Five Key Takeaways From Megan Thee Stallion’s New Self-Titled Album
The real H-Town Hottie is here to stay.
On June 27th, 2024, countless Megan Thee Stallion fans (and haters) across the globe awaited the release of the artist’s junior album, Megan. With a symbolic serpentine album concept, striking cover art, and the promise of a track featuring a sample from a popular anime, the buzz was palpable. Trending singles like the soul-baring lead track “Cobra,” the energetic “BOA,” and the heavy-hitting call-out song “HISS” had already sent the media into a frenzy, making this album one of the year’s most highly anticipated.
Since her rise to fame following the release of her mixtape, Tina Snow, her eponymous alter ego, the rapper has consistently faced pushback from issues with her original label, 1501 Certified Entertainment, to the shattering 2020 shooting that led to her relentless ridicule and scrutiny under the public eye.
On October 23, 2023, the artist took to social media to tease a clip of herself reciting the quote, “Just as a snake sheds its skin, we must shed our past, over and over again,” with the audio track of her upcoming lead single “Cobra” echoing in the background. “Cobra” was the public’s first taste of Megan, beginning with a vulnerable and unapologetic recount of her struggles since 2020. The snake-themed concept would carry throughout visuals, teasers, song titles, and the eventual album cover art. The theme is representative of Megan’s rebirth, opening a new chapter of her career and life following the hardship brought on by the very public shooting, trial, and aftermath. Throughout the rollout for this album, Megan has made it clear that she is beginning a new era where she has found herself and her sound, set clear boundaries, and let go of the weight of her past to claim her future in hip-hop.
The H-Town Hottie Stayed Reppin The South
Megan Thee Stallion’s connection to her cultural community and Houston’s hip-hop royalty reflects an important Black music tradition. Dirty South music, known for its gritty beats, regional slang, and celebration of Black Southern life, often asserts Black Southern cultural pride. Despite regional prejudice focusing on past racial violence and Black suffering, Black Southern rap rebels by celebrating heritage unapologetically. These influences are evident throughout Megan’s album as she lyrically reps her Southern roots, paying homage to her Black Southern and Houstonian heritage.
In the track “Accent” featuring rap artist GloRilla, the duo join forces to flex their Southern accents. GloRilla has famously garnered attention for her thick Memphis accent, emphasizing the “r” sound instead of “u.” In May, a Twitter clip of her pronouncing words in her accent during a podcast appearance accrued over 2.1 million views. While some comments have been playful in recognition of her heavy accent, Black Southerners often face scrutiny for their accents and are criticized for speaking “improper” English. In the track, the rappers flaunt their accents as something to find attractive instead of a negative stereotype, rapping, “I’m thicker than my accent / And n*gg*s love that sh*t (Yeah, yeah).”
Megan’s use of features in “Miami Blue” and “Paper Together” deepens the album’s connections to old-school Dirty South rap styles. “Miami Blue” features producer Buddah Bless and Mississippi-made rapper Big K.R.I.T. Big K.R.I.T.’s feature was an exciting surprise for many Black Mississippian rap fans, who don’t often see their state’s contributions to the Dirty South regional rap genre recognized. “Paper Together” was a historic track, as it featured an unreleased verse from the late rapper Pimp C, who was one-half of the iconic Houston rap duo UGK. Bun B accompanied the verse on the song, helping Megan pay the ultimate respects to the UGK legacy. Pimp C is responsible for the inspiration behind Megan’s notorious alter ego Tina Snow, which was created after his own alter ego, Tony Snow. Megan closes the track with an outro that demands respect and recognition for the group’s contributions to rap.
Megan Thee Womanist
After experiencing violence at the hands of a former partner and being the victim of a slew of misogynistic victim-blaming and slut-shaming, Megan Thee Stallion reclaims her sexual agency on tracks like “Figueroa,” “Broke His Heart,” “Where Them Girls At,” “Downstairs DJ,” “Find Out,” and “Spin” ft. Victoria Monet. Braggadocios in nature, these songs show Megan’s refusal to be shamed for her expressions of her sexuality. She celebrates her body and uses “Spin,” featuring fellow Grammy award winner Victoria Monet, to combine Monet’s R&B genius with her sexy and flirty bars. “Downstairs DJ” stands out as a bold track, detailing the rapper’s independent sexcapades and normalizing female masturbation as an expression of self-love and a point of pride, “Aye, I love my p*ssy and my p*ssy love me,” she raps over the dreamy pop beat.
Other songs on the album show the rapper going head to head with the latent sexism in the rap industry and winning. In “HISS,” she comes out the gate swinging, tackling her gripes with men of rap, ex-partners, and former collaborator Nicki Minaj. “Rattle” continues from “HISS,” addressing alleged gossip during her feud with Nicki Minaj and criticizing industry abusers who avoid confronting male counterparts.
Megan’s lyrics critique the pattern of abusers within the industry, which is extremely important and relevant considering the conviction of Diddy and the allegations facing hip-hop giants like Russell Simmons, Dr. Dre, The GAME, and, more recently, Kanye West. This album and Megan’s new era as an independent artist, following a historic distribution deal that includes ownership of her masters, represent a victory for a survivor of domestic violence and public shaming in an industry that has historically silenced victims of patriarchal harm.
Raw Revelations On Mental Health Struggles
Megan speaks openly about having suicidal thoughts and reflects on her use of partying, sex, and excessive alcohol use to cope with her feelings of loneliness as she catapulted into the spotlight after losing her mother and grandmother and later being victim-blamed and gaslighted following her being shot by now incarcerated artist Tory Lanez. The lead single “Cobra” showed the rapper’s vulnerable side, with her opening up about suicidal ideation and depression in the midst of being hypersexualized and objectified, which worsened her mental health. “Moody Girl” trades in her typical intro of “real hot girl shit” for “real motherfucking … sad girl shit.” The rapper then addresses her struggles with insecurity in her romantic relationships. However, “Worthy” challenges the feelings brought up in previous tracks as an upbeat pop-rap ballad reminiscent of early 2010s pop. The track affirms the rapper’s self-worth and resolves some of the insecurities she reveals in “Cobra.”
From Marketing, Anime Samples, Features, and Bilingual Bars, Megan Flaunts International Influences
The international influences throughout the album show a commitment to her craft. Earlier this year, the rapper shared a myriad of photos from a trip to Japan, and unbeknownst to fans, this served as a teaser for the Japanese cultural influences heard throughout the album’s tracks and seen in the concept art and visuals for “BOA.” Since beginning her career, Megan Thee Stallion has shared her passion for anime and cosplay with her fans, cosplaying characters from popular anime such as My Hero Academia, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. Following the album’s release, “Otaku Hot Girl” stood out as a track that shocked fans and Japanese music fanatics alike by prevailing against Japan’s strict copyright laws to clear a sample from the popular anime Jujutsu Kaisen and having permission to use specific characters’ names. Before the album’s release, Meg took to Instagram Live to recount her struggles as she complied with the company’s restrictions, showing her dedication to her artistry. “Mamushi” is a unique declaration of her star power, fame, and wealth in Japanese, with the help of Japanese rapper Yuki Chiba. The track has earned a viral TikTok dance for its bilingual lyrics and catchy repetition.
Megan Thee Stallion Is Here To Stay
This seamless and skipless album illustrates Megan’s potential for continued longevity in the coming years. To achieve a long-term career in performance, especially in the music industry, artists must constantly evolve and bring new ideas, concepts, and spins to their art. The release of Megan has shown that Megan Thee Stallion can grow as a creative and bring fresh material to her music. She experimented with different genres, languages, cultures, and sounds to create a cohesive body of work and, undoubtedly, Megan. She used unique samples from artists like KStylis and Teena Marie to develop innovative and catchy tracks that caught listeners’ attention worldwide. This new era represents a triumph for female rap; a star has been reborn.