Toronto rapper JUGGER has shared his debut album PUPPET MASTER on Red Bull Records/ Wonderchild. Executive Produced by Grammy-nominated producer and label boss WondaGurl, the 13-track project brings JUGGER’s anarchistic universe to life, with twisted lyricism and haunting instrumentals.
Stepping into Toronto rapper JUGGER’s mind is akin to a fun house. What lies behind every twist, turn, and door may be humor, horror, or a trap. At his core, the rap mastermind is a conductor, controlling his world with little effort. After being discovered by powerhouse producer WondaGurl (Drake, Rihanna, Travis Scott) on the fateful night of Halloween in 2017, the two unlocked each other’s magic and unleashed it into the universe with the release of JUGGER’s debut single, “ARC’Y BOYZ.” While incarcerated, his 2019 debut project PSYCO served as a high-octane placeholder for the fury building inside him. Following the 2021 announcement of WondaGurl’s Wonderchild imprint coming to Red Bull Records, all eyes were on her first signee, JUGGER, to bring his vision to life. His latest offering, PUPPET MASTER, is a poignant look at the artist's life and times, with an engaging sense of creativity and sharp songwriting that encapsulates his surreal, thoughtful sound and lyricism.
The first three tracks set up the villainous character JUGGER plays across the record, with the eery soundscapes and cutting lyrics of "VENTRILOQUIST" setting the stage for the album's themes and sonics. "STUNT DEVIL" is an expansive track that utilizes atmospheric, nocturnal instrumentation to a powerful effect, while "D'LIT" is especially infectious and hard-hitting. "EYEZ WIDE" takes on a more laid-back approach with weaving guitars and buoyant percussion, while JUGGER demonstrates a poetic lyrical prowess that captivates from the get-go.
On PUPPET MASTER, JUGGER shared – “I want this album to usher in a new worldview of music. It’s not just rap, or rock, or pop anymore, it’s formless and dimensionally unexplored. Sometimes it’s unexplainable with words. ‘PUPPET MASTER’ unearths the truth of the known and the unknown, diving deep into a rabbit hole where you ascend on the other end of a vortex. Connect your mind, body, and spirit, and let me take control.”
Where JUGGER excels most on the record is within the corners of experimentation, from his ominous full-minute intros on tracks like “Nite Love” to smooth R&B flows on “Hold U.” He never stays within one sound, style, or aesthetic for too long – perfecting the element of surprise like a good thriller. Fittingly released the weekend before Halloween, PUPPET MASTER is both a soundtrack for the supernatural, and a body of work that cements JUGGER’s place in the next wave of rap.
