A tale of alcoholism, addiction, and the long road to sobriety are strung together in the cinematic new visual for Juice WRLD’s “Cigarettes.” Euphoria actor Angus Cloud also makes a cameo.
Directed by Steve Cannon, the “Cigarettes” video follows a young man who loses everything, from his job to his girlfriend, as his addiction to alcohol makes him unable to complete daily tasks. It’s only when he hits rock bottom that he realizes he needs make a change, starting his road to recovery. Juice’s 999 tattoo is visible on the main character’s wrist, and 999 days of sobriety later, just he almost relapses while hanging out friends, those numbers end up saving him as his ex-lover pulls him away from a drink.
Juice explained in an interview with MTV in 2018 the meaning behind the numbers. “In the last book of the Bible, it says that 666 is the mark of the beast, right?” he explained, “999 represents taking whatever hell, whatever bad situation or whatever struggle you’re going through and turning it into something positive and using it to push yourself forward.”
The “Cigarettes” video acts as a PSA and promotion for the late rapper’s Live Free 999 organization that aims to “support programs that provide preventative measures and positive avenues to address mental health challenges and substance dependency.” The org is run by Juice’s mother Carmella Wallace.
Watch the meaningful new music video for Juice WRLD’s “Cigarettes,” taken from his Fighting Demons (Complete Edition) album, up top.
