The late rapper Juice WRLD wasn’t a big part of my life when we lost him on December 8th, 2019. I think I had heard him on a movie soundtrack not long after we lost him, not knowing who I was hearing and how much I would enjoy listening to his other music. I admire and relate to his lyricism and voice, and I’m saddened to know that we lost this man so young. Juice WRLD—whose real name was Jarad Higgins—reportedly had over 3,000 unreleased songs. While I think this may be an exaggeration, I know he has plenty. The newest songs of his two come out were released about two weeks apart, titled “Bye Bye” and “In My Head.” Both have become essential parts of my study music and Spotify playlists, and I’m so glad Juice came out with these tracks. 

Since it was released first, I’ll begin with “Bye Bye.” The song—which features the DJ Marshmello—is about Juice breaking up with a seemingly toxic partner. And while I’d rather not relate to this song, I still enjoyed it immensely. The piece was endlessly hyped up by the duo on social media while Juice was still with us, and on October 14th, Marshmello finally released it.

I loved the unorthodox beat of the song and the way Juice’s low voice sounded with it. The first time I listened to it, I think I might have been expecting an all-time great song because I was a bit underwhelmed. Despite that, I still felt chills to hear Juice’s voice on something new. Now that this song has been out for a month, my appreciation for it has grown. There’s so much emotion in this song, and it makes me smile whenever I hear it.

“In My Head” might have been more surprising to notice than “Bye Bye,” but only because the surprise from “Bye Bye” made me think I’d be deprived for longer. The beat for “In My Head” was much more laid back than “Bye Bye,” making it much more relaxing to listen to. In this piece, Juice sings about the struggles in his life and his issues with addiction.

This track resonated with me more than “Bye Bye,” maybe because it felt more serious and grave. It seemed a lot like a warning, but it’s a warning that’s fun to listen to. “In My Head” is the type of song that makes it seem like Juice could have done something to prevent his untimely death—which came from an overdose—because he always sounds so relaxed about his drug usage.

I struggled to get through this song the first time I listened to it since I kept getting sidetracked. Once I actually finished it, though, I could not have enjoyed it more. 

It’s always a nice surprise to get new tracks from Juice WRLD, and I always get so excited for a fresh piece from one of my favorites. I’ll miss Juice, but if the world keeps getting unreleased music like this, it will be like he never left.