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Before his tragic death in December 2019, Jarad Anthony Higgins, aka Juice Wrld, a Chicago-born rapper and songwriter whose genuine passion and genre-bending approach attracted millions, had a lasting impression on the music industry. His breakout songs, such as “Lucid Dreams” and “All Girls Are the Same,” which addressed themes of vulnerability, heartbreak, and mental health, struck a deep connection with audiences. Juice WRLD immediately rose to popularity as one of the most significant voices of his generation thanks to his unique blend of rap, rock, and emo elements. His legacy endures and is quite alive today.
Juice Wrld died at age 21 from a drug overdose on December 8, 2019, 6 days after his birthday. Fans and artists were shocked. 11th grader Daniel Ramirez says, “Juice Wrld’s death was surprising to me, but he used his platform to talk about pain, and hope. His music has touched millions of people including me and is remembered by 999 forever.”
Another 11th grader Kenny Barada says, “I was in school when he died, and I remember my heart dropping. When I saw the news, I thought it was fake, but every app was posting it and that day was a sad day for me.”
Others discovered him in different ways. Some people are die-hard fans just like Leandro Leon, an 11th grader who said, “I’m a OG Juice Wrld fan. I have been listening to his music since he was releasing music on SoundCloud under the name “JuiceTheKidd” and then he changed his name to Juice Wrld once he started getting more attention.”
Boris Borge, 11th grader, said, “I do listen to Juice Wrld, and I discovered him in the year 2018 a few days before he released his debut album ‘Goodbye and good riddance’.”
Elias Borjas, 12th grader, says, “I discovered Juice Wrld about 8 years ago. I found out about him when he dropped a single from his debut album called ‘Lucid dreams’ and he has been one of my top artists ever since.”
Juice Wrld’s music has a message behind the lyrics and he also has many different flows. 11th grader Daniel Tabio says, “Juice WRLD’s music impacts me on a deep emotional level because he talks openly about pain, heartbreak, anxiety, and addiction—things a lot of people, including myself, deal with but don’t always know how to express. His music makes me feel less alone.”
People love the different flows that he has mastered. 11th grader Jose Erazo says, “Juice WRLD’s music stands out to me because of his unique sound and creativity. He blended rap, rock, and melodic flows in a way that felt fresh and different. His freestyling talent and catchy hooks made his songs fun to listen to, while still carrying meaning.”
Juice Wrld didn’t just impact people, but the whole modern hip-hop sound. 11th grader Christopher Aparicio says, “Juice WRLD had a huge impact on modern hip hop by saying emotional things with a melodic flow. He really popularized the emo rap genre, where artists explore themes like heartbreak, mental health, and substance abuse over trap beats.”
Matteo Maruri, 11th grader, says, “You can hear his influence in a lot of newer and older artists who aren’t afraid to show their emotions like Lil Uzi Vert, Trippie Redd, and even artists outside of rap. He helped move hip hop towards a more emotional rap with lyrics that can connect with a younger audience.”
Most of Juice Wrld’s songs are freestyles, such as, “Sometimes”, “Rental” and “All girls are the same”. 11th grader Dominique Molina says, “I think Juice WRLD’s ability to freestyle to any beat was crazy. It didn’t just show his lyrical talent, but his quick thinking and creativity.”
11th grader Jordan Kuesada says, “He could go on for hours, switching flows like it was nothing. He wouldn’t just say random things. He’d tell stories, and played with emotions. That kind of off-the-top skill is rare.”
Juice Wrld talks a lot about mental health and how people should take care of themselves because he himself was going through depression, heartbreak, anxiety, and addiction. Students like listening to his music because he can make them feel more comfortable and feel more relaxed.
Senior Zack Gonzalez says, “He helped me realize that there are ways to channel negative energy and he enabled me to grow as a human because he provided a sense of security.”
11th grader Joaquin Gil says, “His lyrics helped me get through some dark moments, and I know I’m not the only one. He really started conversations that people were afraid to have.”
