Juice WRLD wanted his music to help people. Being vulnerable about topics like depression, anxiety and addiction created an unbreakable bond with his diehard fan base in the short time he was an artist.
Following his tragic death in December 2019, Juice’s mother, Carmela Wallace, launched the Live Free 999 foundation in his honor.
To kick off Mental Health Awareness Month, the nonprofit initiative launched the 999 Stories of Mental Health campaign, which encourages people to share their stories using the hashtag #999Stories on social media.
“Jarad had a very special way of connecting with his fans through his music, and I think a lot of that comes from how open and honest his lyrics are,” Wallace relayed in a statement on Monday. “When young people feel like they don’t have an outlet to talk about their struggles, they shut down and isolate themselves.”
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“My goal for Live Free 999 and 999 Stories of Mental Health is to create a safe space for people to share their stories so they know they aren’t alone.”
There will also be an exclusive merchandise collection designed by Eli Hollens, with all proceeds being donated to organizations benefitting mental health.
HipHopDXhad the honor of speaking with Carmela Wallace in March, where she expanded on her son’s struggles while juggling a meteoric music career at the age of a college student.
Juice WRLD's Mother Carmela Wallace Speaks On Stigma Of Addiction: 'People May See It As A Weakness'
“A lot of people think that they’re the only ones going through what they’re going through and we know that’s not the case,” she said of the campaign’s focus. “So it’s just a way that somebody could you even look at someone’s story that they shared, and it might be similar, they could relate to it and see that, ‘Hey, if they overcame it, I could overcome it. I’m not alone.'”
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“And I think that’s a trick of the enemy to have people feel like they’re the only ones going through, nobody understands, and it causes them to go within themselves instead of sharing that they need help.”
