Go (The Kid Laroi and Juice Wrld song)

"Go"
Single by the Kid Laroi and Juice Wrld
from the album F*ck Love
Released12 June 2020 (2020-06-12)
RecordedAugust 2019
Genre
Length3:03
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Tito Beats
  •  Fedi
  •  Neek
The Kid Laroi singles chronology
"Fade Away"
(2020) 		"Go"
(2020) 		"Tell Me Why"
(2020)
Juice Wrld singles chronology
"Tell Me U Luv Me"
(2020) 		"Go"
(2020) 		"Pray "Put Me Down""
(2020)
Music video
"Go" on YouTube

"Go" (stylised as "GO" or "GO!")[1] is a song by Australian rapper and singer the Kid Laroi and American rapper Juice Wrld, released on 12 June 2020 as the lead single from Laroi's debut mixtape F*ck Love, released on 24 July 2020. The song was recorded while the two, who were close friends, met up in Greece in 2019. That recording is included in the song's official video, with both the song and video serving as a tribute to Juice Wrld who died in December 2019.

Background

Prior to recording "Go", the Kid Laroi and Juice Wrld were already familiar with each other; Laroi considered Juice Wrld, who was his mentor, his "big brother" and had opened shows for Juice's final tour in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, in 2019, and was subsequently signed by Juice's managers, Grade A Productions. On the night of Laroi's 16th birthday in August 2019, Laroi played Juice a demo, and Juice freestyled a verse, which would end being the verse heard on "Go". The song leaked a while before its release,[2] and was described as "the first taste" of Laroi's debut commercial mixtape F*ck Love, which was released on 24 July 2020. "Go" was released as the seventh track out of fifteen on the mixtape. To accommodate for the song being leaked, Laroi remade his verse before the song's release as a single.[3]
To coincide with the song's release, the Kid Laroi posted a photo on social media of himself and Juice, stating:

"[...] I got to learn from a real life legend. it's not even in my character to write long a** s*** like this but f*** it our song is about to come out and I just wanna say how much I wish you were here with me to enjoy this s***. we all love and miss you back here #LLJW"[4]

Composition

"Go" was produced by Tito Beats, Neek, and Omer Fedi and finds both rappers addressing their relationship issues. Eddie Fu of Genius noted in Juice Wrld's verse, he "references his drug addictions before apologizing to his significant other", while Laroi "gives similar promises of loyalty on the pre-chorus".[5]

Critical reception

Billboard's John Norris said the two artists' voices blend "effortlessly".[3] Alex Zidel of HotNewHipHop said "Go" speaks to the Kid Laroi's potential as a melody-making star and, "so young, he has all the right tools to mold himself into one of the biggest artists in the world some day".[2] Triple J's Al Newstead found the two artists' chemistry works "so well, so it's a damn shame Laroi and Juice won't get to collab again". He further stated "It's still raw hearing Juice rap about 'perky with the lean' given the circumstances of the 21-year-old's death, but there's beauty in hearing him vibe with his South Sydney protege, Laroi, who continues to flex star-in-the-making quality".[6]

Chart performance

In the Kid Laroi's native Australia, "Go" debuted at number 23, the highest new entry on the ARIA Singles Chart for the chart dated 22 June 2020.[7] On the US Billboard Hot 100, it debuted at number 52, becoming the Kid Laroi's first Hot 100 entry.[8]

Music video

The official video, directed by Steve Cannon, premiered on 11 June 2020, the day before the song's release. Laroi said the whole concept of the video was "to capture and remember the moments me and Juice made together when we created this in Greece".[9] The visual begins with Juice apologizing for not attending Laroi's 16th birthday party. He promises to gift his friend $200,000 in the form of a verse. Scenes of Juice WRLD are interspersed throughout the video, showing him in the studio, at a live show, and being casual.[9] The video also alternates between "heart-rending" road footage of Juice and Laroi, and cuts to scenes shot in 2019, in Los Angeles, where Laroi is seen with a biker crew, and alone on a balcony, in front of a mic that recalls the one used by Juice at the beginning of the clip, as well as Juice also singing his verse in the studio in a few short parts of the video.[3]

Response

Billboard's John Norris described the visual as "melancholy and affecting, but somehow, also lighthearted".[3] Amnplify Australia called the video nostalgic, noting how it features some of the intimate moments between the two rappers and "embodies the endearing dynamic that resulted in the creation of the song. The video is essentially an ode to friendship and closeness and a way for The Kid Laroi to honour his mentor".[10]

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "Go"
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[11] 23
Australia Hip Hop/R&B (ARIA)[12] 10
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[13] 40
Greece International (IFPI)[14] 85
Ireland (IRMA)[15] 42
Lithuania (AGATA)[16] 88
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[17] 32
Portugal (AFP)[18] 95
UK Singles (OCC)[19] 43
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[20] 27
US Billboard Hot 100[21] 52
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[22] 22
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[23] 30
US Rolling Stone Top 100[24] 27

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Go"
Chart (2020) Position
Australian Artist (ARIA)[25] 22
Chart (2021) Position
Australian Artist (ARIA)[26] 35

Certifications

Certifications for "Go"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[27] Platinum 70,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[28] Gold 20,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[29] 2× Platinum 160,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[30] Gold 45,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[31] Gold 5,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[32] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[33] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "GO - Single by the Kid Laroi & Juice Wrld on Apple Music". Apple Music. 12 June 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b Zidel, Alex (12 June 2020). "Juice WRLD Gives The Kid LAROI A $200K Birthday Gift On "Go"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d Norris, John (16 June 2020). "The Kid LAROI Talks 'Go' Collab With 'Big Brother' Juice WRLD & Relationship-Fueled 'F--k Love' Project". Billboard. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  4. ^ Langford, Jackson (13 June 2020). "The Kid Laroi releases new single featuring the late Juice WRLD, 'GO'". NME. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  5. ^ Fu, Eddie; (Senior Staff Writer) (13 June 2020). "Juice WRLD's Verse On His Kid Laroi Collaboration "Go" Was A $200,000 Birthday Gift". Genius. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  6. ^ Newstead, Al (12 June 2020). "First Spin: The Kid LAROI releases Juice WRLD collab 'Go'". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  7. ^ Brandle, Lars (22 June 2020). "DaBaby Rocks Australia's Singles Chart For Fifth Week". Billboard. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  8. ^ Billboard Charts (22 June 2020). ".@thekidlaroi & @JuiceWorlddd's "Go!" debuts at No. 52 on this week's #Hot100. It earns the Kid LAROI his first career #Hot100 entry". Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  9. ^ a b "The Kid LAROI Drops Visual for Posthumous Juice WRLD Collab "GO"". Hypebeast. Archived from the original on 25 June 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  10. ^ "The Kid Laroi unveils collaboration with late mentor Juice Wrld in emotional and nostalgic new video for 'GO'". Amnplify. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  11. ^ "The Kid Laroi / Juice Wrld – Go!". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  12. ^ "ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. 22 June 2020. Archived from the original on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  13. ^ "Juice Wrld Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  14. ^ "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Week: 25/2020". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 29 June 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  15. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  16. ^ "2020 26-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 26 June 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  17. ^ "The Kid Laroi / Juice Wrld – Go!". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  18. ^ "The Kid Laroi / Juice Wrld – Go!". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  19. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  20. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  21. ^ "Juice Wrld Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  22. ^ "Juice Wrld Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  23. ^ "Juice Wrld Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  24. ^ "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. 23 June 2020. Archived from the original on 18 June 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  25. ^ "Australian Artist (ARIA) End of Year Singles Chart 2020". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  26. ^ "ARIA Artists Top 50 Singles for 2021". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  27. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2020 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  28. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – The Kid Laroi & Juice Wrld – Go" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  29. ^ "Canadian single certifications – The Kid Laroi – Go!". Music Canada. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  30. ^ "Danish single certifications – The Kid Laroi feat. Juice Wrld – Go". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  31. ^ "Portuguese single certifications – The Kid Laroi & Juice Wrld – Go" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  32. ^ "British single certifications – Kid Laroi & Juice Wrld – Go". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  33. ^ "American single certifications – The Kid Laroi & Juice Wrld – Go". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 11 September 2024.