“Lucid Dream” rapper Juice Wrld, dead at age 21

David Wolff-Patrick/RedfernsJuice Wrld, the up-and-coming rapper who scored a #1 Billboard 200 album this year with Death Race for Love, has died at age 21.

In a statement to ABC News, Chicago Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi confirmed the rapper’s death.

“Shortly after arriving to Chicago he suffered what appears to be some type of medical emergency according to people traveling with him. There were no signs of foul play and all individuals aboard the aircraft are cooperating with CPD and have given all of their information,” the statement declares. “Currently we are awaiting the Cook County medical examiner on the cause and manner of death.”

TMZ, which first reported the rapper’s death, said Juice suffered a seizure while walking through Chicago’s Midway International Airport and was still conscious while he was transported to the hospital.

Born Jarad Anthony Higgins, Juice burst onto the scene in 2018 with his platinum-selling debut album, Goodbye & Good Riddance, which produced the #2 Billboard Hot 100 hit “Lucid Dreams.” His follow-up album, this year’s Death Race for Love, debuted in the top spot on the Billboard 200 all-genre albums chart last March.

When ABC Audio spoke to Juice WRLD in May at the Billboard Awards, he explained why he thought “Lucid Dreams” — about the depression and anguish one suffers after a breakup — had become such a big hit.

“Because it’s speaking on stuff that people — I feel like nowadays, people are kind of, I don’t wanna say, scared to speak on, but they don’t know other people feel the same way,” he explained.

“So they’re scared that people won’t be able to relate. And I feel like what I did was create a medium so everybody can realize, ‘Oh, I’m going through the same thing that that person is.’ And, you know, it brings people closer together and just creates a positive reaction.”

The rapper’s most recent hit was “Hate Me,” a collaboration with Ellie Goulding. She tweeted, “I can’t believe it… you were such a sweet soul. I’ll always remember meeting you and your family on the video set and thinking how close you were. You had so much further to go, you were just getting started. You’ll be missed Juice.”