Creating posthumous albums presents unique challenges. Many artists, from Jimi Hendrix to Tupac, have had mixed results with these projects. However, the upcoming album from Juice WRLD, titled The Party Never Ends, is set to release on November 29, after several delays.
Lil Bibby, Juice WRLD’s manager and co-founder of Grade A Productions, announced the album in May 2021. He initially hoped for a quicker release but wanted to ensure the project met high standards. Bibby stated, “I just wanted it to be perfect,” emphasizing his desire for this final album to match the quality of Juice’s earlier work.
Juice WRLD, whose real name was Jarad Anthony Higgins, passed away from an accidental overdose in December 2019 at the age of 21.
His death came shortly after the success of his hit song “Lucid Dreams,” which helped define the SoundCloud rap genre. Despite his short career, all four of his albums debuted in the top five on the Billboard 200 chart, and he continues to attract over 30 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
Following Juice’s death, Bibby and his team sifted through approximately 1,000 unreleased tracks. As interest in Juice’s music grew, leaks of his songs became common on platforms like Discord.
Some tracks were auctioned for as much as $50,000. While these leaks kept fans engaged, they complicated the album’s production process.
Bibby noted that managing the integrity of the unreleased music became challenging due to leaks and hacking incidents. He mentioned that while these leaks helped maintain Juice’s popularity, they also made assembling The Party Never Ends more difficult.
The process of creating this posthumous album has not been without its hurdles. Fans often have high expectations but can be dissatisfied with what is released. Bibby acknowledged that navigating the music business can be tough, especially when it involves clearing samples and obtaining approvals from collaborators and Juice’s family.
Rumors about delays have circulated, including claims that Bibby’s social media accounts were hacked and that the album went through multiple revisions before its final production. Bibby dismissed many of these rumors as unfounded.
Despite these challenges, The Party Never Ends remains true to Juice WRLD’s artistic vision. About half of the tracks are previously unreleased, while others have been leaked in some form. Only one track has undergone significant production changes. The album features fresh verses from Juice’s collaborators and aims to resonate with fans who felt earlier posthumous releases were too introspective.
Notable tracks include “Misfit,” which recalls the sound of “Lucid Dreams,” along with upbeat songs like “Celebrate,” featuring Offset, and “All Girls Are the Same 2,” featuring Nicki Minaj. These selections aim to satisfy fans eager for a vibrant listening experience as they await Juice WRLD’s final musical offering.
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