BY SASHEEN JOSEPH
When Chicago rapper Juice Wrld fell into cardiac arrest and died at a private hangar at Midway Airport, people reacted in a predictable way. The first step was social media; individuals flooded his feed with “RIPs” and #diedtooyoung. Then his music, specifically popular songs, such as “Lucid Dreams” and “Bandit,” was placed on repeat, skyrocketing to the top of listener charts.
This has become a regular routine for society, especially with the now growing “21 club,” instead of the former “27 club,” for artists who have died at that corresponding age. However, this so-called “coping mechanism” does nothing except glorify and commercialize his death.
It is a well-known fact that when a popular artist passes away, their music receives a significant spike in streaming, even if the artist has been out of the spotlight for a significant amount of time. So, it is safe to assume that artists will develop the complex idea, “If I die, I’ll get the fame from it.”
This is a dangerous standard to adopt in light of the popularization of drug culture. Mac Miller and Lil Peep’s drug overdoses, as well as Fredo Santana’s lean-induced death were all met with similar outcries. This glorification of their drug-related deaths only appropriates drug use within society.
This glorification of their drug-related deaths only appropriates drug use within society.
At the time of Juice Wrld’s seizure, police were searching two carts of luggage. They eventually found 41 bags of marijuana and six bottles of prescription codeine cough syrup. Although these were not labeled as his, Juice Wrld’s girlfriend had noted to police that he took Percocet, a painkiller, and that he “has a drug problem.”
Although many people separate art from the artist, some things are just inexcusable. Rapper XXXTentacion was met with society’s usual routine; however, this was at an unpredictable level.
According to Billboard, “In the wake of XXXTentacion’s death on June 18, the rapper/singer’s music sales increased by 1,603 percent in the U.S., according to Nielsen Music.”
XXXTentacion was then deemed a “legend” by not only his fans but the general public. This was in spite of the domestic assault charges he was facing at the time.
A multitude of drug-addicted and overdosed artists are only remembered by their music instead of who they were as people.
According to USA Today, “At the time of his death, XXXTentacion was awaiting trial on charges including domestic battery, aggravated battery and false imprisonment against his pregnant girlfriend stemming from 2016. (The rapper pleaded not guilty.) However, XXXTentacion apparently confesses to the crimes in a newly released secret – and profanity-laden – recording.”
His heinous actions were whitewashed out of people’s minds with every stream of his music after his death. A multitude of drug-addicted and overdosed artists are only remembered by their music instead of who they were as people.
Photo courtesy of NBC News
