Juice WRLD's posthumous song 'Wishing Well' from latest album gets animated music video treatment
Although late rapper Juice WRLD tragically passed after a fatal overdose at Chicago's Midway Airport in December last year, his spirit still lives on in the hearts of millions of his adoring fans. The 21-year-old hip-hop star, whose real name was Jarad Anthony Higgins, made no secret about living with the struggles of love, heartbreak, loss and addiction, and his emotive, infectious and incredibly popular music was a testament to that fact.
His posthumous album 'Legends Never Die' recently released last week on July 10, and it certainly serves as a lasting reminder of his enduring and prodigious talent. One of the tracks from that new 21-track album, 'Wishing Well' recently got an animated music video treatment by KDC Visions, and the colorful visual has since gone viral, becoming the No. 4 trending video on YouTube with close to 3 million views in less than a day. You can check it out here below:
The video starts off with some vivid 3D images of swirling smoke, as Juice WRLD's instantly recognizable voice sings, "I can't breathe, 999 (a reference to his favorite number) / Waiting for the exhale / I toss my pain with my wishes in a wishing well." Juice WRLD's struggles with drug abuse and burgeoning fame had been well documented in his own songs, and it's clear that he hoped to make his pain dissolve in this metaphorical well, along with having his wishes hopefully come true.
As the video progresses, we jump to a view of an animated Juice WRLD avatar, as he drops various things in a wishing well, walks by some massive anthills and sings, "I still try even though I know I'm gon' fail / Stress on my shoulders like an anvil / Perky got me itching like a anthill / Drugs killing me softly, Lauryn Hill."
The "Perky" in these prescient lines refer to the drugs that sadly took his own life, as Percocet was one of the many pills that Juice WRLD reportedly swallowed in an effort to hide them from federal agents on the fateful day he died of a drug overdose in Chicago. The Lauryn Hill reference is, of course, alluding to the classic Fugees song 'Killing Me Softly', so it's frightfully clear that Juice WRLD practically predicted his own death, fully knowing that he was on a path to self-destruction because of his chosen vices.
As the heartbreaking song and video continues, it's clear that this song was a cry for help. Juice WRLD can be seen floating in space while talking on the phone, and singing "Ring-ring, phone call from depression / You used my past and my memories as a weapon / On the other line, I talk to addiction... I cry out for help, do they listen? I'ma be alone until it's finished."
In a later scene in a psychiatrist's office, Juice WRLD confronts his conflicting emotions (represented by floating emojis) as he sings "This is the part where I tell you I'm fine, but I'm lying / I just don't want you to worry."
As the video continues, we see the rapper dragging a flaming anvil, relaxing on top of his expensive cars, and then seemingly gets suspended in mid-air as he is drawn towards a mysterious white light high above him. The most tragic lyrics of all come later, as he confesses, "If it wasn't for the pills, I wouldn't be here / But if I keep taking these pills, I won't be here / I just told y'all my secret / It's tearing me to pieces / I really think I need them / I stopped taking the drugs and now the drugs take me."
The video ends as Juice WRLD hops on his motocross bike, lights a cigar, and then rides away out of view. The video ends with a dedication to the late rapper, and by this time, most fans wouldn't have been able to control their overwhelming emotions.
One fan observed, "This is the most hard-hitting lyric out of the whole album. Wish you were still here bro." Another heartbroken fan left a quote, saying "'No one is dead until forgotten.' R.I.P Jarad 'Juice WRLD' Higgins." A viewer also praised the music video, saying "Whoever created this, did well by Juice, captured him perfectly. He used to always do that dance. Rest in peace Juice. He was on his way to becoming one of the greats."
Another fan posted a lengthy tribute, which included the lines "We loved your imagery in Lucid Dreams... we loved your relatability in Scared to Love... we loved your flow in Ransom... we loved your vulnerability in Candles... we still love you, we love you Juice." As another fan concluded, "It doesn’t matter if he’s gone. He’ll always live on with the music and my heart. Hope he’s happy up there."