American rapper and singer-songwriter Juice WRLD reaches new heights with the drop of his posthumous rap hit, “World Tour (Aquafina).” The track was initially teased on Juice WRLD’s Instagram Live on Sept. 21, 2018. Now, six years later, the song has been unleashed as part of the 4-track release, “The Pre-Party (Extended).”
Jarad Anthony Higgins, the face behind Juice WRLD, was originally born in Chicago, Illinois. Growing up, he displayed a passion for music that extended well beyond just personal interest. In 2017, he made his EP-debut via SoundCloud with the release of Juice WRLD 999. He then attracted the attention of Cole Bennett, founder of music promotion company Lyrical Lemonade. The two collaborated on a YouTube music video for Juice WRLD’s debut single, “All Girls Are the Same” (2018). This blew up in popularity and has since amassed nearly two billion Spotify streams.
Over the next year, Higgins released “Lucid Dreams” (2018), which attained a top 10 spot on Billboard‘s Hot 100, and Goodbye & Good Riddance (2018) which reached number four on Billboard‘s 200 albums list. He even collaborated with Atlanta rapper Future on an album entitled Future & Juice WRLD Present… WRLD ON DRUGS, which peaked at number one on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
The musicality behind “World Tour (Aquafina)”
The new single highlights Juice WRLD’s musicality with the use of ambient beats and soft synth pads. Juice’s hypnotic “It’s a world tour, it’s your girl’s tour” hook pulls listeners into a trance. Further, layers of rap-style hi-hat hits and reverberated keys blend into the background to emphasize his ability to seamlessly weave together free-style rapping and melodic singing. The lyrics themselves display Juice WRLD’s personal experiences with fame and relationships. Both elevate the song’s emotional intensity to great heights, with simple chord progressions played in a minor key to evoke a somber atmosphere.
These motifs, along with dr**s, hom***de, su***de and other mental health themes are common among his discography. At its core, this song bleeds the essence of Juice WRLD’s creativity: from immersing listeners in atmospheric synths to curating infectious bars that leave fans pressing repeat, there is a level of sheer authenticity that cannot be ignored.
From releasing meaningful trap sensations to headlining tours across North America and Australia, Juice WRLD’s legacy will continue to live on. His impact on the hip-hop music scene continues to play an influential role in spreading mental health awareness. “World Tour (Aquafina)” is no exception, and proves to leave an indelible mark on listeners around the globe.
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