The Truth Behind The Meaning Of 999 To Juice WRLD

Emo-rap superstar Juice WRLD died on December 8, 2019 from an accidental overdose of oxycodone and codeine, per GQ. In addition to frequent posthumous releases of his music, with HBO's new documentary "Juice WRLD: Into the Abyss," airing on December 16 — eight days after the anniversary of Juice's tragic death — the internet is once again abuzz with questions and speculations about the "Lucid Dreams" artist.

Juice, who was just 21 at the time of his death, went from Soundcloud artist to megastar practically overnight — when he was still a teenager — with the release of the music video for his hit song, "All Girls Are the Same." The video's director, Cole Bennett, told GQ, "I've seen a lot of people blow up right before my very eyes, but I don't think anyone's ever seen an artist blow up that quick." The hit track was from his 2018 album "Goodbye & Good Riddance," and it drew fans back to Juice's pre-record label debut EP, "Juice WRLD 999," which he released himself in 2017. The EP's hit "Lucid Dreams," which sampled a song from Sting, became Juice's breakout hit.

With renewed interest in Juice WRLD and his music, there's new curiosity about his debut EP, and especially the numbers that make up the title: 999. Fans want to know why that number was so significant to the rapper.

Juice WRLD struggled with drug addiction for most of his young life. He began his drug use in sixth grade, per Billboard, while suffering from anxiety and depression. Just as so many others caught up in the horrific opioid crisis, Juice certainly had his demons. But he seemed to use the number "999" to help him through.

While "666" is Biblically known as "the mark of the beast" (referring to Satan), Juice liked the number 999 because it was the inversion of 666, he told MTV News. Juice referenced the number frequently in his music, and has the number tattooed on his body in two places: on the back of his right hand, and across his left wrist. It also appears on much of his merchandise, and his Instagram account is juicewrld999. He even referred to his private plane on Instagram as "the 999AIRCRAFT."

Considering how haunted he was by his demons, his use of the number 999 shows what a positive person he was. As he told MTV News, "999 represents taking whatever hell, whatever bad situation, whatever struggle you're going through and turning it into something positive to push yourself forward." Now his mother, Carmela Wallace, uses the number for her charity to help others struggling with the same issues that killed her son: Live Free 999.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).