Stay Fly

"Stay Fly" is the first single from hip hop group Three 6 Mafia's 2005 album Most Known Unknown. The song peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 to become the group's biggest hit.^[2] The track, which samples "Tell Me Why Has Our Love Turned Cold" by Willie Hutch, features fellow Memphis rap duo 8Ball & MJG and Young Buck, a member of G-Unit. The single helped propel Most Known Unknown to RIAA platinum status. The single itself achieved 2x multi-platinum (double platinum) RIAA certification status on December 11, 2006.^[3]

"Stay Fly"
Single by Three 6 Mafia featuring Young Buck and 8Ball & MJG
from the album Most Known Unknown
Released	2005
Recorded	2004–2005
Length	3:56
Label	Hypnotize Minds, Sony BMG, Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Jordan Houston Darnell Carlton Paul Beauregard Premro Smith Marlon Goodwin David Brown William Hutchinson [1]
Producer(s)	DJ Paul, Juicy J
Three 6 Mafia singles chronology
"Ridin' Spinners" (2003) "Stay Fly" (2005) "Poppin' My Collar" (2006)
Alternative cover
"Still Fly Remix" single cover
Music video
"Three 6 Mafia - Stay Fly (Official Video)" on YouTube

Music video

The video features an appearance from newly recruited G-Unit member Spider Loc. Remix featured Southern rappers such as Slim Thug, Trick Daddy and Three 6 Mafia affiliate Project Pat (Juicy J, DJ Paul & Crunchy Black all return with new verses). The "Bay Area Remix" features E-40. The screwed and chopped version (done by Michael 5000 Watts) features part of the instrumental of "P*ssy Got Ya Hooked".

Controversy

Three 6 Mafia has previously rapped about the devil in its music before, such as on Mystic Stylez. Due to this, and the group's name being an allusion to the mark of the beast "666" in the Bible, there is a misconception that the song's sample of Willie Hutch's "Tell Me Why Has Our Love Turned Cold" say "Lucifer, you're my king, you're my father" instead of the actual lyrics "you're my pride, you're my king, you're my father."^[4]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2005–2006)	Peak position
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[5]	16
Scotland (OCC)[6]	43
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[7]	5
UK Singles (OCC)[8]	33
US Billboard Hot 100[2]	13
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[9]	9
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[10]	3
US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[11]	23
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[12]	4

Year-end charts

Chart (2005)	Position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[13]	76
Chart (2006)	Position
UK Urban (Music Week)[14]	26
US Billboard Hot 100[15]	92
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[16]	74

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[17]	Gold	500,000^
United States (RIAA)[17] Mastertone	2× Platinum	2,000,000*
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Album liner notes from Most Known Unknown
2. "Three 6 Mafia Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
3. "Gold & Platinum - RIAA". RIAA. Retrieved 2018-06-26.
4. Burney, Lawrence (May 18, 2017). "That Time I Threw Away My Three 6 Mafia CD to Avoid Going to Hell".
5. "Three 6 Mafia feat. Young Buck & Eightball & MJG – Stay Fly". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
6. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
7. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
8. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
9. "Three 6 Mafia Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
10. "Three 6 Mafia Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
11. "Three 6 Mafia Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
12. "Three 6 Mafia Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
13. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2005". Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
14. "2006 Urban Top 40" (PDF). Music Week. January 13, 2007. p. 26. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
15. "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
16. "Year-End Charts – Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Titles – 2006". Billboard.biz. 2006. Archived from the original on October 3, 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
17. "American single certifications – Three 6 Mafia – Stay Fly". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 26, 2022.

External links

• Music video for "Stay Fly" on YouTube