Ride or Die Origins and Meaning

Hey there, you have A Way with Words.

This is Patrick here calling in from Lower Manhattan.

Well, we’re glad to hear from you. What’s on your mind today?

So my question today is about the phrase ride or die. I hear it all over on social media, in music, in conversation. I use it myself. And while I think I understand the meaning of the term, I don’t quite know how it connects to the words themselves.

You could be a ride or die friend, a ride or die fan, a ride or die partner. But I don’t know the origin and I’m curious to hear more.

So this is ride or die, three words, R-I-D-E-O-R-D-I-E. Do you use this? Do you have ride or die friends?

I do. Yeah, I’m very grateful for them. But yeah, I use it in conversation. And I’ve heard it used to describe friendships, again, romantic partnerships, even for fans of musical artists, for example.

Yeah. Well, what is it like to have a friend like that who’s ride or die? I mean, what is what kind of relationship? Like, how does a ride or die friend compare to one who isn’t a ride or die friend?

I really think it means just no matter what happens. So kind of like come heck or high water through thick and thin, always there for you no matter what.

Yeah. That’s my takeaway, too. Martha, that sounds right to you?

Yeah. Yeah, that definitely sounds right. Ride or die.

Yeah, this is a good term, and it’s had some twists and turns before it got to mainstream English. And it came, as you might guess, through hip-hop. And before that, it might have come from gang or biker culture.

But it really shows up first in American language in the mid-1990s in hip-hop. Artists like Tupac Shakur had it in their songs. He’s got a couple songs in 1996 where it shows up. And more famously, there’s a song by a group called The Lox, L-O-X, called Ride or Die. Bee, bee standing for a word that’s impolite. And I can’t say it in the air, but, you know, a coarse term for a woman.

But there’s also Ride or Die Chick or Ride or Die Girl or Ride or Die Woman or Ride or Die Gal. And a lot of times it’s about your best friend or your romantic partner who will go with you to the end. She is going to ride shotgun with you or ride pillion on your motorbike. Pillion is, you know, to ride behind you.

She’ll go on your daily rounds, on a mission, on a road trip, into the sunset with you. Whatever you’re doing, she’s there with you. And a lot of these songs from the 90s maybe either literally refer to Bonnie and Clyde or indirectly refer to Bonnie or Clyde. The idea of these two people who are so in sync romantically and socially, their goals are so aligned that they’re almost one person.

That’s awesome. I was joking around with my own partner. Are we talking about a friendship, a romantic relationship, or a biker gang?

Yeah. Why are the choices riding or death? Where are we riding? What are we riding on?

Originally, it was literally about riding, maybe on a motorbike, maybe in a fantastic automobile. But one way or the other, you guys are going somewhere and you’re going together and you’re committed to each other. It’s not a one-way commitment. It’s both directions.

I mean, obviously, there’s a lot of complications here. You will find some actually really thoughtful pieces that people have written about this, both in casual news articles and in professional journals, talking about the ride or die idea. What it means to say that someone is your ride or die, or your ride or die woman, or your ride or die chick. And it’s actually really, really interesting.

There’s an article called Why Ride or Die Culture Promotes Unhealthy Relationships.

Oh, my.

Yeah. We’ll have to check that out.

Yeah. So it’s a really, it’s more than just a saying.

Well, Patrick, thank you so much for calling with that question. And do give your ride or die our best.

Yeah. I will do that. Thank you. That’s super interesting. Really appreciate the background.

Sure thing. Take care of yourself.

Bye-bye.

Take care.

Bye.

Yeah, so Bonnie and Clyde are the classic ride-or-die couple, or Thelma and Louise, right?

Yeah, that was ride and die. Ride and die, right? Right.

Well, we invite you to dial and smile. Give us a call, 877-929-9673.