Jarad Anthony Higgins (December 2, 1998 – December 8, 2019), known professionally as Juice Wrld (pronounced "juice world"; stylized as Juice WRLD), was an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He was a leading figure in the
emo rap
Emo rap is a fusion genre of hip hop and emo music. Originating in the SoundCloud rap scene in the mid-2010s, the genre fuses characteristics of hip hop music, such as beats and rapping, with the lyrical themes, instrumentals, and vocals commo ...
and
SoundCloud rap genres which garnered mainstream attention during the mid-late 2010s. His stage name was derived from the film ''
Juice
Juice is a drink made from the extraction or Cold-pressed juice, pressing of the natural liquid contained in fruit and vegetables. It can also refer to liquids that are flavored with concentrate or other biological food sources, such as meat ...
'' (1992) and he stated it represents "taking over the world".
Higgins began his career as an
independent artist
Independent music (also commonly known as indie music or simply indie) is music that is produced independently from commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, a process that may include an autonomous, do-it-yourself approach to recording a ...
in 2015 and signed a
recording contract
A recording contract (commonly called a record contract or record deal) is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist (or group), where the artist makes a record (or series of records) for the label to sell and promote. Artists ...
with
Grade A Productions
Brandon George Dickinson (born July 18, 1994), better known by his stage name Lil Bibby, is an American rapper and record executive. Beginning his career in 2011, Bibby released his debut mixtape in 2013, titled ''Free Crack''. After signing wit ...
and
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...
in 2017. He gained recognition with the diamond-certified
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
"
Lucid Dreams
A lucid dream is a type of dream in which the dreamer becomes aware that they are dreaming while dreaming. During a lucid dream, the dreamer may gain some amount of control over the dream characters, narrative, or environment; however, this is n ...
", which peaked at number two on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100. It was included on his
triple platinum
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
debut album ''
Goodbye & Good Riddance
''Goodbye & Good Riddance'' is the debut studio album by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld. It was released on May 23, 2018, by Grade A Productions and Interscope Records. Production was primarily handled by Nick Mira, alongside several other ...
'' (2018), alongside the singles "
All Girls Are the Same
"All Girls Are the Same" (alternatively stylized in all caps) is the debut single by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld. It was officially released as the lead single from his debut studio album, ''Goodbye & Good Riddance'' on April 13, 2018, ...
", "
Lean wit Me
"Lean wit Me" is a song by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld. It was included as the seventh song on his debut studio album ''Goodbye & Good Riddance'' (2018). "Lean wit Me" was released as the third single a day ahead of the album on May 22, ...
", "
Wasted
Wasted may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
*'' Wasted: Tales of a GenX Drunk'', a 1997 memoir by Mark Judge
*'' Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia'', a 1998 autobiography by Marya Hornbacher
*'' Wasted: A Childhood Sto ...
", and "
Armed and Dangerous", all of which charted on the Hot 100. He then collaborated with
Future
The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ...
on the mixtape ''
Wrld on Drugs
''Wrld on Drugs'', also known and stylized as ''Future & Juice WRLD Present... WRLD ON DRUGS'' is a collaborative commercial mixtape by American rappers Future and Juice Wrld. It was released on October 19, 2018 by Epic Records, Freebandz, Grade ...
'' (2018), and released his second album, ''
Death Race for Love
''Death Race for Love'' is the second studio album by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld and the last to be released during his lifetime. It was released on March 8, 2019, by Grade A Productions and Interscope Records. The album's artwork and ti ...
'', in 2019; it contained the hit single "
Robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take anything of value by force, threat of force, or by use of fear. According to common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the perso ...
" and became Higgins' first
number one debut on the US
''Billboard'' 200.
Higgins died following a
drug overdose
A drug overdose (overdose or OD) is the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities much greater than are recommended. on December 8, 2019. His first posthumous album, ''
Legends Never Die'' (2020), matched chart records for most successful posthumous debut and for
most U.S. top-ten entries from one album, while the single "
Come & Go" (with
Marshmello
Christopher Comstock (born May 19, 1992), known professionally as Marshmello, is an American electronic music producer and DJ. His songs "Silence", "Wolves", "Friends", " Happier", and " Alone" have been certified multi-platinum in several ...
) became Higgins' second song to reach number two on the Hot 100. His second posthumous album, ''
Fighting Demons
''Fighting Demons'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld. It was posthumously released by Grade A Productions and Interscope Records on December 10, 2021. The album features guest appearances from Justin Bieber, Pol ...
'', was released in 2021 alongside the documentary film ''
Juice Wrld: Into the Abyss'', and contained the US top 20 single "
Already Dead".
Early life
Jarad Anthony Higgins was born on December 2, 1998, in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
.
He grew up in the South Suburbs spending his childhood in
Calumet Park
Calumet Park is a 198-acre (79-hectare) park in Chicago, Illinois. It provides access to Lake Michigan from the East Side neighborhood on the city's Southeast Side. The park contains approximately 0.9 miles (1.5 km) of lake frontage from ...
and later moving to
Homewood, where he attended
Homewood-Flossmoor High School
Homewood-Flossmoor High School (H-F) is a comprehensive public high school in Flossmoor, Illinois. The district encompasses nearly 11.5 square miles drawing students from Homewood, Flossmoor, Chicago Heights, Glenwood, Hazel Crest, and Olympia ...
and graduated in 2017. His parents divorced when he was three years old,
and his father left, leaving his mother to raise him and an older brother as a
single parent
A single parent is a person who has a child or children but does not have a spouse or live-in partner to assist in the upbringing or support of the child. Reasons for becoming a single parent include divorce, break-up, abandonment, becoming wid ...
. Higgins' father died in June 2019. Higgins' mother was very religious and conservative, and did not let him listen to
hip hop. He was allowed to listen to
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
and
pop music
Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The terms ''popular music'' and ''pop music'' are often used interchangeably, although the former describe ...
, however, being introduced to artists including
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is a British-American singer, songwriter, and musician. He first achieved fame in the 1970s emerging from the London punk rock scene as the lead singer o ...
,
Blink-182
Blink-182 (stylized as blink-182) is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Poway, California in 1992. Their current lineup consists of bassist/vocalist Mark Hoppus, guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. Though their ...
,
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
,
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer A ...
,
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along wit ...
and
Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco is the solo project of American musician Brendon Urie. It was originally a pop rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada, formed in 2004 by childhood friends Urie, Ryan Ross, Spencer Smith, and Brent Wilson. They recorded their firs ...
through video games such as ''
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
''Tony Hawk's Pro Skater'', released as ''Tony Hawk's Skateboarding'' in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and parts of Europe, is a skateboarding video game developed by Neversoft and published by Activision. It was released for the PlayStation (c ...
'' and ''
Guitar Hero
''Guitar Hero'' is a series of music rhythm game video games first released in November 2005, in which players use a guitar-shaped game controller to simulate playing primarily lead, bass guitar, and rhythm guitar across numerous songs. Player ...
''.
Higgins was a heavy
drug user
A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalati ...
during his childhood and teens. He began drinking
lean
Lean, leaning or LEAN may refer to:
Business practices
* Lean thinking, a business methodology adopted in various fields
** Lean construction, an adaption of lean manufacturing principles to the design and construction process
** Lean governmen ...
in sixth grade and using
Percocet
Oxycodone/paracetamol, sold under the brand name Percocet among others, is a fixed-dose combination of the opioid oxycodone with paracetamol (acetaminophen), used to treat moderate to severe pain.
In 2020, it was the 69th most commonly prescri ...
and
Xanax
Alprazolam, sold under the brand name Xanax, among others, is a fast-acting, potent tranquilizer of medium duration in the triazolobenzodiazepine (TBZD) class, which are benzodiazepines (BZDs) fused with a triazole ring. It is most commonly ...
in 2013. Higgins additionally smoked cigarettes before quitting in his last year of high school because of health issues.
He learned to play the piano at four years old, having been inspired by his mother, Carmella Wallace, who later began paying for lessons. He then took up the guitar and drums while also playing the trumpet for band class.
In his sophomore year of high school, he began posting songs to
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
which he recorded on his smartphone.
Around this time, Higgins began to take rapping more seriously.
Career
2015–2017: Beginnings, record deal, and early projects
Higgins developed as an artist in his first year of high school. His first track, "Forever", was released on
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
in 2015 under the name JuicetheKidd. Higgins recorded most of his first tracks on a cellphone, uploading them to SoundCloud in his sophomore year.
He changed his name from JuicetheKidd, a name inspired by his affection for rapper
Tupac Shakur's role in the film ''
Juice
Juice is a drink made from the extraction or Cold-pressed juice, pressing of the natural liquid contained in fruit and vegetables. It can also refer to liquids that are flavored with concentrate or other biological food sources, such as meat ...
'', to Juice Wrld because he and his associates believed the change would benefit his career. In an interview with the
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
radio station
WHTA
WHTA (107.9 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Hampton, Georgia, and serving the Atlanta metropolitan area. It is owned by Urban One and it airs an urban contemporary radio format, focused on hip hop music. The studios and offices a ...
, Higgins revealed that the latter part of his stage name initially had no meaning but that he came to think it "represents taking over the world".
"Too Much Cash", Higgins' first track to be produced by frequent collaborator
Nick Mira
Nicholas Warren Mira (born August 25, 2000) is an American record producer from Richmond, Virginia, who is part of the producer collective Internet Money, a record label he co-founded with fellow producer Taz Taylor. He gained notoriety for dev ...
, was released in 2017. While releasing projects and songs on SoundCloud, Higgins worked in a factory but was dissatisfied with the job; he was fired within two weeks. After joining the internet collective
Internet Money
Internet Money Records, often credited as Internet Money, is an American record label and record producer collective. It was founded by American record producer Taz Taylor, who serves as the chief executive officer (CEO). The producer collecti ...
, Higgins released his debut full-length EP, ''9 9 9'', on June 15, 2017, with the song "
Lucid Dreams
A lucid dream is a type of dream in which the dreamer becomes aware that they are dreaming while dreaming. During a lucid dream, the dreamer may gain some amount of control over the dream characters, narrative, or environment; however, this is n ...
" breaking out and growing his following.
Higgins also briefly performed under the name Juice in early 2017.
In mid-2017, he received attention from artists such as
Waka Flocka Flame
Juaquin James Malphurs (born May 31, 1986), known professionally as Waka Flocka Flame, is an American rapper. Signing to 1017 Brick Squad and Warner Bros. Records in 2009, he became a mainstream artist with the release of his singles "O Let's ...
and
Southside Southside or South Side may refer to:
Places
Australia
* Southside, Queensland, a semi-rural locality in the Gympie Region
Canada
* South Side, Newfoundland and Labrador, a community in the St. George's Bay area on the southwest coast of New ...
, as well as fellow Chicago artists
G Herbo
Herbert Randall Wright III (born October 8, 1995), better known by his stage name G Herbo (formerly Lil Herb), is an American rapper from Chicago.
G Herbo is signed to Machine Entertainment Group. He has released the mixtapes '' Welcome to Faz ...
and
Lil Bibby
Brandon George Dickinson (born July 18, 1994), better known by his stage name Lil Bibby, is an American rapper and record executive. Beginning his career in 2011, Bibby released his debut mixtape in 2013, titled ''Free Crack''. After signing wit ...
. He subsequently signed with Lil Bibby's co-owned record label,
Grade A Productions
Brandon George Dickinson (born July 18, 1994), better known by his stage name Lil Bibby, is an American rapper and record executive. Beginning his career in 2011, Bibby released his debut mixtape in 2013, titled ''Free Crack''. After signing wit ...
.
2017–2018: ''Goodbye & Good Riddance'' and WRLD Domination Tour
![Juice Wrld Interview](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Juice_Wrld_Interview.png)
In December 2017, Higgins released the three-song EP ''Nothings Different''. The project was covered by the hip-hop blog
Lyrical Lemonade
Cole Michael Bennett (born May 14, 1996) is an American business executive, videographer, and music video director. His multimedia company, Lyrical Lemonade, started in 2013 as an internet blog while he was in high school.
Early life
Cole Be ...
, with Higgins' track "
All Girls Are the Same
"All Girls Are the Same" (alternatively stylized in all caps) is the debut single by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld. It was officially released as the lead single from his debut studio album, ''Goodbye & Good Riddance'' on April 13, 2018, ...
" gaining popularity through the blog post and an accompanying
Cole Bennett
Cole Michael Bennett (born May 14, 1996) is an American business executive, videographer, and music video director. His multimedia company, Lyrical Lemonade, started in 2013 as an internet blog while he was in high school.
Early life
Cole Be ...
-directed music video that was released in February 2018.
Following the video's release,
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...
signed Higgins for $3 million and a remix featuring
Lil Yachty
Miles Parks McCollum (born August 23, 1997), known professionally as Lil Boat, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer. He first gained recognition on the internet in 2015 for his singles "One Night" and "Minnesota" (featuring ...
was previewed but never officially released. "All Girls Are the Same" was critically acclaimed, receiving a Best New Music designation from ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
''. It was released as a single in April. "All Girls Are the Same" and "Lucid Dreams" were Higgins' first entries on any
''Billboard'' chart, debuting on the
Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
at numbers 92 and 74, respectively.
On May 4, 2018, "Lucid Dreams" was officially released as a single and accompanied by a Cole Bennett-directed music video, similarly to "All Girls Are the Same". It peaked at number two on the Hot 100
and quickly became one of the most streamed songs of 2018;
it remains his most-streamed song, reaching over one billion streams on
Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
by January 2020.
"Lucid Dreams" was followed by "
Lean Wit Me
"Lean wit Me" is a song by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld. It was included as the seventh song on his debut studio album ''Goodbye & Good Riddance'' (2018). "Lean wit Me" was released as the third single a day ahead of the album on May 22, ...
" on May 22, which peaked at number 68 on the Hot 100;
Higgins' debut full-length album, ''
Goodbye & Good Riddance
''Goodbye & Good Riddance'' is the debut studio album by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld. It was released on May 23, 2018, by Grade A Productions and Interscope Records. Production was primarily handled by Nick Mira, alongside several other ...
'', which included his three previous singles, released the following day. On June 19, he released a two-song EP titled ''Too Soon..'' in remembrance of, and dedicated to, deceased rappers
Lil Peep
Gustav Elijah Åhr (November 1, 1996 – November 15, 2017), known professionally as Lil Peep, was an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He was a member of the emo rap collective GothBoiClique. Helping pioneer an emo revival-style of Rapp ...
and
XXXTentacion
Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy (January 23, 1998 – June 18, 2018), known professionally as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Though a controversial figure due to his widely publicized legal troubles, XXXTentacion ga ...
. Lil Peep died of an overdose in 2017 and XXXTentacion
was murdered on June 18, 2018, one day before the project was released. Higgins said that he and XXXTentacion were friends and that they would have
FaceTime
FaceTime is a Proprietary software, proprietary videotelephony product developed by Apple Inc. FaceTime is available on supported iOS mobile devices running iOS 4 and later and Mac computers that run and later. FaceTime supports any iOS devic ...
calls together, revealing that their last conversation was about meeting up. The cover of the ''Too Soon..'' EP is a screenshot of a conversation between Higgins and XXXTentacion. The song "
Legends
A legend is a historical narrative, a symbolic representation of folk belief.
Legend(s) or The Legend(s) may also refer to:
Narrative
* Urban legend, a widely repeated story of dubious truth
* A fictitious identity used in espionage
Books, co ...
" from the EP debuted at number 65 on the Hot 100 and peaked at number 29 over a year later following Higgins' death.
"
Wasted
Wasted may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
*'' Wasted: Tales of a GenX Drunk'', a 1997 memoir by Mark Judge
*'' Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia'', a 1998 autobiography by Marya Hornbacher
*'' Wasted: A Childhood Sto ...
" featuring
Lil Uzi Vert
Symere Bysil Woods ( ; born July 31, 1995), known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. They are characterized by their face tattoo, facial tattoos, facial piercings, eccentric hairstyles and androgynous ...
was released on July 10; it was Higgins' first single featuring a collaboration and the only song on ''
Goodbye & Good Riddance
''Goodbye & Good Riddance'' is the debut studio album by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld. It was released on May 23, 2018, by Grade A Productions and Interscope Records. Production was primarily handled by Nick Mira, alongside several other ...
'' with a featured guest. It debuted at number 68 on the Hot 100 and peaked at 67 in its second week on the chart. On July 11, Higgins announced that he was working on his next album. On July 20, Higgins announced his first tour, WRLD Domination, with additional acts
YBN Cordae
Cordae Amari Dunston (born August 26, 1997) known mononymously as Cordae (formerly YBN Cordae and Entendre), is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He gained popularity by releasing remixes of popular songs, such as "My Name Is" by Eminem ...
and
Lil Mosey
Lathan Moses Stanley Echols (born January 25, 2002), known professionally as Lil Mosey, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He rose to fame in late 2017 with the release of his single "Pull Up". Mosey's debut studio album ''Northsbes ...
. On July 25, Higgins' producer Danny Wolf released the official version of "Motions" on SoundCloud following a series of
leaks
A leak is a way (usually an opening) for fluid to escape a container or fluid-containing system, such as a tank or a ship's hull, through which the contents of the container can escape or outside matter can enter the container. Leaks are usua ...
.
2018–2019: ''Wrld on Drugs'' and ''Death Race for Love''
Travis Scott's song "No Bystanders", from his third studio album, ''
Astroworld'', featured Higgins and
Sheck Wes
Khadimou Rassoul Cheikh Fall (born September 10, 1998), known professionally as Sheck Wes, is an American rapper. He is best known for his 2017 song "Mo Bamba", which became popular in 2018.
Wes is jointly signed to Travis Scott's Cactus Jac ...
. The song peaked at number 31 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Higgins made his late night television debut performing the song "Lucid Dreams" on
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. The nightly hour-long show debuted on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywood, Los ...
on August 8, 2018. On October 15, the music video for the song "
Armed and Dangerous" was released followed by the lead single, "
Fine China", from the collaborative mixtape, ''
Wrld on Drugs
''Wrld on Drugs'', also known and stylized as ''Future & Juice WRLD Present... WRLD ON DRUGS'' is a collaborative commercial mixtape by American rappers Future and Juice Wrld. It was released on October 19, 2018 by Epic Records, Freebandz, Grade ...
'' with
Future
The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ...
.
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America
Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...
released the mixtape on October 19. He collaborated with American singer Seezyn for the song "Hide" from the film ''
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse'' and its
soundtrack
A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...
, both of which were released on December 14, 2018.
In a December 2018 interview with ''
XXL'',
Ski Mask the Slump God
Stokeley Clevon Goulbourne (born April 18, 1996), known professionally as Ski Mask the Slump God (formerly stylized as $ki Mask "The Slump God"), is an American rapper. He initially rose to prominence alongside XXXTentacion and their collectiv ...
confirmed that he would be releasing a joint mixtape with Higgins titled ''Evil Twins'' in 2019; as of 2022, the project has yet to be released. The pair also announced a 2019 tour featuring 30 concerts across North America. Higgins' second studio album, ''
Death Race for Love
''Death Race for Love'' is the second studio album by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld and the last to be released during his lifetime. It was released on March 8, 2019, by Grade A Productions and Interscope Records. The album's artwork and ti ...
'', was released on March 8, 2019,
preceded by the singles "
Robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take anything of value by force, threat of force, or by use of fear. According to common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the perso ...
" and "
Hear Me Calling
"Hear Me Calling" is a song by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld, released as a single on March 1, 2019. It was the second single from his album ''Death Race for Love''. The song was produced by 808 Mafia, Purps. It was sent to Italy contempo ...
". The album topped the
''Billboard'' 200 chart. He then embarked on
The Nicki Wrld Tour, alongside Trinidadian-American rapper
Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accent ...
.
Higgins released the music video for the song "
Fast" from ''Death Race for Love'' on April 9. Later that year, he released other singles: "
All Night" with
RM and
Suga
Suga may refer to:
* Suga, Iran, a village in Qazvin Province, Iran
* Suga language, a language of Cameroon
* Suga (rapper) (born 1993), South Korean rapper, songwriter, and record producer
* ''Suga'' (EP), 2020 EP by Megan Thee Stallion
* ''Sug ...
of
BTS
BTS (), also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010 and debuting in 2013 under Big Hit Entertainment. The septet—consisting of members Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook—co-writes and co-produ ...
, "
Hate Me" with
Ellie Goulding
Elena Jane Goulding ( ; born 30 December 1986) is an English singer and songwriter. Her career began when she met record producers Starsmith and Frankmusik, and she was later spotted by Jamie Lillywhite, who became her manager and Artists and ...
, "Run", "
Graduation
Graduation is the awarding of a diploma to a student by an educational institution. It may also refer to the ceremony that is associated with it. The date of the graduation ceremony is often called graduation day. The graduation ceremony is a ...
" with
Benny Blanco
Benjamin Joseph Levin (born March 8, 1988), known professionally as Benny Blanco (stylized in all lowercase), is an American record producer. He is the recipient of the 2013 Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is also ...
, and "
Bandit
Banditry is a type of organized crime committed by outlaws typically involving the threat or use of violence. A person who engages in banditry is known as a bandit and primarily commits crimes such as extortion, robbery, and murder, either as an ...
" with
NBA YoungBoy
Kentrell DeSean Gaulden (born October 20, 1999), known professionally as YoungBoy Never Broke Again (also known as NBA YoungBoy or simply YoungBoy), is an American rapper. Between 2015 and 2017, he released eight independent mixtapes and steadi ...
. Released in early October, "Bandit" was the last song to be released by Higgins before his death that December. It peaked at number ten on the Hot 100.
Posthumous releases
Higgins' first posthumous appearance was on
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...
's eleventh studio album ''
Music to Be Murdered By
''Music to Be Murdered By'' is the eleventh studio album by American rapper Eminem. It was released on January 17, 2020, by Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope Records. Just like Eminem’s previous studio album ''Kamikaze'' ( ...
'' on the track "
Godzilla
is a fictional monster, or '' kaiju'', originating from a series of Japanese films. The character first appeared in the 1954 film ''Godzilla'' and became a worldwide pop culture icon, appearing in various media, including 32 films produc ...
", released on January 17, 2020.
"Godzilla" peaked at number three on the Hot 100 and number one on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. On January 22, an announcement was posted on Higgins'
Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
account by members of his family and the team at Grade A Productions that thanked fans for their adoration for Higgins and confirmed their intention to release music that he was working on at the time of his death.
Higgins was included on "
PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental and behavioral disorder that can develop because of exposure to a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, warfare, traffic collisions, child abuse, domestic violence, or other threats on a ...
", the title track of G Herbo's fourth studio album ''
PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental and behavioral disorder that can develop because of exposure to a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, warfare, traffic collisions, child abuse, domestic violence, or other threats on a ...
'', released on February 28.
The track also features Lil Uzi Vert and
Chance the Rapper
Chancelor Johnathan Bennett (born April 16, 1993), known professionally as Chance the Rapper, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer. Born and raised in Chicago, Bennett released his debut mixtape '' 10 Day'' in 2012. He ...
.
"PTSD" marked the first time that Higgins and Lil Uzi Vert had collaborated on a song since "Wasted". On March 13, a remix of the single "
Suicidal
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and subs ...
", from
YNW Melly
Jamell Maurice Demons (born May 1, 1999), known professionally as YNW Melly (initialism for Young Nigga World Melly), is an American rapper and singer. He is best known for his songs " Murder on My Mind", " Mixed Personalities" (featuring Kany ...
's debut studio album ''
Melly vs. Melvin'', featuring vocals from Higgins, was released. The remix includes a different verse and outro Higgins had recorded. The song reappeared on the Hot 100 and peaked at number 20 following the release of the remix. The single "
No Me Ame", a multilingual collaboration among Higgins, Jamaican record producer
Rvssian
Tarik Johnston (born 12 April, 1988), commonly known as Rvssian (formerly spelt as Russian), is a Jamaican record producer, singer, songwriter and entrepreneur. Rvssian is the founder of Head Concussion, a music production company situated i ...
and Puerto Rican rapper
Anuel AA
Emmanuel Gazmey Santiago (born November 26, 1992), known professionally as Anuel AA, is a Puerto Rican rapper and singer. His music often contains samples and interpolations of songs that were popular during his youth. He is seen as a controv ...
, was released on April 17. A
computer-generated image
Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is the use of computer graphics to create or contribute to images in art, printed media, video games, simulators, and visual effects in films, television programs, shorts, commercials, and videos. The images may ...
depicting Higgins as an angel appears in the background of the song's music video.
Higgins' first posthumous single, "Righteous", was released on April 24 and an accompanying music video featuring footage of Higgins was uploaded to his
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
channel.
Higgins had recorded the song at his home studio in Los Angeles.
On May 4, Higgins' girlfriend, Ally Lotti, announced that his upcoming third album and first posthumous album would be titled ''The Outsiders''.
On May 29, the song "
Tell Me U Luv Me
"Tell Me U Luv Me" is a song by American rappers Juice Wrld and Trippie Redd. It was released on May 29, 2020 through Grade A Productions under exclusive license to Interscope Records, as the second single for Juice Wrld's posthumous third studio ...
" featuring
Trippie Redd
Michael Lamar White II (born June 18, 1999), known professionally as Trippie Redd, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is one of the most prominent members of the SoundCloud rap scene, which gained mainstream acclaim in the late ...
was released alongside a music video directed by Cole Bennett. "
Go", Higgins' collaboration with Australian rapper
the Kid Laroi
Charlton Kenneth Jeffrey Howard (born 17 August 2003), known professionally as the Kid Laroi (stylised as the Kid LAROI), is an Australian rapper, singer and songwriter. He originally gained recognition from his association and friendship with A ...
(whom Higgins mentored), was released on June 12.
On July 6, it was announced that the title of Higgins' first posthumous album had been changed to ''
Legends Never Die''. Between the album's announcement and its release, two single collaborations were released; "
Life's a Mess
"Life's a Mess" is a song by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld and American singer Halsey (singer), Halsey. It was released on July 6, 2020 through Grade A Productions under exclusive license to Interscope Records as the third Single (music), ...
" featuring
Halsey and "
Come & Go" featuring
Marshmello
Christopher Comstock (born May 19, 1992), known professionally as Marshmello, is an American electronic music producer and DJ. His songs "Silence", "Wolves", "Friends", " Happier", and " Alone" have been certified multi-platinum in several ...
. The album was released on July 10, with 21 songs and four singles that Higgins' estate claims "best represents the music Juice was in the process of creating". The album debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200. Five of its songs reached the top 10 of the Hot 100 on the week ending July 25: "Come & Go", "
Wishing Well
A wishing well is a term from European folklore to describe wells where it was thought that any spoken wish would be granted. The idea that a wish would be granted came from the notion that water housed deities or had been placed there as a ...
", "
Conversations
Conversation is interactive communication between two or more people. The development of conversational skills and etiquette is an important part of socialization. The development of conversational skills in a new language is a frequent focus ...
", "Life's a Mess", and "
Hate the Other Side
"Hate the Other Side" is a song by American rapper Juice Wrld and American producer Marshmello featuring American rapper Polo G and Australian rapper the Kid Laroi, released on July 10, 2020, as the ninth track from Juice's posthumous third stud ...
" (a collaboration with
Polo G
Taurus Tremani Bartlett (born January 6, 1999), known professionally as Polo G, is an American rapper. He rose to prominence with his singles "Finer Things (Polo G song), Finer Things" and "Pop Out" (featuring Lil Tjay). His debut album ''Die a ...
and the Kid Laroi), which reached number two, five, seven, nine, and ten, respectively.
Higgins is the third artist to accomplish this feat; the other artists being
the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
and
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
. "Life's a Mess" jumped from number 74 to number nine that week.
"Wishing Well", which had been critically lauded following the album's release,
was sent to rhythmic contemporary radio as the album's fifth single on July 28. On August 6, "
Smile
A smile is a facial expression formed primarily by flexing the muscles at the sides of the mouth. Some smiles include a contraction of the muscles at the corner of the eyes, an action known as a Duchenne smile.
Among humans, a smile expresses ...
" with
the Weeknd
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, Romance (love), ...
was released as a single. "Smile" had previously been leaked on YouTube and SoundCloud under the title "Sad" over a year before, though with an open verse in place of the Weeknd's.
On October 23, Lil Bibby confirmed that a second posthumous album was in the works.
On December 2, which would have been Higgins' twenty-second birthday,
Benny Blanco
Benjamin Joseph Levin (born March 8, 1988), known professionally as Benny Blanco (stylized in all lowercase), is an American record producer. He is the recipient of the 2013 Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is also ...
released a collaborative single titled "
Real Shit
"Real Shit" is a song by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld and American music producer Benny Blanco. It was written by Wrld alongside producers Blanco, Cashmere Cat, Dylan Brady, Henry Kwapis and Jack Karaszewski. It was released to digital r ...
". Six days later, on December 8, the anniversary of his death, "
Reminds Me of You" featuring the Kid Laroi was released. In 2020, Higgins was streamed on Spotify over 5.9 billion times, making him the
fourth most streamed artist in the world.
On January 15, 2021, Higgins' estate released "
Bad Boy" featuring
Young Thug
Jeffery Lamar Williams (born August 16, 1991), known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is considered to be an influential figure of his generation, with his music impacting the modern sound of hip ...
, which was accompanied by a Cole Bennett-directed music video shot entirely before Higgins' death; this marks the final collaboration between the artist and director before the former's death.
On March 5, "Life's a Mess II", an alternative version of the track "Life's a Mess" from ''Legends Never Die'', featuring Clever and
Post Malone
Austin Richard Post (born July 4, 1995), known professionally as Post Malone, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Known for his variegated vocals, Malone has gained acclaim for blending genres and subgenres of hip ...
was released. On May 28, Higgins' debut full-length album ''Goodbye & Good Riddance'' was re-released to commemorate its third anniversary; the re-release includes two new songs, one titled "734" and the other being a remix of "Lucid Dreams" featuring Lil Uzi Vert. The 2018 single "Armed and Dangerous", which was included on the December 2018 Spotify and
Tidal
Tidal is the adjectival form of tide.
Tidal may also refer to:
* Tidal (album), ''Tidal'' (album), a 1996 album by Fiona Apple
* Tidal (king), a king involved in the Battle of the Vale of Siddim
* TidalCycles, a live coding environment for music
* ...
reissue of the album, is excluded from the revised tracklist.
Following the re-release of ''Goodbye & Good Riddance'', another posthumous project titled ''The Party Never Ends'' was teased by Higgins' management. On June 11, two tracks featuring Higgins were released; "Antisocial" from
Migos
Migos () is an American hip hop trio from Lawrenceville, Georgia, founded in 2008. The group was originally composed of Southern rappers Quavo, Takeoff, and Offset. Quavo is from Athens, Georgia; Offset and Takeoff were born and raised in Law ...
' album ''
Culture III
''Culture III'' is the fourth studio album by American hip hop trio Migos and the last to be released during member Takeoff's lifetime. It was released by Motown Records and Quality Control Music on June 11, 2021. The album features guest appe ...
'', and "Can't Leave You Alone" from
Maroon 5
Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. It currently consists of lead vocalist Adam Levine, keyboardist and rhythm guitarist Jesse Carmichael, lead guitarist James Valentine (musician), James Valentine, drummer Matt ...
's ''
Jordi
Jordi () is the Catalan form of the ancient Greek name Georgios. Jordi is a popular name in Catalonia and is also given in the Netherlands and in Spanish-, English- and German-speaking countries.
Jordi may also refer to:
*Sant Jordi – patron sa ...
''. On August 20, "Matt Hardy 999", a song featuring Higgins from Trippie Redd's album ''
Trip at Knight
''Trip At Knight'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Trippie Redd, released on August 20, 2021, through 1400 Entertainment and 10k Projects. The album features guest appearances from SoFaygo, Drake, Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti, Ski Mas ...
'', was released. Higgins was also featured on Young Thug's album ''
Punk
Punk or punks may refer to:
Genres, subculture, and related aspects
* Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres
* Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
'', which released on October 15. On November 11, Higgins' estate announced that his second posthumous album, ''
Fighting Demons
''Fighting Demons'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld. It was posthumously released by Grade A Productions and Interscope Records on December 10, 2021. The album features guest appearances from Justin Bieber, Pol ...
'', a
tie-in
A tie-in work is a work of fiction or other product based on a media property such as a film, video game, television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property. Tie-ins are authorized by the owners of the original prope ...
for the documentary film ''
Juice Wrld: Into the Abyss'', would be released on December 10.
The album was accompanied by three singles: "
Already Dead", "
Wandered to LA
"Wandered to LA" is a song by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld and Canadian singer Justin Bieber. It was released Interscope Records and Grade A Productions as the second single from the former's fourth studio album, ''Fighting Demons'', o ...
" featuring
Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Bieber is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and has played an influential role in modern-day popular music. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter ...
, and "
Girl of My Dreams" featuring
Suga
Suga may refer to:
* Suga, Iran, a village in Qazvin Province, Iran
* Suga language, a language of Cameroon
* Suga (rapper) (born 1993), South Korean rapper, songwriter, and record producer
* ''Suga'' (EP), 2020 EP by Megan Thee Stallion
* ''Sug ...
of
BTS
BTS (), also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010 and debuting in 2013 under Big Hit Entertainment. The septet—consisting of members Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook—co-writes and co-produ ...
. The first track was released on November 12, the second on December 3, and the third on December 10. The latter track "Girl of My Dreams", released as a standalone digital release, served as the first promotional single from ''
Fighting Demons
''Fighting Demons'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld. It was posthumously released by Grade A Productions and Interscope Records on December 10, 2021. The album features guest appearances from Justin Bieber, Pol ...
'' (2021)
and earned Higgins his first number one on the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''
Digital Song Sales
The Digital Songs or Digital Song Sales chart (previously named Hot Digital Songs) ranks the best-selling digital songs in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published by ''Billboard'' magazine. Although it originally start ...
chart. ''Juice Wrld: Into the Abyss'' was released on December 16; the film spotlights Higgins' struggles with mental health and substance abuse through the use of archival footage, in addition to interviews with Higgins' friends, family, and associates.
In early 2022, an extended version of "Go Hard," titled "Go Hard 2.0," was added to the tracklist of ''Fighting Demons,'' in addition to two previously unreleased songs, "
Cigarettes
A cigarette is a narrow cylinder containing a combustible material, typically tobacco, that is rolled into thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end, causing it to smolder; the resulting smoke is orally inhaled via the oppo ...
" and "Sometimes;" "Cigarettes" debuted at number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100, while "Sometimes" debuted at number 57. On August 26, Higgins was featured on the track "Juice Wrld Did" from
DJ Khaled
Khaled Mohammed Khaled (born November 26, 1975), known professionally as DJ Khaled, is an American DJ, record executive, record producer and rapper.
Khaled first gained recognition as a radio host in the 1990s on the radio station WEDR, 99 Ja ...
's album ''
God Did
''God Did'' is the thirteenth studio album by American record producer DJ Khaled, released through We the Best Music and Epic Records on August 26, 2022. The record project earned five nominations at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, including fo ...
''. In an interview with
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
, Khaled revealed that he chose to add the song to his album as a tribute to Higgins after Lil Bibby reached out to him and advocated for its inclusion. On October 14, "
Bye Bye," a collaborative single with Marshmello, was released alongside a music video. On October 28, Higgins' estate released the song "
In My Head;" prior to its release, a 30-second snippet of the track was uploaded to his official Spotify page under the title "Rush Hour." The song was accompanied by a Steve Cannon and Chris Long-directed music video that depicts Higgins recording music and touring at various points throughout his career through the use of archival footage.
Artistry and legacy
Musical style
Higgins said his musical influences were genre-wide from emo, hip hop music, elements of rock, punk and R&B, and that his biggest influences were rappers
Travis Scott,
Chief Keef
Keith Farrelle Cozart (born August 15, 1995), better known by his stage name Chief Keef, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. His music first became popular during his teen years in the early 2010s among high school s ...
,
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
and British rock singer
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is a British-American singer, songwriter, and musician. He first achieved fame in the 1970s emerging from the London punk rock scene as the lead singer o ...
. ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' writer Michael Saponara claimed, "If West and his sparse ''
808s
The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer, commonly known as the 808, is a drum machine manufactured by the Roland Corporation between 1980 and 1983. It was one of the first drum machines to allow users to program rhythms instead of using preset patte ...
'' were a tree, it would have grown another branch with the blossoming art displayed by fellow Chicago native Juice WRLD in 2018".
Higgins was among the ranks of openly vulnerable artists born from the
emo rap
Emo rap is a fusion genre of hip hop and emo music. Originating in the SoundCloud rap scene in the mid-2010s, the genre fuses characteristics of hip hop music, such as beats and rapping, with the lyrical themes, instrumentals, and vocals commo ...
scene inspired by West's influential fourth album, ''
808s & Heartbreak
''808s & Heartbreak'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Kanye West. It was released by Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records on November 24, 2008, having been recorded earlier that year in September and October at Glenwood Studi ...
'' (2008).
During an interview with All Def Music, Higgins said, "I was singing '
Street Lights
A street light, light pole, lamp pole, lamppost, street lamp, light standard, or lamp standard is a raised source of light on the edge of a road or path. Similar lights may be found on a railway platform. When urban electric power distribution ...
' like I had shit to be sad about. Kanye
estis a time traveler. That nigga went to damn near 2015 and came back with some sauce".
His other influences included
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close affili ...
,
Quietdrive
Quietdrive is an alternative rock band based in Hopkins, Minnesota, USA, that was formed in 2002. Quietdrive released their first album, ''When All That's Left Is You'', on May 30, 2006, on Epic Records. In April 2008, Quietdrive left Epic Records ...
,
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer A ...
,
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
,
the Starting Line
The Starting Line is an American pop punk band based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that formed in 1999.
History
Early years (1999–2001)
In 1999, the band that would become The Starting Line was initiated in Churchville, Pennsylvania via an e ...
,
the Cranberries
The Cranberries were an Irish rock band formed in Limerick, Ireland. Originally named the Cranberry Saw Us, the band were formed in 1989 by lead singer Niall Quinn, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan and drummer Fergal Lawler. Quinn was ...
,
the City Drive
The City Drive was a Los Angeles-based pop rock band fronted by the actor Danny Smith (actor, musician), Danny Smith (vocals, guitar). Other members were Chris Perry (lead guitar, backing vocals), Marc Precilla (drums) and Scott Waldman (bass gui ...
,
2Pac
Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...
,
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...
,
XXXTentacion
Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy (January 23, 1998 – June 18, 2018), known professionally as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Though a controversial figure due to his widely publicized legal troubles, XXXTentacion ga ...
,
Kid Cudi
Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), also known by his stage name Kid Cudi ( ), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and fashion designer. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Cudi would move to New Yo ...
, and
Escape the Fate
Escape the Fate is an American rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada, formed in 2004 and originally from Pahrump, Nevada. They are signed to Eleven Seven Music. The group consists of Robert Ortiz (drummer), Craig Mabbitt (lead vocalist), TJ Bell (rhy ...
. Higgins had also stated that he listened to bands such as
Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco is the solo project of American musician Brendon Urie. It was originally a pop rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada, formed in 2004 by childhood friends Urie, Ryan Ross, Spencer Smith, and Brent Wilson. They recorded their firs ...
and
Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbanding of Overcast (band), Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joe ...
.
Higgins' music has been branded as "emo" and "rock" leaning, "genre-bending"
with music focusing on "every broken heart, every wounded feeling". More specifically, he has been labeled as a
hip hop, emo rap,
trap
A trap is a mechanical device used to capture or restrain an animal for purposes such as hunting, pest control, or ecological research.
Trap or TRAP may also refer to:
Art and entertainment Films and television
* ''Trap'' (2015 film), Fil ...
, and
SoundCloud rap artist. With a penchant for short,
hook
A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...
-heavy songs, Higgins was a leading figure in hip-hop during the late 2010s. In 2018, the streaming platform
Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
named "emo rap" its fastest growing genre. Higgins achieved significant mainstream success as a figurehead of the sub-genre. This was boosted by his collaboration with
Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco is the solo project of American musician Brendon Urie. It was originally a pop rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada, formed in 2004 by childhood friends Urie, Ryan Ross, Spencer Smith, and Brent Wilson. They recorded their firs ...
frontman
Brendon Urie
Brendon Boyd Urie (born April 12, 1987) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is best known as the lead vocalist, primary songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist of Panic! at the Disco, of which he is the only remaining member.
In ...
.
Higgins himself considered the
emo
Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of and hardcore punk from the Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore and pioneered b ...
label to be both negative and positive as he felt music sometimes has to be a bit dark to reflect his belief that the world is not really a light or a happy place.
Higgins said that "Lucid Dreams" was the only track from ''
Goodbye & Good Riddance
''Goodbye & Good Riddance'' is the debut studio album by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld. It was released on May 23, 2018, by Grade A Productions and Interscope Records. Production was primarily handled by Nick Mira, alongside several other ...
'' that he wrote, while the rest was done
impromptu
An impromptu (, , loosely meaning "offhand") is a free-form musical composition with the character of an ''ex tempore'' improvisation as if prompted by the spirit of the moment, usually for a solo instrument, such as piano. According to ''Allgeme ...
. Rather than write down his rhymes, Higgins crafted whole songs in a few minutes by way of off-the-cuff rhyming.
Most of the time, his songwriting process involved freestyling lyrics instead of writing them down. When he did write a song, it usually began with hearing a beat and instantaneously conceiving an idea, although Higgins sometimes found himself alone with an idea for a song and afraid that he would be unable to remember it hours later after arriving at the studio. For this reason, he sometimes took a voice memo or simply wrote the whole song.
Higgins saw the value in his position as one of very few contemporary SoundCloud artists who could compose soul-baring
ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
s and
ode
An ode (from grc, ᾠδή, ōdḗ) is a type of lyric poetry. Odes are elaborately structured poems praising or glorifying an event or individual, describing nature intellectually as well as emotionally. A classic ode is structured in three majo ...
s but remain comfortable
freestyle rap
Freestyle is a style of improvisation, with or without instrumental beats (Mystrodamus), in which lyrics are recited with no particular subject or structure and with no prior memorization.Kevin Fitzgerald (director), '' Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme' ...
ping over classic hip hop beats.
Rather than eschewing it, his freestyles emphasize
wordplay
Word play or wordplay (also: play-on-words) is a literary technique and a form of wit in which words used become the main subject of the work, primarily for the purpose of intended effect or amusement. Examples of word play include puns, phone ...
and feel indebted to the art form's tradition.
When asked for his opinion on why freestyles are no longer considered the
rite of passage
A rite of passage is a ceremony or ritual of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves a significant change of status in society. In cultural anthropology the term is the Anglicisation of ''rite ...
in
hip hop culture
Hip hop or hip-hop is a culture and art movement that was created by African Americans, Latino Americans and Caribbean Americans in the Bronx, New York City. Hip hop culture is characterized by four key elements: rapping, DJing and turntablis ...
as they once were he replied, "Stuff is just changing, that's all. We're moving into a new era of music. I feel like it's not necessarily a good thing to forget where shit started, but shit is changing".
Though his songs do not always feature very technical lyricism, intricate
flows or tongue-twisting wordplay, Higgins delivered inventive flows and memorable bars during his freestyles.
Lyrical themes
His most successful singles express melodic, emo-inspired compositions that exhibit his songwriting skill.
His songs harbor melodic flows to complement their melancholic subjects.
Higgins claimed he talked about things others are thinking but are afraid to speak about, such as being vulnerable and hurt.
Having built a following through emo rap, Higgins offered lyrics that touch on heartbreak and fragmented feelings.
Though not entirely groundbreaking, his musical approach provided a sense of familiarity that heartbroken adolescents of the current generation could gravitate towards.
Higgins maintained that he only wrote from personal experience, and found strength in his pain and vulnerability.
While the lyrical content of his songs often centered on heartache and bitterness, there are occasionally more boastful lines and creative references.
Personal life
Higgins had a history of drug abuse that began at an early age, and he spoke openly about his experiences.
His mother claimed that he was also dealing with
anxiety
Anxiety is an emotion which is characterized by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil and includes feelings of dread over anticipated events. Anxiety is different than fear in that the former is defined as the anticipation of a future threat wh ...
and
depression on top of his battle with drug addiction.
Higgins had agreed to attend drug rehabilitation weeks prior to his death.
He was living in Los Angeles with his girlfriend, Ally Lotti,
at the time of his death.
In November 2018, the pair revealed via Instagram that they were dating.
Death
![Juice WRLD Mausoleum](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Juice_WRLD_Mausoleum.jpg)
On December 8, 2019, Higgins was aboard a private
Gulfstream The Gulf Stream is a warm Atlantic Ocean current.
Gulf Stream or Gulfstream may also refer to: Places
*Gulf Stream, Florida, a town in the United States
Art, entertainment, and media
*''Gulf Stream Magazine'', a literary magazine at Florida Intern ...
jet flying from
Van Nuys Airport
: ''For the United States Air Force use of the airport (1942–1990), see Van Nuys Air National Guard Base''
Van Nuys Airport is a public airport in the Van Nuys neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles. The airport is operated by Los Angeles Wo ...
in Los Angeles to
Midway International Airport
Chicago Midway International Airport , typically referred to as Midway Airport, Chicago Midway, or simply Midway, is a major commercial airport on the Southwest side of Chicago, Illinois, located approximately 12 miles (19 km) from the Lo ...
in Chicago. Law enforcement officers were waiting for the jet to arrive, having been notified by federal agents, while the flight was en route, that they suspected there were guns and drugs on the plane. Law enforcement officials later revealed that they found of
marijuana
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various tra ...
on the aircraft and said several members of Higgins' management team aboard the flight told them that Higgins had taken "several unknown pills",
including allegedly swallowing multiple
Percocet
Oxycodone/paracetamol, sold under the brand name Percocet among others, is a fixed-dose combination of the opioid oxycodone with paracetamol (acetaminophen), used to treat moderate to severe pain.
In 2020, it was the 69th most commonly prescri ...
pills to hide them while police were on board the plane searching the luggage.
Higgins then began convulsing and seizing, after which two doses of the emergency medication
Narcan
Naloxone, sold under the brand names Narcan (4 mg) and Kloxxado (8 mg) among others, is a medication used to reverse or reduce the effects of opioids. It is commonly used to counter decreased breathing in opioid overdose. Effects begin within ...
were administered as an opioid overdose was suspected. Higgins was transported to the nearby
Advocate Christ Medical Center
Advocate Christ Medical Center (ACMC) is a 788-bed teaching hospital located in Oak Lawn, Illinois a suburb of Chicago Founded in 1960, Advocate Christ Medical Center is a part of Advocate Aurora Health. In the most recent year ...
in
Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead. On January 22, 2020, the Cook County Medical Examiner stated that Higgins died as a result of toxic levels of
oxycodone
Oxycodone, sold under various brand names such as Roxicodone and OxyContin (which is the extended release form), is a strong, semi-synthetic opioid used medically for treatment of moderate to severe pain. It is highly addictive and a commonly ...
and
codeine
Codeine is an opiate and prodrug of morphine mainly used to treat pain, coughing, and diarrhea. It is also commonly used as a recreational drug. It is found naturally in the sap of the opium poppy, ''Papaver somniferum''. It is typically use ...
present in his system. Higgins' funeral was held on December 13, 2019, at the Holy Temple Cathedral Church of God in Christ in
Harvey, Illinois
Harvey is a city in Cook County, Illinois, Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 20,324 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census.
Harvey is bordered by the villages of Dixmoor, Illinois, Dixmoor and Riverdale, Illinois, R ...
. Friends and family were in attendance, including collaborators
Ski Mask the Slump God
Stokeley Clevon Goulbourne (born April 18, 1996), known professionally as Ski Mask the Slump God (formerly stylized as $ki Mask "The Slump God"), is an American rapper. He initially rose to prominence alongside XXXTentacion and their collectiv ...
and
Young Thug
Jeffery Lamar Williams (born August 16, 1991), known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is considered to be an influential figure of his generation, with his music impacting the modern sound of hip ...
.
Reactions
Fellow rapper
Boosie Badazz
Torence Ivy Hatch (born November 14, 1982), better known by his stage name Boosie BadAzz or simply Boosie (formerly Lil Boosie), is an American rapper. Hatch began rapping in the 1990s as a member of the hip hop collective Concentration Camp, e ...
suggested that the pilot of the plane was ultimately responsible for Higgins' death, referring to him as a
snitch
Snitch may refer to:
* Informant
Film and television
* ''Snitch'' (1998 film) or ''Monument Ave.'', an American crime drama directed by Ted Demme
* ''Snitch'' (2011 film) or ''Witness Insecurity'', an American thriller starring Edward Furlong
...
. Higgins had been under suspicion by Federal authorities following an incident that occurred in November 2019 before he departed for Australia which prompted a search of his plane. Badazz gave an interview threatening violence upon the pilot, before later calming down and reflecting on the dangers of young artists suddenly being overwhelmed with money.
Rapper Ski Mask the Slump God, Higgins' close friend whom he collaborated with on the song "
Nuketown
"Nuketown" is a song by American rapper Ski Mask the Slump God, featuring vocals from fellow American rapper Juice WRLD. It was released as the second track off of Ski Mask the Slump God's debut studio album, ''Stokeley''.
"Nuketown" was the firs ...
", said on
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
"They keep taking my brothers from me", referring also to best friend and longtime collaborator
XXXTentacion
Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy (January 23, 1998 – June 18, 2018), known professionally as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Though a controversial figure due to his widely publicized legal troubles, XXXTentacion ga ...
, who
was shot and killed in June 2018.
Lil Yachty
Miles Parks McCollum (born August 23, 1997), known professionally as Lil Boat, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer. He first gained recognition on the internet in 2015 for his singles "One Night" and "Minnesota" (featuring ...
, who remixed Higgins' song "All Girls Are the Same" mourned his death along with
Lil Uzi Vert
Symere Bysil Woods ( ; born July 31, 1995), known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. They are characterized by their face tattoo, facial tattoos, facial piercings, eccentric hairstyles and androgynous ...
,
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
,
the Weeknd
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, Romance (love), ...
and others.
Higgins' mother expressed hope that her son's legacy would help others in their battles with addiction saying, "Addiction knows no boundaries, and its impact goes beyond the person fighting it ... We know that Jarad's legacy of love, joy and emotional honesty will live on". She later established the Live Free 999 Fund in honor of Higgins and the battle he fought against addiction, anxiety and depression.
The fund's primary goal is to support programs that target young and underserved populations. With a focus on addiction, anxiety and depression, the organization hopes to normalize the conversation about the mental health challenges that Higgins faced, and provide an avenue for people to process those challenges in a healthy way.
Higgins' production team and record label have committed to supporting the organization.
In his song, "
Legends
A legend is a historical narrative, a symbolic representation of folk belief.
Legend(s) or The Legend(s) may also refer to:
Narrative
* Urban legend, a widely repeated story of dubious truth
* A fictitious identity used in espionage
Books, co ...
"—which was dedicated to XXXTentacion,
who was murdered in mid-2018 at age 20, and
Lil Peep
Gustav Elijah Åhr (November 1, 1996 – November 15, 2017), known professionally as Lil Peep, was an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He was a member of the emo rap collective GothBoiClique. Helping pioneer an emo revival-style of Rapp ...
, who overdosed in late 2017 at age 21—Higgins raps "What's the
27 Club
The 27 Club is an informal list consisting mostly of popular musicians, artists, actors, and other celebrities who died at age 27. Although the claim of a "statistical spike" for the death of musicians at that age has been refuted by scientific ...
? / We ain't making it past 21". Fans and media outlets commented that he had predicted his own death, as he had died only days after his twenty-first birthday.
Discography
;Studio albums
* ''
Goodbye & Good Riddance
''Goodbye & Good Riddance'' is the debut studio album by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld. It was released on May 23, 2018, by Grade A Productions and Interscope Records. Production was primarily handled by Nick Mira, alongside several other ...
'' (2018)
* ''
Death Race for Love
''Death Race for Love'' is the second studio album by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld and the last to be released during his lifetime. It was released on March 8, 2019, by Grade A Productions and Interscope Records. The album's artwork and ti ...
'' (2019)
* ''
Legends Never Die'' (2020)
* ''
Fighting Demons
''Fighting Demons'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld. It was posthumously released by Grade A Productions and Interscope Records on December 10, 2021. The album features guest appearances from Justin Bieber, Pol ...
'' (2021)
Filmography
Concert tours
*
The Nicki Wrld Tour with
Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accent ...
(2019)
* The
Death Race for Love
''Death Race for Love'' is the second studio album by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld and the last to be released during his lifetime. It was released on March 8, 2019, by Grade A Productions and Interscope Records. The album's artwork and ti ...
Tour with
Ski Mask the Slump God
Stokeley Clevon Goulbourne (born April 18, 1996), known professionally as Ski Mask the Slump God (formerly stylized as $ki Mask "The Slump God"), is an American rapper. He initially rose to prominence alongside XXXTentacion and their collectiv ...
and contribution from
Lyrical Lemonade
Cole Michael Bennett (born May 14, 1996) is an American business executive, videographer, and music video director. His multimedia company, Lyrical Lemonade, started in 2013 as an internet blog while he was in high school.
Early life
Cole Be ...
(2019)
Awards and nominations
American Music Awards
!
, -
,
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
, Himself
,
Favorite Male Artist – Hip-Hop
,
, style="text-align:center;",
, -
,
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
,
Legends Never Die
,
Favorite Album – Hip-Hop
,
, style="text-align:center;",
BET Awards
!
, -
, ,
2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, , Himself , ,
Best New Artist
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967. The official guidelines are as ...
, , , ,
BET Hip-Hop Awards
!
, -
, ,
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, , Himself , , Best New Hip Hop Artist , , , ,
''Billboard'' Music Awards
!
, -
, rowspan="6",
2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, rowspan="2", Himself
,
Top New Artist
,
, rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;",
, -
,
Top Rap Artist
,
, -
, rowspan="4", "Lucid Dreams"
,
Top Hot 100 Song
,
, -
, Top Streaming Song (Audio)
,
, -
, Top Streaming Song (Video)
,
, -
,
Top Rap Song
,
, -
, rowspan="2",
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
, ''Death Race for Love''
,
Top Rap Album
,
, rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;",
, -
, Himself
, Top Rap Artist
,
, -
, rowspan="7",
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
, rowspan="5", Himself
,
Top Artist
,
, rowspan="7" style="text-align:center;",
, -
,
Top Male Artist
,
, -
,
Top Billboard 200 Artist
,
, -
, Top Rap Artist
,
, -
,
Top Rap Male Artist
,
, -
, rowspan="2", ''Legends Never Die''
,
Top Billboard 200 Album
,
, -
, Top Rap Album
,
iHeartRadio Music Awards
!
, -
,
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
, ''Death Race for Love''
, Best Hip-Hop Album
,
, style="text-align:center;",
MTV Video Music Awards
!
, -
,
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, "Lucid Dreams"
,
Song of Summer
''Song of Summer'' is a 1968 black-and-white television film co-written, produced, and directed by Ken Russell for the BBC's '' Omnibus'' series which was first broadcast on 15 September 1968. It portrays the final six years of Frederick Delius ...
,
,
, -
, rowspan="2",
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
, rowspan="2", "Godzilla"
,
Video of the Year
,
, rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;",
, -
,
Best Hip Hop
,
Notes
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Juice Wrld
1998 births
2019 deaths
21st-century American rappers
African-American male rappers
African-American male singer-songwriters
Alternative rock singers
American alternative rock musicians
Drug-related deaths in Illinois
Emo rap musicians
Interscope Records artists
People from Homewood, Illinois
Polydor Records artists
Rappers from Chicago
Homewood-Flossmoor High School alumni
21st-century African-American male singers
Singer-songwriters from Illinois
Trap musicians
Pop rappers