good Riddance.” The album received a platinum certification and his follow-up album “Death Race for Love,” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 last March.

Juice WRLD began releasing music on the Soundcloud platform in 2015 at age 17 and was 19 when he signed with Interscope Records. He turned 21 on Dec. 2, a week before his death. 

Juice WRLD was named Top New Artist at this year’s Billboard Music Awards. 

Juice WRLD was known for his melodic and melancholic approach to hip-hop, with angst reminiscent of emo and pop punk. His lyrics often explored mental health, drug use and death. 

On Juice WRLD’s “Too Soon..” EP, a project dedicated to the late Lil Peep and XXXTentacion, he rapped, “What’s the 27 club? We ain’t making it past 21,” on the song “Legends.” The lyrics refer to the many popular artists who died at age 27, and his rap peers who did not live past age 21.