Verified archive entry

Stay Schemin’

Stay Schemin’ is a track by Rick Ross with a diss section by Drake targeting Common. The recording also credits Drake and French Montana. Drake's verse continued his early-2010s exchange with Common, which included pointed references and response records from both artists.

Released2012
Annotated3
ExplicitYes
Addressable transcript

Lyrics & breakdown

Demo lines only. Select a line number to copy a stable deep link.

  1. 01

    [Intro: Rick Ross]

    02

    R.I.P. to all the real niggas worldwide!

    03

    Salute! Real shit

    04

    Maybach Music

  2. 05

    [Chorus: Rick Ross & French Montana]

    06

    I ride for my niggas, dawg

    07

    I ride for my niggas

    08

    I slide for my niggas, dawg (Dawg)

    09

    I ride for my niggas

  3. 10

    Stay schemin'

    11

    Niggas tryna get at me, dawg

    12

    I ride for my niggas

    13

    Stay schemin'

  4. 14

    Niggas tryna get at me, dawg

    15

    I ride for my niggas

  5. 16

    [Verse 1: Rick Ross]

    17

    Damn, life's so short

    18

    Fuck it, I don't wanna go to court (Huh!)

    19

    Fuck it, got a budget for the lawyer, though

    20

    Fuck it, I'm on the run for the month (Woo!)

  6. 21

    I'm in the bucket, paid 200 for it

    22

    My lil' niggas thuggin', even got me paranoid (Huh!)

    23

    I'm gettin' money, that's in any nigga category

    24

    Double M, I got Gs out in California (Huh!)

  7. 25

    Maybach Music

  8. 26

    [Chorus: Rick Ross, French Montana & Drake]

    27

    I ride for my niggas, dawg

    28

    I ride for my niggas

    29

    I slide for my niggas, dawg (Dawg)

    30

    I ride for my niggas

  9. 31

    Stay schemin' (Yeah)

    32

    Niggas tryna get at me, dawg

    33

    (Young Frankie Geechi Liberace, yeah)

    34

    I ride for my niggas

  10. 35

    [Verse 2: Drake & Rick Ross]

    Multi-line diss block
    36

    It bothers me when the gods get to actin' like the broads

    37

    Guess every team doesn't come complete with niggas like ours

    38

    That's why I see no need to compete with niggas like y'all

    39

    I just ask that when you see me you speak up, nigga, that's all

    Block noteMakes the confrontation explicit

    TargetCommon

    MeaningWhat it means: In “That's why I see no need to compete with niggas like y'all,” Rick Ross addresses Common directly and makes the situation described in the quoted line the point of confrontation. Why it was said: Drake's verse continued his early-2010s exchange with Common, which included pointed references and response records from both artists. Naming or plainly addressing Common removes the safety of a subliminal and makes the quoted claim something the target can either answer or leave standing.

    ContextDrake's verse continued his early-2010s exchange with Common, which included pointed references and response records from both artists.

  11. 40

    Don't be duckin' like you never wanted nothin'

    Multi-line diss block
    41

    It's feelin' like rap changed, it was a time it was rugged

    42

    Back when if a nigga reached it was for the weapon

    43

    Nowadays niggas reach just to sell they record

    Block notePoints to a claimed failure or contradiction

    TargetCommon

    MeaningWhat it means: In “Don't be duckin' like you never wanted nothin',” Rick Ross treats the refusal, inability, or contradiction named in the lyric as evidence against Common's public position. Why it was said: Drake's verse continued his early-2010s exchange with Common, which included pointed references and response records from both artists. The wording tests Common's image against a specific action; the gap between the two is what the audience is being asked to remember.

    ContextDrake's verse continued his early-2010s exchange with Common, which included pointed references and response records from both artists.

  12. 44

    Spaghetti bolognese in the Polo Lounge

    45

    Me and my G from D.C., that's how I roll around

    46

    Might look light, but we heavy though

    47

    You think Drake will pull some shit like that? You never know

  13. 48

    Million-dollar meetings in a Polo Lounge

    49

    Me and my man Oliver North, that's how I roll around

    50

    Shawty wanna tell me secrets 'bout a rap nigga

    51

    I tell that bitch it's more attractive when you hold it down

  14. 52

    Kobe 'bout to lose a hundred fifty Ms

    53

    Kobe my nigga, I hate it had to be him

    54

    Bitch, you wasn't with me shootin' in the gym

    55

    (Huh! Bitch, you wasn't with me shootin' in the gym)

  15. 56

    Tell Lucian I said "fuck it," I'm tearin' holes in my budget

    57

    Bag her like we in Publix, and take her ass out in public

    58

    Ordered her the filet, told 'em, "Butterfly it, she'll love it."

    59

    She used to soda and nuggets, she really just out here thuggin'

  16. 60

    I'm just hittin' my pinnacle, you and pussy identical

    Multi-line diss block
    61

    You like the fuckin' finish line; we can't wait to run into you

    62

    But let me get my mind off that

    63

    Young rich motherfucker gettin' mine off rap, with my niggas (Huh!)

    Block noteUses gendered or sexual humiliation

    TargetCommon

    MeaningWhat it means: In “I'm just hittin' my pinnacle, you and pussy identical,” Rick Ross uses gendered or sexual language to question Common's masculinity or humiliate the target in front of the audience. Why it was said: Drake's verse continued his early-2010s exchange with Common, which included pointed references and response records from both artists. The tactic tries to trigger an emotional reply and damage Common's public image, even though the framing itself can reproduce homophobic or sexist stereotypes.

    ContextDrake's verse continued his early-2010s exchange with Common, which included pointed references and response records from both artists.

  17. 64

    [Chorus: Rick Ross & French Montana]

    65

    I ride for my niggas, dawg

    66

    I ride for my niggas (Maybach Music)

    67

    I slide for my niggas, dawg (Dawg)

    68

    I ride for my niggas

  18. 69

    Stay schemin'

    70

    Niggas tryna get at me, dawg

    71

    I ride for my niggas

  19. 72

    [Verse 3: French Montana]

    73

    From the hoopty coupe to that Ghost, dawg (Huh)

    74

    Pigeons on the roof like Ghost Dog (Huh)

    75

    Dwight Howard on the post, dawg (Huh)

    76

    My niggas got the powder through the post, dawg (Huh)

  20. 77

    Watch the body tilt when you hit the head (Huh)

    78

    Niggas lost mills tryna beat the feds (Huh)

    79

    Ten grams off my last 250 now (Huh)

    80

    Big-ass crib, 250 down, damn!

  21. 81

    Gave my nigga Max 7-5 (Huh)

    82

    Then gave my nigga Penthouse another 30 (Huh)

    83

    Fuck it, got me thinkin' like I'm 7-5 (Huh)

    84

    Damn, nigga ain't even seen 30

  22. 85

    [Chorus: Rick Ross & French Montana]

    86

    Huh, I ride for my niggas, dawg

    87

    I ride for my niggas (Maybach Music)

    88

    I slide for my niggas, dawg (Dawg)

    89

    I ride for my niggas

  23. 90

    Stay schemin'

    91

    Niggas tryna get at me, dawg

    92

    I ride for my niggas

  24. 93

    [Outro]

    94

    Maybach Music