Many are still reeling from the tragic passing of Juice WRLD, who had become one of the most successful artists of the new hip hop generation. Yesterday, his mother, Carmela Wallace, and his estate announced that they would be releasing his first posthumous single to the world:
“Juice was a prolific artist who dedicated his life to making music. Choosing how to share his upcoming music with the world has been no easy feat. Honoring the love Juice felt for his fans while shining a light on his talents and his spirit are the most important parts of this process to us.”
Now, fans are able to enjoy the new track, titled “Righteous,” an emotionally charged offering that fans first heard as a leak — and as a teaser through Juice WRLD’s social media — last year. The track sees the late talent singing about anxiety and addiction over production from Nick Mira:
“All white Gucci suit, I’m feeling righteous, yeah I know that the truth is hard to digest, yeah/
Five or six pills in my right hand, yeah Codeine runneth over on my nightstand/
Takin’ medicine to fix all of the damage, my anxiety the size of a planet/
Holes in my skull, over time, my heart’s over ice…/”
The accompanying visual — directed by Steve Cannon — adds to the overall feeling with random behind-the-scenes footage of the rapper in his element. Fans can also see an animated Juice WRLD battling his demons, eventually leaving Earth following his triumph to continue a journey into the unknown.
In addition to the new release, Carmela Wallace also announced the Live Free 999 Fund in honor of her son, which would be geared toward helping youth dealing with mental health issues:
“I made the decision upon his death that I was going to share his struggles with the world with the objective of helping others. It is my desire to help those who are hurting by providing access to education, prevention and treatment for opioid and other forms of drug addiction.”
Press play on “Righteous” below. Presumably, more of Juice WRLD’s music will be liberated in the near future.