For just a few years in the game, late rapper Juice WRLD completely changed the sound and feel of the industry. His open-hearted tracks, dealing candidly with drug abuse and depression, drew in fans worldwide. By the time of his tragic deadly overdose in late 2019, he’d reached the top of his game, releasing hit after hit alongside acclaimed artists like Lil Uzi Vert and Young Thug. But his impact on the game, and the very sound of modern trap, has lived on.
Legends Never Die
Now, nearly two years after his death, Juice’s contributions continue to earn recognition. Yesterday, the Recording Industry Association of America announced he’d hit a new milestone…or two. The RIAA revealed Juice received fifty new platinum and gold certifications from the association on Sunday. The certifications include 2x Platinum certifications for his last album, Death Race For Love, and posthumous album Legends Never Die. Juice’s debut album, Goodbye and Good Riddance, has now gone platinum three times.
Juice’s tortured breakout hit, “Lucid Dreams,” also moved one step closer to a diamond certification after going 9x platinum last week. A certified diamond status could arrive very soon, reflecting Juice’s continued cultural hold. See all of the new certifications here.
The Party Never Ends
Juice’s vulnerable and unforgiving songs on addiction left fans devastated when they lost him to the disease. But his singular body of work– including a posthumous album, features, and countless leaked snippets– has made him an industry idol. Just this year, he had features on Young Thug’s Punk, Drake’s Certified Lover Boy and Migos’ Culture III.
Just last week, Juice’s manager, Lil Bibby, appeared to say that Juice’s next posthumous single, “Already Dead,” would drop on November 12th. Akademiks shared the now-deleted tweet to his Instagram. Juice’s next posthumous album, The Party Never Ends, was announced back in June.
A documentary on Juice’s life, Fighting Demons, is also slated for an upcoming release. A teaser from the documentary premiered at last weekend’s Rolling Loud festival in New York City.
As we’ve seen with the tragic misuse of Pop Smoke’s discography, a rapper’s posthumous career can get dicey. But the timeless honesty of the music Juice released while still alive has kept his legacy intact. When “Lucid Dreams” finally goes diamond, it will join a list of fewer than 100 songs that have received the honor since its addition to the RIAA’s system in 1999. Though Juice may not be here to see it, for fans who followed the track’s journey from SoundCloud to a history-making certification, this honor is a lucid dream itself.
Written by Hattie Lindert | Twitter: @hatlindert
