The rapper and singer Juice WRLD died on Sunday from apparent cardiac arrest. It happened after his private jet, bound from Los Angeles, landed in his hometown of Chicago at Midway Airport. He had just turned 21 years old on Monday, Dec. 2.
Juice reportedly had a seizure when he landed after 2 a.m., and after being taken to a local hospital he was pronounced dead at about 3:15 a.m. The cause of death has yet to be determined, and an autopsy will be conducted by the Cook County Medical Examiner on Monday.
TMZ reports that law enforcement found 70 pounds of marijuana on Juice’s jet. The people traveling with him said he took several pills before having the seizure, and he had a problem with the drug Percocet.
There were three guns found on the jet as well, which two men, Chris Long and Henry Dean, were arrested for. Dean was let out without bail, and Long was released after posting a $1,500 bond.
There’s also footage that recently surfaced that shows Juice riding on the Chicago-bound jet and seeming to be in high spirits.
Soon after news of the singer’s death spread, many of his fellow artists sent their condolences and expressed shock.
“I would like to see all the younger talent live longer and I hate waking up hearing another story filled with blessings cut short 😢,” wrote Drake Sunday on Instagram.
“Wow I can’t believe this R.I.P. @JuiceWorlddd Prayers up for his family,” tweeted Juicy J on that same day.
“Noooo way not juice wrld somebody say this not real,” Rich the Kid tweeted.
“He knows our hearts,” wrote Chance the Rapper Sunday on Instagram. “I really wish we had more talks like that one night in LA. Dude. This is ridiculous. Millions of people, not just in Chicago but around the world are hurting because of this and don’t know what to make of it. Im sorry. Love you and God bless your soul. #legend.”
And Juice’s label, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, also released a statement.
“Juice made a profound impact on the world in such a short period of time,” it read. “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,” it continued. “Our thoughts are with Juice’s family and friends, everyone at his label Grade A and his millions of fans around the world.”
Born Jarad Higgins, Juice WRLD rose to popularity with songs like “All Girls Are the Same” and signed a deal with Interscope afterward. Last year he released the smash single “Lucid Dreams,” which went to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
His debut album “Goodbye & Good Riddance” was released in May 2018, and his follow-up LP “Death Race for Love” dropped back in March.
