By: Julia Wilson | Head Editor
December 12, 2019
On December 8, 2019, 21-year-old rapper Juice WRLD went into convulsions while being searched by Chicago police officers after landing at Midway International Airport in Chicago, Illinois. After seizing for only a short amount of time, he eventually suffered cardiac arrest and passed away at Advocate Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinios at around 3:15 a.m. Formerly known as Jarad Higgins, his death came as a complete shock to the public, although it has been released that he had serious issues with both drugs and alcohol. After becoming suspicious of possession of drugs and illegal firearms on his private jet, Chicago Police Department officers were waiting to search the plane for illegal substances when he landed. Authorities later revealed that 70 pounds of marijuana, six bottles of liquid prescription codeine cough syrup, and three firearms, including two 9 mm pistols and a .40-caliber pistol, were recovered from the plane.
“Juice WRLD was such a talented rapper and his death came as a shock to all,” San Clemente High School junior Faith Stewart said. “It is so sad to see another popular artist die at such a young age.”
The young rapper got his start on the streaming platform SoundCloud, making his own music from a young age. His first album Goodbye and Good Riddance, released in 2018, and immediately gained popularity reaching No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and receiving platinum status by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Multiple hit singles from the album including six time platinum “Lucid Dreams” and double platinum “All Girls Are The Same” are notorious favorites. Higgins’ most recent album, Death Race for Love, was released in March of 2019 and debuted number one on the Billboard 200, becoming another overwhelming success.
“Juice WRLD helped many get through tough times in their life with his music,” SCHS sophomore Diego Crawford said. “He will be missed.”
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office still has not yet released the exact cause of death, with the autopsy returning inconclusive. Being given Narcan immediately at the site of the emergency, a drug administered to opioid overdose patients, it is suspected that drugs played a part in his violent seizures and death. However, more toxicology tests and brain scans are being conducted to try and uncover the exact reason for the sudden cardiac arrest. Shortly following the death of his close friend and famous rapper 20 year old XXXTentacion in 2018, the rap industry has suffered the tragic loss of two young performers in only two years and even more popular artists in this past decade.
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