Download the article Exploring this popular expression and where it comes from
This article was written in collaboration with wikiHow writer Luke Smith, MFA. Luke Smith is a wikiHow staff writer. He worked for literary agents, publishers and many authors, and his works were published in various literary magazines. Now Luke writes for the wikiHow content team and hopes to help readers expand their skills and the limits of their curiosity. Luke received his master’s degree from the University of Montana. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Know more…
Has someone asked you to be their “ride or die” but wants to know where you’re going, if you can stop for a snack along the way, and why you have to die? The good news is that this is just a metaphor and no one really faces death. We’re here to explain the meaning, origin, and usage of this slang term and why it’s so popular on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. let’s dive in
- “Ride or Die” is about someone who is always there for you, through the ups and downs. Someone you can trust is called ride or die.
- “Ride or die girl” is a phrase commonly used in hip-hop circles to describe a fiercely loyal female partner.
- Use “ride or die” to describe your closest friends, or use it to describe how loyal you are to something or someone, for example, “I’m riding or dying for her.”
“Ride or die” is probably a nod to the crime duo Bonnie and Clyde. Bonnie and Clyde were a romantic crime couple active in the 1930s. Together they pulled off a series of famous robberies. In 1934, they were arrested and murdered by the FBI while trying to escape in a car.[4]
The romantic image of a pair of lovers on the run from the law only to be separated by death is likely the inspiration for the modern phrase “ride or die”.[5]The term could also be inspired by motorcycle culture. Motorcycle enthusiasts or motorcycle club members have a fierce loyalty to other club members as well as to the motorcycle lifestyle.[6]
They probably took the phrase “ride or die” from hip-hop culture and adapted it to their own scene.- In this context, “ride or die” usually means something like “I’d rather die than not be able to ride a motorcycle.”
The term may have been coined by rapper Baby Gangsta in 1997. In the late ’90s, Baby Gangsta (or “BG”) released the song “Ride or Die,” featuring Lil Wayne and Juvenile. Many fans recognize this as one of the first, if not the first, use of the term in hip-hop music. The song describes the various exploits of the rapper and his close group of friends.[7]
- “Ride or Die” was further popularized by Jay-Z in 1998 when he released his own version of the BG hit.
“Ride or die” was probably popularized by Jay-Z and Beyoncé. In 2002, the famed hip hop duo released “’03 Bonnie & Clyde,” a song that described the loyal and unbreakable relationship between the two artists and announced that they were both “ready to ride to the finish.”[8]
After the song’s release, “ride or die” crossed over into pop culture, where fans used it to describe their romantic partners or best friends.
Categories: How to
Source: HIS Education