Sad News: Chicago rapper Juice WRLD dies at 21

A statement from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office, however, did not give an official cause of death, according to Variety Juice WRLD was just solidifying a name for himself in hip hop.

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Born and raised in the Calumet Park neighborhood of Cook County in Chicago, he learned to play the piano and guitar from an early age. He began to gain popularity after posting songs on SoundCloud in 2015. Just two years later, Juice WRLD independently released his first track, “Lucid Dreams”  and after the song broke into the pop charts by 2018 Interscope Records scooped him up and signed him to a deal. His debut album, “Goodbye & Good Riddance,” went platinum soon after.

Over the summer, Juice WRLD released his second EP, dedicating it to his friends and fellow rappers, XXXTentacion and Lil Peep. He also co-headlined a European tour with Nicki Minaj and had already worked on several collaborations including those with Future, Ellie Goulding, Halsey, and Benny Blanco.

While his lyrics were said to have centered on depression, death, and substance abuse, there was indeed value in his message which was enhanced by a unique delivery couched in a love for emo and rock music.

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When talking to Varietyearlier this year about the number of young, Black men currently incarcerated or stuck in the legal system, Juice WRLD said:

“If you a minority, the justice system is made for you to lose. I’m not anybody to judge somebody’s actions. Everybody makes their own mistakes, regardless of what the mistake is. But if you’re a minority, just keep in mind that this criminal justice system was made for people to lose.”

Here’s a snippet of Juice WRLD in his own words: