Released: 2023 • Features: Eminem, benny blanco
“Lace It” by Juice WRLD, featuring the legendary Eminem and the producer wizardry of benny blanco, dives deep into the dark waters of drug use and its ties to the demands of celebrity life. Juice WRLD paints a picture of a self-contained universe filled with narcotics as a coping mechanism, while Eminem brings a cautionary perspective that addresses the fatal consequences that have claimed many lives in the music world.
The hook starts with Juice WRLD describing a drug-fueled escape from reality. “Roll it up, lace it, pop a few to chase it” refers to rolling a joint possibly laced with another substance, and popping pills to enhance or chase the high—activities that send the artist into his own “Matrix.” Here, he’s describing an altered state where the world is incomprehensible and alienated. When he says “all these humans basic,” it suggests a disconnection from the world around him, highlighting his sense of isolation and superiority. “Don’t got no home trainin'” could imply a lack of proper upbringing or discipline in his fellow humans, while “Codeine by the cases, I’ve been purple rainin'” vividly illustrates an indulgence in codeine cough syrup, popularly known as lean, which is often purple.
The first verse has Juice WRLD correlating his pursuit of success and recognition in the rap game to a dangerous reliance on painkillers. He uses vivid imagery like “all these Percs I pop, you’d thought I was plannin’ to break my neck” to illustrate his excessive use. He’s unapologetic about his ambition, even as it draws envy from others (“You wish that you could have what I could have, you could just say that”). The reference to “bullet holes in they Maybach” serves both as a symbol of violence that many rappers may encounter and a metaphor for the unseen damages of fame.
Eminem’s verse is a raw confessional and reflection on the opioid epidemic in the music industry. He starts with a familiar narrative: what begins as innocent dabbling quickly spirals into a full-blown addiction to prescription pills mixed with cough syrup—a mix often glorified in hip-hop culture as “lean.” Eminem underscores the gravity of addiction, naming several fallen musicians like Shock G, Lil Peep, and ODB as well as other celebrities like Prince and Michael Jackson, who’ve succumbed to similar battles. The line “Juice we will forever miss you” directly addresses Juice WRLD’s own tragic overdose, underlining the personal nature of the song and the issue at hand.
The outro by Juice WRLD serves as a resolution to the narrative. It’s a powerful reaffirmation of his refusal to be another casualty of the lifestyle he describes throughout the song. Phrases like “I ain’t comin’ down from this high” and “I refuse to die” could be heard as a metaphor for his resolve to survive the pressures and dangers of fame without succumbing to its pitfalls. Yet, there’s a touch of irony and tragedy in these lines, given Juice WRLD’s untimely death.
In essence, “Lace It” is a harrowing journey into the psyche of artists grappling with the pressures of fame and the escape provided by narcotics. It is a cautionary tale, but also a remembrance of those lost to addiction, and a plea to the younger generation to proceed with awareness and caution.
