Morray Breaks Down the Truth of His Song ‘Still Here’

Train of Thought
Morray on "Still Here" featuring Cordae
Interview: Robby Seabrook III
Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the Spring 2022 issue of XXL Magazine, on stands now.

“Just reminiscin’ ’bout the days a nigga needed whippings/The way I’m actin’ nowadays, a nigga really miss ’em/No real location, movin’ around, that’s how a nigga livin’/A rollin’ stone, I lay my hat down, well, you get the picture/Real words I’m tryna depict and some people would never get it/Some people pretend to get it just to act like they can fit in/Playin’ the hell out these women, most women cheat on they man/ Just to find nobody’s better and expect for him to understand/I mean, it’s cool to be broke, I mean, it’s cool to be robbin’/Yeah, I sound dumb as a bitch, that’s what I’m hearin’ from y’all/I can’t be happy and gangsta, ’cause these niggas will test you/Bring the problems to me, on Jesus/I promise you, I’ll bless you, yeah”

"No real location, movin’ around, that’s how a nigga livin’/A rollin’ stone, I lay my hat down, well, you get the picture.” How are you adjusting to fame and always having to travel to do shows, press or any other aspects of being a famous rapper?

It’s a huge adjustment. I used to be a small town dude. I ain’t never leave the city. For me to be like traveling and flying and driving and tour buses is very strenuous on my real family life. Like, seeing my kids and wanting to be around them a lot. It takes a lot to get used to because I really pride myself on being a good dad. So those days when I’m gone, it’s kind of a hurt piece. I’m doing what I need to do to make sure our life is good, but I could be missing a good moment in my kid’s life or my family life. It comes with the territory, so it’s a good thing and a bad thing, but I love it either way.

“Playin’ the hell out these women, most women cheat on they man/Just to find nobody’s better and expect for him to understand.” This isn’t really explored in rap. Is this something you wanted to just really point out?

It goes for men and women. A female would see a dude with money, fancy cars, clothes and jewelry, and she want to rock with that nigga because he got bread. But the man that’s working nine-to-five, that’s taking care of you, rubbing your feet and telling you, “I love you,” you will leave him because you think the grass is greener on the other side. It’s the same thing for niggas. You would do the same thing. A girl with a big butt and a body, you’d rather leave her for the woman you got. When it’s not even better on the other side. “I’m sorry” is the biggest scapegoat in the world. Everybody would go cheat, mess up, do something stupid, and come back and apologize.

That feeds into the very next line. “I can’t be happy and gangsta, ’cause these niggas will test you/Bring the problems to me, on Jesus/I promise you I’ll bless you, yeah.” You focus on showing that there’s a lot of joy in the hood. How does that coexist with rappers always feeling like they need to be tough?

So, the thing about it, if you really like that you should never have to save face. Morray is Morray. I’m going to laugh with you. I’m going to joke with you. I’m going to be your friend. We going to be cool. We can smoke, whatever it is. But once you cross me, we not cool. But if we never have to get there, ain’t got to get there. That’s what life is like in the hood. If you a hood nigga, you do hood nigga shit. You going to run into other hood niggas. But if you having a regular life, ain’t nobody going to bother you because you not into that life. You ain’t got to be a gangsta. You ain’t got to be a thug. Be a real nigga.

Read the cover story with Playboi Carti and check out the other interviews in the magazine with Fivio Foreign, Latto, DaBaby, Wiz Khalifa and Juicy J, Joey Bada$$, Denzel Curry, Hit-Boy, Big K.R.I.T., RZA, Saba, Morray, Kali, Sleepy Hallow, Nardo Wick, ATL Jacob, SSGKobe, Pink Sweat$, Saucy Santana, Jason Lee, Angie Randisi and Colby Turner in the new issue of XXL magazine, which is on newsstands now and in XXL's online shop.