juice wrld 2019
[Photo via Spotify]

Juice WRLD dies at age 21 after suffering seizure in Chicago airport

Rapper Juice WRLD, aka Jarad Anthony Higgins, has passed away at the age of 21 after suffering a seizure in a Chicago airport, TMZ reports. The incident occurred after Higgins deplaned from a private jet traveling from California to his hometown of Chicago.

Once landing at Chicago Midway International Airport, witnesses reported he suffered a seizure while walking through the airport. TMZ reports he was “bleeding from the mouth” when paramedics arrived.

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Paramedics were called to a private hangar operated by Atlantis Air shortly after 2 a.m. CT Sunday, Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford told the Chicago Tribune.

After suffering cardiac arrest, the rapper was reportedly still conscious when being transported to the hospital and was pronounced dead shortly after, TMZ reports. The Cook County medical examiner’s office told the Chicago Tribune he was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois and pronounced dead there at 3:14 a.m. CT.

Langford didn’t know what caused the cardiac arrest. A cause of death has not been reported as an autopsy is still pending for later today or Monday, the Chicago Tribune reports.

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The rapper’s label, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, shared a statement with Rolling Stone following his passing:

Juice made a profound impact on the world in such a short period of time. He was a gentle soul, whose creativity knew no bounds, an exceptional human being and artist who loved and cared for his fans above everything else. To lose someone so kind and so close to our hearts is devastating. Our thoughts are with Juice’s family and friends, everyone at his label Grade A, and his millions of fans around the world.

Juice WRLD rose to recognition with breakout single “Lucid Dreams” in 2018, a track first released on SoundCloud in 2017. It debuted at No. 74 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at No. 2.

The track later appeared on his debut album Goodbye & Good Riddance, which released in May 2018. Following the album’s release, he dropped a mixtape with Future titled Future & Juice Wrld Present… Wrld on Drugs in October. The release featured collabs with Young Thug, Lil Wayne, Yung Bans, Gunna and Nicki Minaj among others.

A known fan of alternative music, Higgins teamed up with Panic! At The Disco frontman Brendon Urie and Benny Blanco on “Roses” in December 2018. The single was off Blanco’s debut album Friends Keep Secrets, which also housed his single with Halsey and Khalid, “Eastside.”

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Juice WRLD dropped his last full-length, Death Race For Love in March featuring singles such as “Robbery” and “Hear Me Calling.”

Juice WRLD turned 21 earlier this month on Dec. 2. His last Instagram post was a celebration of this writing, “Yesterday was my actual bday im celebrating all week doe??‍♂️999 shit.”

In June 2018, the rapper released his Too Soon EP featuring “Legends,” a tribute to Lil Peep and XXXTentacion where he says, “What’s the 27 Club? We ain’t making it past 21.” Lil Peep passed away from an overdose at age 21 in November 2017. XXXTentacion was 20 when he was shot and killed in Deerfield, Florida in June 2018 with the Too Soon EP being released the following day.

Ahead of turning 21, Juice WRLD was in Australia for what would become his final shows. He played Spilt Milk Festival’s second weekend in Ballarat Nov. 30, which was his last performance.

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Following the run, he took to Instagram to share a clip of him packing to leave Australia.

“@chrislongfilms @ogdonn.999 helping me pack my last night in Australia JUST TURNED THIS WHOLE CONTINENT UPSIDE DOWN but anyway we having fun thank God for the opportunity to travel the world and change it.. be with me through every battle and Ik I’ll win.. AMEN. Great things coming y’all 999? STILL ROCKING POLO DRAWERS HOE”

Juice WRLD had two performances remaining this year including Rolling Loud Music Festival in Los Angeles Dec. 14 and Snowta NYE Festival in Minneapolis Dec. 31. He was also slated for Hangout Music Festival 2020 in Gulf Shores, Alabama in May.

He also recently released “Let Me Know (I Wonder Why Freestyle)” on Dec. 7.

Our thoughts are with Higgins family and friends at this time.

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