Rapper Juice WRLD passed away on Sunday at age 21 after going into cardiac arrest at Chicago’s Midway International Airport, later dying at a nearby hospital. Juice WRLD had arrived at the airport on a private jet, and TMZ reports that the plane was carrying 70 pounds of marijuana.
Law enforcement sources said that the FBI confiscated the marijuana from several suitcases on board the flight. In addition, several members of the rapper’s team allegedly stated that Juice WRLD had taken “several unknown pills” before suffering the seizures that led to him being rushed to the hospital. A bottle of codeine cough syrup was also reportedly found on the plane.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office spokeswoman Natalia Derevyanny told CNN that an autopsy has not yet been performed and no cause of death has been determined. Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said that police are waiting for the medical examiner to determine cause and manner of death. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday.
“There were no signs of foul play and all individuals aboard the aircraft are cooperating with CPD and have given all of their information,” Guglielmi said.
Two guards that were with Juice WRLD at the airport were arrested after three guns were found along with a high-capacity magazine and metal-piercing bullets, the Chicago Tribune reports. Only one guard had a valid permit to carry guns in Illinois, though it is still illegal to have them at airports. One of the men was released without bail and the other was released after posting a $1,500 bond.
Juice WRLD, real name Jarad Anthony Higgins, was one of emo rap’s rising stars and signed to Interscope Records in March 2018. He won Top New Artist at the Billboard Music Awards in May and was the most streamed, liked, and reposted artist on SoundCloud in 2018. His song “Lucid Dreams” earned the most plays of any songs last year.
“Juice made a profound impact on the world in such a short period of time,” Interscope Records said in a statement. “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.”
Photo Credit: Getty / Tim Mosenfelder
