Juice WRLD continues his ascent in the hip-hop world with yet another alluring, incredibly relatable, ‘emo’ single, “Robbery.” 

Juice WRLD came up big in 2018 thanks to a gargantuan hit single, “Lucid Dreams” (Goodbye & Good Riddance). Face it – “Lucid Dreams” was ubiquitous, and definitely set up the then teen rapper for success. Now, like many of the younger generation of rappers, Juice has a huge fan base behind him.  Keeping things emo (in the most hip-hop way possible), he returns with a new single, “Robbery.”

“Robbery” features major-key production, fueled by some sweet piano lines.  Even so, Juice WRLD has clearly been ‘robbed’ of love (“She told me put my heart in the bag (in the bag) / And nobody gets hurt (nobody)”).  His vocals are highly expressive, exaggerated to an extent, and definitely imperfect in pitch.  Even so, this grit and pain he showcases on the chorus in particular is actually appealing and charming. Beyond the aforementioned excerpt, the chorus continues:

“…Now I’m running from her love, I’m not fast (fast)

So, I’m making it worse (making it worse)

I’m a whole different person (I’m a whole different person)

It’s a gift and a curse (It’s a gift and a curse)

But I cannot reverse it.”

In addition to the superb chorus, Juice WRLD is also ‘on’ during the verses.  One of his best moments occurs on the first verse in which he brilliant combines a slurred vocal approach with drunken lyrics (“And now I’m drinkin’ too much, so I’ma talk with a slur”). In the same verse, he questions the legitimacy of her love.  On the second verse, he kicks the emo ‘up a notch,’ by “getting high when you don’t decide to answer” as well as “Throwing rocks at your window…” There’s also the bridge, which incorporates paranoia and butterflies.

Final Thoughts 

Once again, Juice WRLD has a big hit on his hands.  “Robbery” checks off boxes for the rapper, sounding like a sequel of sorts to “Lucid Dreams.”  The record is well-produced and should definitely be relatable to Juice’s fan base.  Perhaps it’s not quite ‘the second coming’ for the rest of us, this is quite the appealing, highly enjoyable record.

Juice WRLD • Robbery [Single] • Interscope • Release: 2.13.19

Photo Credit: Interscope