Released: 2022
Burn by Juice WRLD paints a grim but honest portrayal of the artist’s struggle with narcotics dependency. Chronicling his experiences with self-destruction and suffering, the song serves as a testament to his emotional turmoil and his battle against addiction.
The opening lines introduce Juice’s dependency on the opioid painkiller Percocet, a form of self-medication to numb emotional distress. He talks about the detrimental effects of his addictions, acknowledging the physical harm he’s inflicting on his organs. The line “I tie the Chanel runners, then I get back to running the city,” signifies the illusion of control and dominance that his wealth and fame give him, despite his life spiraling out of control due to substance abuse.
The chorus of the song, “Hands up in the fire, burn, burn, burn, burn,” paints a vivid picture of self-destruction. The repetitive phrase serves as a metaphor for him knowingly allowing his life to collapse while feeling helpless to stop it. The line “I pray to God for some water to wash down these Percs,” showcases his desperate plea for salvation, using water as a symbol for purification and the Percs as a metaphor for his undeniable struggles.
In the next verses, he talks about his futile attempts at finding solace and meaning through material possessions like Chanel bags. The line “codeine, only sip if I got ice” indicates his dependency on codeine, a dangerous narcotic often glamorized in hip-hop culture. Despite the destructive nature of his lifestyle, he tries to assure his loved ones that he’ll survive, a promise that rings hollow given his chronic drug use and the precariousness of his situation.
The raw honesty in ‘Burn’ lends a sense of authenticity to Juice WRLD’s narrative, echoing a common struggle with addiction and mental health issues. The song encapsulates a tragically common narrative in the hip-hop world, making it both a poignant testament of Juice WRLD’s personal struggle and a grim reflection of a pervasive issue in the industry and society at large.
