Juice WRLD Dies at 21 after ‘Medical Emergency’ in Chicago Airport

Juice Wrld at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 1, 2019 in Las Vegas, NV — Photo by Jean_Nelson

Juice WRLD, a Chicago rapper and singer who soared to the top of the Billboard 200 chart earlier this year, has died. He was 21.

The rising star, real name Jarad Anthony Higgins, “suffered a medical emergency” early Sunday morning at Chicago’s Midway Airport, NBC5 Chicago reported.

Emergency services personnel responded to the airport around 2 a.m. and rushed Higgins to a nearby hospital. Authorities said he was pronounced dead at the hospital. No cause of death was given.

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TMZ, which was among the first outlets to report news of the rapper’s death, said he had just gotten off a flight from California. The rapper suffered a seizure while walking through the airport and was still conscious when he was transported to the hospital, the outlet said.

Higgins collaborated with Future, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty and others. He was best known for his hit singles “All Girls Are the Same” and “Lucid Dreams,” which helped him secure a recording contract with Interscope Records.

Interscope released a statement following the rapper’s death.

“Juice made a profound impact on the world in such a short period of time,” the statement said. “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.”

Higgins released his album “Death Race for Love” in March 2019. It climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard 200, Billboard reported on March 24.

He and Seezyn also recorded the track “Hide,” which was featured on the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse soundtrack.

The talented young performer grew up in the Chicago suburb of Calumet Park playing piano, drums, and guitar, and turned to freestyle rap in high school, according to his YouTube biography.