While Grade A’s third annual Juice WRLD Day brought back many familiar faces — Cole Bennett, DJ Scheme, Trippie Redd, Ski Mask The Slump God and his mother Carmella Wallace — this year’s celebration of Jarad Higgins’ life was underscored by one thing: The Party Never Ends.
“Let the party start!”, Lil Bibby wrote on Instagram, alluding to TPNE with Juice WRLD’s new posthumous track “LACE IT.” Released hours before JWD on Saturday (Dec. 16), buzz surrounding the late Chicago icon’s third — and final — afterlife album was inescapable at the United Center in Chicago. “Let’s get the ‘The Party Never Ends’ at the top of the year. How about that?”, Grade A announced on stage, continuing to fuel the never-ending hype of its release in early 2024. The record was first announced in May 2022, and has gone through an extensive list of changes since.
Aside from the long-awaited TPNE, and its forthcoming lead single reportedly titled “Misfits,” Juice WRLD Day 2023 was yet another commemorative, uplifting celebration of Juice’s life and legacy. With a slew of unreleased tracks (“Way Too Many,” “Rental” etc.) blaring throughout the night, played by DJ Scheme, reels of Into The Abyss footage, freestyles and unseen videos rolled on the UC’s jumbotron clad with Juice’s infectious smile, feeling as if he was watching from above.
Touting sets from Trippie Redd, Ski Mask, Lil Durk, G Herbo, Don Toliver, Luh Tyler, LUCKI, DCG Brothers, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, DD Osama and more, each star took the stage to not only perform, but with words of endearment, memories or moments they shared with Juice WRLD. Lyrical Lemonade founder Cole Bennett’s speech was perhaps the most heartwarming.
“We can all let our guard be down, and feel safe and warm,” he said. “Because we have one thing in common: We all have a lot of love for my brother Juice WRLD. I’ve been running [Lyrical Lemonade] for 10 years now, and I feel like I never truly appreciate things in real time, like I’m not always present. And one thing Juice taught me was to be fully present.”
Bennett reminisced on traveling with Juice overseas on tour, representing the early days of both of their careers by recalling “going country to country with no security.” Their rooms were right next to each other in each hotel they stayed at, where Juice convinced Cole and everyone on tour to play hide-and-seek throughout the hotel. “Not once did he look at his phone, not once he bring up anything about his music or career — he was present,” Bennett said. “I’m really big about respecting his legacy. He was very near and dear to my heart.”
Regardless if The Party Never Ends releases “at the top” of 2024, Bennett’s message rings true at the heart of every Juice WRLD fan in attendance: Cherish every moment, because it might be gone in a blink.
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All photos courtesy of Danny Pleckham
