Distraught Juice WRLD fans can take comfort ... plans for a new mural honoring him are already coming together after the original was abruptly removed from its Chicago site.
Peter Jideonwo, manager to the late "Lucid Dreams" rapper, tells TMZ Hip Hop that he and the family still have no clue who painted over the mural, which had become a beloved cultural landmark.
Thousands of fans flew to the windy city to see the original piece since its intro back in 2020 ... honoring Juice after his December 2019 death from a drug overdose.
The art piece cost the 999 Squad $50K to enlist artist Corey Pane.
No one has taken ownership of clearing the mural and the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation even conducted a paint test to prove it had nothing to do with it.
The city agency tells us there are protocols in place for artists to register, and to be notified when their graffiti is slated to be removed as well.
Although they're still in the early planning stages, Peter tells us he and the rest of Juice’s team are not only plotting how the new installation can be a better piece, but also one that withstands vandals or accidents going forward.
They're currently floating the idea of creating a life-sized statue or a mural that would be encased in a protective covering.