Album Review: Legends Never Die - Juice WRLD

In December 2019, the hip-hop community was shocked and appalled to hear that Chicago artist Juice WRLD had passed away from an accidental drug overdose. Prior to his untimely and premature passing, Juice WRLD had become an established figure in music, delivering messages which resonated with a new generation of listeners. While I’ve never particularly connected with Juice WRLD’s aesthetic or lyrical content, I’ve always respected the path he took by earnestly and openly discussing his issues with anxiety and drug use. This review is specifically going to discuss the music featured on this first posthumous record of his, and I want to preface it by saying that I find this project more enjoyable than not. While not every song is perfect, it hurts to think that a voice so young is no longer with us, and that his loyal fanbase is left without the idol they once looked up to being around any longer. Juice WRLD was born after I was. After his and Pop Smoke’s recent passing, it’s disheartening to see so many young artists die so young.

Juice WRLD’s voice is instantly recognizable and extremely unique, and that remains a constant throughout Legends Never Die. The opening track “Anxiety - Intro” features a beautiful soundbite which becomes bittersweet to listen to when considering the circumstances this album has been released in. The sentiment that Juice WRLD has touched a new generation in the way few else could is very accurate. The following song “Conversations” features a hard-hitting bass and chilling lyrics about drug abuse which are heartbreaking in retrospect. The following songs “Titanic”, “Bad Energy”, and “Righteous”, are above-par but don’t stop me in my tracks. These are standard Juice WRLD songs, and the constant reminders of the artist’s tragedy becomes downright depressing to be reminded of at a point. I feel similarly about “Blood On My Jeans”, which doesn’t offer anything particularly interesting to me. “Tell Me U Luv Me (with Trippie Redd)” utilizes the feature here well, as Trippie Redd’s vocals pair naturally with Juice WRLD’s. “Hate The Other Side (with Marshmello feat. Polo G., The Kid LAROI)” doesn’t do a lot for me, and its short runtime doesn’t allow the track to develop into anything special. “Get Through It - Interlude” transitions nicely, though, into the following tracks on this project.

“Life’s A Mess (feat. Halsey)” feels like what could be a radio hit, and Halsey’s appearance seems logical and appropriate. “Come & Go (with Marshmello)” is an interesting track, but its blend of rock and dubstep elements don’t quite achieve what I think they were going for with this song, which reminds me of some of the duds Post Malone has dropped in the past couple of years, which prioritize experimentation over quality song-writing. “I Want It” is ambient and uses strong reverberation, but winds up forgettable to me. “Wishing Well” is a highlight on the project for me, featuring a smooth and memorable hook. “Up Up And Away” is in the same territory as some of the less impressive songs preceding it, as this track doesn’t do anything inventive or spectacular. “The Man, The Myth, The Legend - Interlude” is a respectful homage to Juice WRLD’s talent in the booth, which is a nice addition to the project’s themes. “Stay High” and “Can’t Die” take on new meanings in the album’s context, more reminders of Juice WRLD’s tragic passing. Some of the bars here remind me of Mac Miller’s posthumous release in which it seemed like he knew he would pass soon. “Man Of The Year” is almost quintessentially Juice WRLD, but especially braggadocious and upbeat. This is a great closer to an overall enjoyable album, right before “Juice WRLD Speaks From Heaven - Outro” formally closes things out in an appropriate fashion.

Overall, I think that Juice WRLD’s fans are going to be very grateful for this project. The tragic loss of such a young and talented artist is heartbreaking and disheartening, but I believe he would want his fans and listeners to seek joy in the music he was able to deliver in his short time here. This project’s best tracks are certainly worth giving a listen to as an honor of an artist gone too soon.

Thanks for reading.

Favorite tracks: “Conversations”, “Tell Me U Luv Me (with Trippie Redd)”, “Life’s A Mess (feat. Halsey)”, “Wishing Well”, “Can’t Die”, “Man Of The Year”

SCORE: 6/10