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Thee H-Town Hottie Heats Up the Charts
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty
Megan Thee Stallionhad everyone screaming “Hot Girl Summer” heading into fall 2019. The unstoppable collaboration withNicki Minajand Ty Dolla $ign fired up theBillboard charts for 13 weeksand had everyone from Ciara to Jordyn Woods screaming “Hot Girl Summer,” all summer long.
02of 15Texas Girls Do It BetterDavid OdBy January 2020, Megan had linked up with fellow Houston native Normani to release “Diamonds,” the first single off theBirds of Preysoundtrack. Themusic videofollows the two stars beating up bad guys in a twisted funhouse, along with clips from the movie and cameos from the film’s star, Margot Robbie.
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Texas Girls Do It Better
David Od
By January 2020, Megan had linked up with fellow Houston native Normani to release “Diamonds,” the first single off theBirds of Preysoundtrack. Themusic videofollows the two stars beating up bad guys in a twisted funhouse, along with clips from the movie and cameos from the film’s star, Margot Robbie.
03of 15Can’t Stop, Won’t StopAftersigning a management deal with Roc Nationin September 2019, the rapper had tried to re-negotiate her contract with former record label 1501 Entertainment when things turned sour andshe was told she wasn’t allowed to release new music. As a legal battle played out, Megan took matters into her own hands anddecided to release her EPSugain March 2020.The nine-track EP includes features from Kehlani and Gunna and her next massive hit “Savage.” The song grew legs and made its way onto TikTok, wherechoreographer Keara Wilsoncreated a dance that turned into theviral #SavageChallenge.
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Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop
Aftersigning a management deal with Roc Nationin September 2019, the rapper had tried to re-negotiate her contract with former record label 1501 Entertainment when things turned sour andshe was told she wasn’t allowed to release new music. As a legal battle played out, Megan took matters into her own hands anddecided to release her EPSugain March 2020.
The nine-track EP includes features from Kehlani and Gunna and her next massive hit “Savage.” The song grew legs and made its way onto TikTok, wherechoreographer Keara Wilsoncreated a dance that turned into theviral #SavageChallenge.
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Challenge Accepted
Of course Megan had to releaseher own video of the #SavageChallengeonce she saw Keara Wilson’s choreography to her song.
“I saw people doing dances on TikTok, and my best friend showed me her phone and was like, ‘Look at this dance.’ I was like, ‘We gotta learn that,’ " she told PEOPLE in April 2020. “When we saw Keke do it, it seemed like she really broke it down. We literally sat in the kitchen for like 20 minutes trying to get this dance down pat.”
05of 15Cover Girl StatusMicaiah CarterDespite having to deal with double standards that come with working in a male-dominated industry, Megan made it clear in herMarie ClaireApril 2020 cover storythat she’s not going anywhere.“A man can be as mediocre as he wants to be but still be praised,” Megan told the outlet, adding that she doesn’t feel the need to water down her lyrics for critics who claim that they’re too raunchy.“A man can talk about how he’s about to do all of these drugs and then come and shoot your house up. But as soon as I say something about my vagina, it’s the end of the world?” she questioned.The critics don’t faze the rapper and the men in her industry who may see her as a threat will just have to deal with it. She firmly declared, “I’m not going nowhere, so get used to it.”
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Cover Girl Status
Micaiah Carter
Despite having to deal with double standards that come with working in a male-dominated industry, Megan made it clear in herMarie ClaireApril 2020 cover storythat she’s not going anywhere.
“A man can be as mediocre as he wants to be but still be praised,” Megan told the outlet, adding that she doesn’t feel the need to water down her lyrics for critics who claim that they’re too raunchy.
“A man can talk about how he’s about to do all of these drugs and then come and shoot your house up. But as soon as I say something about my vagina, it’s the end of the world?” she questioned.
The critics don’t faze the rapper and the men in her industry who may see her as a threat will just have to deal with it. She firmly declared, “I’m not going nowhere, so get used to it.”
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Megan Thee Stallion.Ben Rosser/BFA
Once the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the star sprung into action to help out her hometown.Megan made her first donationto a nursing facility in Houston called Park Manor.
“[Park Manor] was one of the first places I wanted to donate to in my city. I just feel like these are all things that are going to take me in the right direction to start opening my own facility,” she told PEOPLE in April 2020.
“It’s in my hometown, so I felt like it was only right. I know a lot of people who are struggling with their grandparents,” she continued. “They can’t see their grandparents right now, so I teamed up with Amazon and we gave them these devices where you can video chat with your people.”
“I feel like that was super important because I love my grandma and I can’t even see her right now,” she added. “I just felt like, I know I’m not the only person going through that, so that’s why I wanted to do that.”
07of 15The Beyhive & Hotties UniteMegan Thee Stallion/InstagramAs “Savage” dominated both radio and streaming services, Beyoncé, a fellow Houston native, put her vocals on what came to be the"Savage” remix, which hitNo. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was Megan’s first No. 1, which made it even sweeter.Not only did the song take over summer 2020, but it also became another wildly popular dance challenge and all proceeds from the song went to helping COVID relief efforts.“I’m literally crying 😭 being from HOUSTON MF TEXAS this s— means EVERYTHING to me!!!!” Meganwrote on Instagram. “SAVAGE REMIX FT THE QUEEN@BEYONCEOUT NOW! All the artist proceeds of the song goes to@breadoflifehouto support our city during this pandemic! 🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽 HOTTIES WE UP 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 🐎🐎🐎🐎🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝”
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The Beyhive & Hotties Unite
Megan Thee Stallion/Instagram
As “Savage” dominated both radio and streaming services, Beyoncé, a fellow Houston native, put her vocals on what came to be the"Savage" remix, which hitNo. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was Megan’s first No. 1, which made it even sweeter.
Not only did the song take over summer 2020, but it also became another wildly popular dance challenge and all proceeds from the song went to helping COVID relief efforts.
“I’m literally crying 😭 being from HOUSTON MF TEXAS this s— means EVERYTHING to me!!!!” Meganwrote on Instagram. “SAVAGE REMIX FT THE QUEEN@BEYONCEOUT NOW! All the artist proceeds of the song goes to@breadoflifehouto support our city during this pandemic! 🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽 HOTTIES WE UP 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 🐎🐎🐎🐎🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝”
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Keeping Spirits High
09of 15Part-time Rapper, Full-time InspirationMegan Thee Stallion school throwback photo - posted on Instagram in June of 2019.Courtesy Megan Thee StallionWhile becoming a superstar in music, she was also working hard toearn her bachelor’s degree in health administrationas a part-time student at Texas Southern University.“I want to get my degree because I really want my mom to be proud,” Megan told PEOPLE in June 2020 about her mom Holly Thomas, who died in March 2019 after battling brain cancer.The rapper, whose father died when she was a teenager, also lost her grandmother shortly after her mother died.“I want my big mama to be proud. She saw me going to school before she passed,” said Megan. “My grandmother that’s still alive used to be a teacher, so she’s on my butt about finishing school. I’m doing it for me, but I’m also doing it for the women in my family who made me who I am today.”
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Part-time Rapper, Full-time Inspiration
Megan Thee Stallion school throwback photo - posted on Instagram in June of 2019.Courtesy Megan Thee Stallion
While becoming a superstar in music, she was also working hard toearn her bachelor’s degree in health administrationas a part-time student at Texas Southern University.
“I want to get my degree because I really want my mom to be proud,” Megan told PEOPLE in June 2020 about her mom Holly Thomas, who died in March 2019 after battling brain cancer.
The rapper, whose father died when she was a teenager, also lost her grandmother shortly after her mother died.
“I want my big mama to be proud. She saw me going to school before she passed,” said Megan. “My grandmother that’s still alive used to be a teacher, so she’s on my butt about finishing school. I’m doing it for me, but I’m also doing it for the women in my family who made me who I am today.”
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While juggling her career, school and adjusting to life during the pandemic, Megan remained a fierce advocate for theBlack Lives Matter movementthroughout 2020, joining in on protests against police brutality and systemic racism after the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and countless other Black and brown men and women. She also used her platform tosend an important message when she made herSaturday Night Livedebutlater that fall once she took the stage.
“We need to protect our Black women and love our Black women,” she said. “‘Cause at the end of the day, we need our Black women. We need to protect our Black men and stand up for our Black men, ‘cause at the end of the day, we’re tired of seeing hashtags of our Black men.”
At the end of her performance, Megan and her dancers held their fists high in the air, staring into the camera as the audience applauded.
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Rising from Tragedy
Bennett Raglin/Getty
The summer of 2020 marked an incredibly difficult time for the star, who wasinjured in a shootingthat July. Megan got shot in both of her feet and had to undergo surgery for her injuries. The star opened up during an emotional Instagram Live to say that the traumatizing experience was the worst of her life, and that her recovery process had “definitely made me realize how to move forward.”
“I’m ready to get back to regular programming with my own hot girl s—,” she added.
12of 15Going GlobalRevlon x Megan Thee Stallion.RevlonAfter taking time to heal, the star announced that she had landed her first major beauty campaign as theglobal brand ambassador of Revlon.“I’ve always set the bar high for myself with everything I do, but to now be a brand ambassador for Revlon, it feels like a new level,” Megan said in a statement. “To me, the Revlon brand stands for both beauty and female strength and I’m excited to help define what that means to a new generation of women.“The rapper also recently partnered with Fashion Nova to launch a major philanthropic partnership focused on female empowerment calledWomen on Top. For the entire month of March, Fashion Nova Cares and Megan will highlight various women, entrepreneurs and organizations who’ve been pre-selected to receive $25,000 or more — for a total of $1,000,000 — in donations, grants and scholarships. As part of the campaign, Megan announced a $100,000 donation to theBreonna Taylor Foundation.
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Going Global
Revlon x Megan Thee Stallion.Revlon
After taking time to heal, the star announced that she had landed her first major beauty campaign as theglobal brand ambassador of Revlon.
“I’ve always set the bar high for myself with everything I do, but to now be a brand ambassador for Revlon, it feels like a new level,” Megan said in a statement. “To me, the Revlon brand stands for both beauty and female strength and I’m excited to help define what that means to a new generation of women.”
The rapper also recently partnered with Fashion Nova to launch a major philanthropic partnership focused on female empowerment calledWomen on Top. For the entire month of March, Fashion Nova Cares and Megan will highlight various women, entrepreneurs and organizations who’ve been pre-selected to receive $25,000 or more — for a total of $1,000,000 — in donations, grants and scholarships. As part of the campaign, Megan announced a $100,000 donation to theBreonna Taylor Foundation.
13of 15"WAP” TakeoverAugust 2020 came around and Megan blessed us with yet again another monster hit, this time withCardi B. The two released “WAP” and earned themselves the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100, marking Megan’s second time on top andCardi B’s fourth. The provocative banger also racked up the most first-week streams for a single with 93 million listens, according to Nielsen.
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“WAP” Takeover
August 2020 came around and Megan blessed us with yet again another monster hit, this time withCardi B. The two released “WAP” and earned themselves the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100, marking Megan’s second time on top andCardi B’s fourth. The provocative banger also racked up the most first-week streams for a single with 93 million listens, according to Nielsen.
14of 15Making HistoryAs for the cherry on top to her phenomenal year, the Grammy nominee became the first woman ever to hit No. 1 on the Rap Songwriters chart.Megan shared her heartfelt reaction on Instagram, writing, “Wow🙏🏾 I used to watch my mom write songs in her bed every day when she got off work so I started doing it too. I know she’s proud 💙”
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Making History
As for the cherry on top to her phenomenal year, the Grammy nominee became the first woman ever to hit No. 1 on the Rap Songwriters chart.
Megan shared her heartfelt reaction on Instagram, writing, “Wow🙏🏾 I used to watch my mom write songs in her bed every day when she got off work so I started doing it too. I know she’s proud 💙”
15of 15Grammy GoldMegan Thee Stallion.Kevin Winter/GettyThe star took home Grammys for best rap performance for “Savage” (ft. Beyoncé) and best new artist at the 2021 ceremony, becoming the first female rapper to win best new artist since Lauryn Hill in 1999.
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Grammy Gold
Megan Thee Stallion.Kevin Winter/Getty
The star took home Grammys for best rap performance for “Savage” (ft. Beyoncé) and best new artist at the 2021 ceremony, becoming the first female rapper to win best new artist since Lauryn Hill in 1999.
source: people.com
