Songfacts®:

• This song finds A$AP rapping about taking advantage of opportunities in order to make create a better life. He is joined by Missy Elliott, who recalls how she was inspired by her Auntie Jean to pursue her dreams. Ferg recalled to XXL:
  
  "Missy gravitated to the record because she just loved the song but I didn't even plan for her to be on it. I was playing her the record because you know I like the song. I had two verses on there and I took out my second verse to put her on there. Originally it was just going to be me on the song, so that was the type of music and the space I was in creatively."
• The song was produced by DJ Mustard and Stelios Phili, who provide a house music foundation over which Ferg and Missy spit their empowering lyrics. Ferg said: "When I created 'Strive' with Missy, I was in that mode of music. I was like, 'Yo, why I can't I make house music? I want to make house music. I want to rap over house beats,' and I did a bunch of songs before the Missy song, you know developing the style. The Missy song was the product that came out of it."
• Ferg recounts his experiences at the beginning of the first verse when he worked at the Ben & Jerry's on 104th in New York City. He recalled to Genius: "I used to give free ice cream to all the girls, cool dudes, my friends. I'd get complaints because I played loud rap music. I showed up late one time and I got fired."