Make Her Say

## Single by Kid Cudi featuring Kanye West and Common

"**Make Her Say**" (formerly titled "**I Poke Her Face**") is a song by Kid Cudi, released as the second single from his debut album *Man on the Moon: The End of Day* (2009). It features rappers Kanye West and Common, and heavily samples Lady Gaga's "Poker Face". The accompanying music video was directed by Nez Khammal.

## Background

West saw Lady Gaga's acoustic version of "Poker Face," which inspired him to sample it. He noted, "I thought it was really dope—just on some hip-hop, 'Say when I p-p-poke her face.' All the backstory to the song is really controversial. When I found out that her actual song is about her making love to her boyfriend but really thinking about her girlfriend, I was like, 'Oh, that's crazy.' For us to even flip it to another level and challenge people's opinions, that's it."

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Chorus: Kid Cudi, *Lady Gaga*]

I make her say

*Oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh-oh-oh*

When I...

*Pa-pa-pa-poke her face, pa-pa-poke her face*

I make her say

*Oh, oh-oh-oh, ah-ah-ah-oh-oh*

What up? Ah-ah

*Pa-pa-pa-poke her face, pa-pa-poke her face*

Me first... Ha-ha!

[Refrain: Kid Cudi]

Ugh, ugh-ugh, she wanna have whatever she like

She can if she bring her friend

And we can have one hell of a night

Through the day, ayy

[Verse 1: Kid Cudi]

I mean, you staring like a creeper 'cause you gotta peep her

I mean, you prolly might be saying you ain't jockin' either

But, man, ol' girl got a fat ol' ass

Yeah, the type to make you tell a bitch, "Just dance"

And fuck them other n\*\*\*as 'cause she down for her bitches (Ayy)

Fuck them other n\*\*\*as 'cause she down for the sticking (Ayy)

And fuck them other n\*\*\*as, hope she down for some licking (Ayy)

And fuck them other bitches 'cause she down for the tricking, ugh

I'm hopin' she a rider

When it's said and done, do she spit it up or swallow now?

I ain't gotta trip about them n\*\*\*as who like her

'Cause me and mami know who can really make her go

[Chorus: Kid Cudi, *Lady Gaga*, **Kanye West** {with A-Trak}]

*Oh, oh-oh-oh* (Yeah, yeah)

*Oh, oh-oh-oh*

When I...

*Pa-pa-pa-poke her face* (Ugh-ugh)

*Pa-pa-poke her face*

I make her say

*Oh, oh-oh-oh* (Yeah)

*Ah-ah-ah-oh-oh*

When I...

*Pa-pa-pa-poke her face* (**Ayy**)

*Pa-pa-poke her face*

What she talking 'bout, 'Ye?

(**Uh-huh, uh-huh, yeah**) Yeah

[Refrain: Kanye West]

She said she want whatever she like

She said she gon' bring her friend

And we gon' have a hell of a night

Through the day

[Verse 2: Kanye West]

I made her say—Hold up, (Yeah?) born in '88? (Word?)

How old is that? (Man!) Old enough

I got seniority with the sororities

So, that explain why I love college

Getting brain in the library 'cause I love knowledge

When you use your medulla oblongata

And give me scoliosis until I'm comatos-es

And do while I'm sleep, yeah a little osmosis

And that's my commandment you ain't gotta ask Moses

More champagne, more toasts-es

More damn planes, more coasts-es

And fuck a bus, the Benz is parked like Rosa, -oza

[Chorus: Kid Cudi & Lady Gaga {with A-Trak}]

*Oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh-oh-oh*

When I...

*Pa-pa-pa-poke her face, pa-pa-poke her face*

I make her say

*Oh, oh-oh-oh* (Yeah)

*Ah-ah-ah-oh-oh*

When I...

*Pa-pa-pa-poke her face, pa-pa-poke her face*

I make her say

[Refrain: Common]

She said she want whatever she like

But you gotta bring your friend

And we can have one hell of a night

Through the day

[Verse 3: Common]

She blamed it on the ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-alcohol (*Woo!*)

She had her hair did; it was bound to fall (*Woo!*)

Down, down for a—damn, Cudi already said it

Her poker Facebook, I already reddit

But man, her head was gooder than the music

Electro body, known to blow fuses

A stripper from the South, looking for a payday

Said, "Bitch, you should do it for the love like Ray J"

But they say, you be on that conscious tip

Get your head right, and get up on this conscious dick

I embody everything from the godly to the party

It's the way I was raised on the Southside safari, so

[Chorus: Kid Cudi, *Lady Gaga* {with A-Trak}]

*Oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh-oh-oh*

When I...

*Pa-pa-pa-poke her face, pa-pa-poke her face*

I make her say

*Oh, oh-oh-oh, ah-ah-ah-oh-oh*

When I...

*Pa-pa-pa-poke her face, pa-pa-poke her face*

[Outro: Lady Gaga]

Can't read my, can't read my

No, he can't read my poker face

She's got me like nobody

Can't read my, can't read my

No, he can't read my poker face

She's got me like nobody

Can't read my, can't read my (Woo!)

No, he can't read my poker face (Woo!)

She's got me like nobody

Can't read my, can't read my

No, he can't read my poker face

She's got me like nobody

## References

1. ↑ Anitai, Tamar (July 20, 2009). "Video Premiere: Kid Cudi, 'Make Her Say'". *MTV*.