Tragedy has struck the hip-hop world again. Jarad Anthony Higgins, better known professionally as Juice WRLD, has passed away at only 21 years old — just six days after his 21st birthday on December 2nd. Higgins had a seizure at Midway Airport in Chicago after getting off a private jet and was bleeding from the mouth when paramedics arrived on the scene. He was rushed to a local hospital but they were unable to prevent his demise. Higgins may be best known for his super viral hit “Lucid Dreams” which sampled from Sting’s 1993 hit “Shape of My Heart.”

Sadly Higgins had a penchant for recreational drugs which undoubtedly led to the seizure that ultimately took his life, much like DJ Screw, Lil Peep, Pimp C, and Mac Miller before him among many others. This is a problem that crosses generational lines, racial divides and cultural backgrounds to affect everyone. I obviously can’t dictate clean living to people who make a lot of money and enjoy living it up, but I hope at some point young rappers take a look at the repeated instances of their peers dying from overdoses or complications due to drug abuse (particularly cough syrup and Xanax) and consider making different choices.