Consider it the American dream, SoundCloud rap edition: boy skyrockets from obscurity thanks to a perfect song, becomes rich beyond his wildest dreams and moves from Chicago’s South Side to a Beverly Hills mansion where he can ride dirt bikes all day and record all night. Only dirt-biking is illegal in residential areas, and the rapper known as Juice WRLD’s neighbors are, shall we say, less than thrilled with the noise. Showing me his garage one recent afternoon, Juice gazes longingly for a moment at the glossy orange bike within, then wisely decides against taking it for a lap around the block. “The cops showed up yesterday,” says the 20-year-old, rolling his eyes. “They didn’t do shit, though.”
Juice isn’t exactly sure how many rooms are in this mansion, and the number of residents varies depending on who’s in town -- though it seems like every time I blink, a new face has wandered into the room, searching for their misplaced Juul. There’s a billiard room, a basketball court, a backyard pool complete with a small waterfall and an enormous kitchen that’s seemingly unused, save for an impressive selection of what appear to be the unhealthiest cereals ever invented. (It turns out Hostess powdered doughnuts are available in cereal form.) There’s not really any cell service on the property, which adds to its vibe of a self-contained universe. But everything Juice needs is here: his friends, his girl, his bikes and his studio.