Juice Wrld made an indelible impact on the rap community before his tragic death in 2019. Born Jarad Anthony Higgins in 1998, the Chicago native began his ascent to fame in 2015, when he uploaded a single called "Forever" to SoundCloud under the moniker JuicetheKidd. As his passion for crafting emotive rap songs grew, he started pumping out independently released mixtapes and EPs at a feverish pace, including What Is Love? and Twilight Zone. Soon, Juice attracted the attention of Grade A Productions, founded by Lil Bibby and his brother G-Money, who promptly signed him in 2017, then did another deal with Interscope Records. His major label debut, Goodbye & Good Riddance, arrived in 2018, and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, largely in part to the massive single "Lucid Dreams." Five short months later, Juice Wrld returned with the Wrld on Drugs</em? mixtape with Future, which also earned a No. 2 spot on the Billboard 200. It was certified platinum by the RIAA in 2022, while Goodbye & Good Riddance earned a five-times platinum certification in 2023.
As Juice Wrld’s stock soared, the pressure of fame began to take its toll. He was very open about his struggles with substance abuse, depression and anxiety on both social media and in his music. His sophomore album, the chart-topping Death Race For Love, was released in 2019, and included plenty of introspective lyrics on the demons he was fighting. But it would prove to be the last album released during his lifetime. On Dec. 8, 2019, Juice Wrld was aboard a private Gulfstream jet flying to Midway International Airport in Chicago. Law enforcement officers, who suspected illegal drugs were onboard, were waiting for the jet to arrive. In fear of being arrested, Juice Wrld allegedly swallowed several prescription pills that ultimately took his life. Juice Wrld’s mother, Carmela Wallace, has committed to carrying on his legacy. Two posthumous albums—Legends Never Die (2020) and Fighting Demons (2021)—saw just as much commercial success as his first two, landing at No. 1 and 2, respectively. Despite his physical absence, Juice Wrld lives on.
