“Graduation” by Benny Blanco & Juice WRLD

“Graduation” is a song based on the theme of its vocalist, Juice WRLD, reminiscing about the past, specifically his high school years. And he goes about doing so primarily via commenting on particular individuals he had crossed paths with, with the lyrics being composed in his usual brash style.

Thus he starts off by referring to a “girl” he shared a “math class” with. The implication is that at one point in time she hurt his feelings in some sort of way. We know she hurt him because he is now insulting her and taunting her for being “br*ke”. And that’s more or less how he relates to all of his old schoolmates, either by dissing them or pointing to the idea of him currently being richer and more-successful than they are. Other topics Juice brings up is his past sensual attraction to a particular teacher and the fact that many of his classmates “was having kids”, as in sensually active and making babies.

Another concept he harps on is his former perception of how life would be different in the “grown-up world” than it was in high school. But now that he has experienced both, WRLD realizes they share many common characteristics, especially in regards to how people relate to each other. And he concludes by stating that he “miss(es) the days of walking around the school halls”, once again giving “Graduation” a nostalgic feel.

Friendship Theme in “Graduation”

Indeed despite the track possesses a beef-laden undertone (as we can see from the chorus) one of its primary focuses is on the concept of lasting friendship. It sheds some light on a camaraderie that transcends the years spent together in school. But the second chorus also, to some degree, equates “friends” with “enemies”. This insertion, combined with how the second verse plays out, ultimately seem to allude to the idea of their being the potential and indeed even likelihood of discontent in interpersonal relationships.

Conclusion

So all of that being said, this is a bittersweet recollection by Juice WRLD of his school days. And ultimately, what gives him a sense of victory is that as in the present day he can brag about being a celebrity.

Song’s Title and Theme

The title and overall theme of this track was derived from the song “Graduation (Friends Forever)”. This song was released by a singer by the name of Vitamin C back in 2000.

Production and Writing Credits

Benny Blanco was assisted in producing this song by Cashmere Cat alongside Happy Perez. The trio also co-wrote “Graduation” along with Juice WRLD.

Release Date of “Graduation”

“Graduation” was released by Interscope Records on 30 August 2019.

Music Video

The music video, which was directed by Jake Schreier, features a number of celebrity cameos by the likes of Haile Steinfeld, Noah Cyrus and Olivia Munn.

Is “Graduation” Juice’s first collabo with Blanco?

No. Blanco and Juice have collaborated in the past, specifically on the late 2018 track “Roses”.