How To Get Into: Megan Thee Stallion

Few have captured the public consciousness like Houston native, rapper Megan Thee Stallion, bursting onto the scene with gritty raps, infectious hooks and salacious lyrics. However, when discussing the most capable rappers of the current climate she, like many other female rappers, is left out of the conversion. As such, this article is a dive into her essential works that showcase her ability as an MC from an unapologetic fan.

She’s raw, unfiltered, a little unpolished, but her talent is undeniable

Referenced on Netflix’s hit sitcom The Big Kominsky, ‘Intro – Make it Hot’, the title track to her first mixtape Make it Hot is aptly titled as an introduction into Megan as an emcee. Here, the young ingenue lets you know why you should pay attention to her. She’s raw, unfiltered, a little unpolished, but her talent is undeniable. Other essential listens from this mixtape are ‘Last Week in H TX’, where she joins the many rap legends that show love to where they come from, and ‘On Crazy’, where she shows us exactly why she’s called thee Hot Girl.

If you are looking for the work that cemented Megan as an artist and let the industry know to pay attention, look no further than Tina Snow, her first work after being signed to a professional label. Named after her alter ego, who is inspired by legendary Houston rapper Pimp C’s alter ego, Tony Snow, Megan showcases versatility and her growth as an artist on this EP. Many of the tracks on this body of work have gone viral, such as ‘Hot Girl’, ‘Freak Nasty’, and ‘Cognac Queen’, but rarely have people listened to each song in full, truly taking in what it is Megan has to say. Tina Snow, the alter ego and the mixtape, are multifaceted. On songs like ‘WTF I Want’, ‘Tina Montana’, and ‘Cocky AF’, Megan gives the hard edge she’s known for, whilst on ‘Good At’ she showcases a playfulness that has not been seen from her. ‘Big Ole Freak’, the song that catapulted this work, is a must listen as it combines these elements of playfulness and hard edge as well as the staple raunchy Megan that people have come to know.

Megan closes out the mixtape by further demonstrating the strength of her pen, ‘Running Up Freestyle’ earning her the title of the freestyle queen

Mixtapes Fever and Suga feature popular songs such as ‘Cash Sh*t’ and the chart topping ‘Savage’. A further dive into these projects highlights Megan’s strength as an artist when she’s given the chance to simply do her. ‘Realer’, the first track on Fever, showcases that Megan is a student of Texas rap, captivating listeners with aggressive verses and an infectious hook. Megan closes out the mixtape by further demonstrating the strength of her pen, ‘Running Up Freestyle’ earning her the title of the freestyle queen. On Suga, Megan samples Tupac Shakur’s ‘Rather be ya N***a’ on ‘B.I.T.C.H.’, a change from her very southern way of rap. Regardless of the beat, she’s a force to be reckoned with, putting a new spin on a rap classic.

Her debut album, aptly titled Good News, is a culmination of years of hard work. Coming fresh off the back of a traumatic year, Megan makes clear nothing will stop her. The opener, ‘Shots Fired’, has her sample another one of the greats, Biggie’s ‘Who Shot Ya’, where she addresses the circumstances of her abuse. This dark time, however, does not stop her joy, swiftly transitioning into ‘Circles’ to let us know, she is still ‘thee Hot Girl’. Jam-packed with snappy and captivating tunes, this album won her three Grammys and it’s clear to see why: from start to finish, the album is electric.

Her signature aggression on the mic and self-confidence are bursting through every track

Her final work with her label, Traumazine, sees her tackle her trauma from the years prior. From grief to abuse, Megan does not hold back, and what we get is an honest and passionate body of work. She opens up the album with ‘NDA’, a dig at her haters to not mess with her, the rage she expels on this song continuing across that which follows, ‘Ungrateful’ and ‘Not Nice’, telling said haters she is “givin’ out work, come apply”. No matter how she is feeling, Megan shows she has fantastic lyricism and a real story to tell. On ‘Anxiety’, she opens up about the death of her mother and grandmother, revealing a more vulnerable approach to her trauma: she clearly demonstrates how multi-faceted she is, silencing claims that she only raps about one particular subject. Whilst Traumazine tells a story and showcases a different side of Megan Thee Stallion, she doesn’t stray from her ‘Hot Girl’ narrative with tracks like ‘Budget’, her collaboration with Latto, and her house tune bop, ‘Her’. On ‘Southside Royalty Freestyle’, she shows once again why she is the freestyle queen with Texas royalty, such as Lil Keke, Sauce Walka, and others.

Her most recent album, Megan, and its expanded reissue, Megan: Act II, highlight her growth as an artist, also showcasing the creative freedom she now has. Her signature aggression on the mic and self-confidence are bursting through every track. From chart-toppers like ‘Hiss’, ‘Mamushi’, and ‘Bigger In Texas’, to more underrated tracks like ‘Broke His Heart’, ‘Downstairs DJ’, and ‘Motion’, Megan has left behind all the drama that has been following her the past few years. On this album, she reclaims her narrative and makes the music she wants, from incorporating anime samples to rapping over rock beats; she is in full creative control and experiments more than she ever has before. The Houston Hottie also gets her long-awaited UGK stamp of approval on ‘Paper Together’, complete with a posthumous verse from Pimp C.

One thing is clear: Houston and its legends love Megan, and you should too.