Megan Thee Stallion, who has been working hard and winning all year long, is giving insight into some of the moments that made headlines and what to expect from her upcoming music.
She's ready to embark on a new chapter.
The Houston native is on the verge of a strong comeback following her year-long hiatus, as Blavity previously reported, due to all the noise surrounding the Tory Lanez shooting case that consumed her life over the past few years.
The rapper recently sat down with Billboard to discuss some of the highlights of her year, which included fitness, new music, her friendship with Cardi B, meeting Justin Timberlake at the 2023 MTV VMAs, and more. According to the publication, following the sentencing hearing of Lanez on August 11, she admitted that she feels like a weight has been lifted off her shoulders as she enters the next phase of her life.
“I feel like I’m finally closing all the old chapters and now I’m starting with a blank slate,” she said. “Very fresh, very new. I think the Hotties are gonna be so excited.”
Her well-being comes first these days.
A major assist in her journey was shifting her focus to her health. When the three-time Grammy winner posted a photo to Instagram in March after a much-needed break, it was apparent the young star had been hitting the gym.
“Physical fitness helps me with my mental. If I feel like I’m a little stressed or I’m a little whatever I’m feeling that day, I know I can go let it out in the gym and it helps me clear my mind,” she explained. “I love boxing. I love anything HIIT [high-intensity interval training]-wise. I love pushing myself. When I’m in the gym, I’m like, ‘Girl, if you can’t do two more squats, I don’t know if you’re gonna be able to handle two more comments!'”
She continued, “So, I definitely go in the gym and I push myself and I motivate myself and I’m pushing my body. But, to push your body, I feel like it’s to push yourself mentally. The gym is definitely a mental thing. To get yourself out the bed in the morning or whatever part of the day, even if you don’t have time to work out in the morning, if you push yourself to finish your day and go to the gym, I feel like it’s all mental.”
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She's in awe of the impact she's making.
The leader of the Hot Girl community opened up about how leaning into her authentic self has led to catchphrases like “real hot girl sh**,” which has become a staple of her brand as her fans, aka the Hotties, and other celebrities continue to use it in everyday conversation.
“I feel surprised half the time. Like, wow, I really just be talking, and I just be living, and people are like, ‘Yes, I wanna do that too!’ [Laughs.] I feel like it’s amazing to just authentically be myself and it, you know, translates into a brand,” she told Billboard. “And it makes me feel like, ‘OK, you know what? I can’t be doing too bad, right?!”
She counts fellow rapper Cardi B as a true friend.
At the 2023 MTV VMAs, held a week ago, Megan took the stage with her partner-in-crime Cardi B. They performed their new single “Bongos,” which debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100.
“I know for myself, I don’t make music with any expectations. I don’t really care about charts and stuff like that,” she said. “Obviously, everybody wanna be No. 1, everybody wants to win, everybody wants to give their fans these bragging rights. But I just make music because I love to make music, so I’m not making it like, ‘Oh, I gotta top this’ or ‘Oh, we have to be better than the last time.'”
She added, “I wasn’t expecting it to be anything like ‘WAP’ because we’re not even in the same headspace. I think it was COVID. Baby, we was in the house recording! [Laughs.] Now we outside! It’s time for everybody to be in a good mood. It’s time for everybody to feel a different way. I was so excited when [Cardi] sent me this song because I had never recorded over a beat like that before.”
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In addition, the Texas Southern University graduate detailed what makes teaming up with Cardi so easy.
“I love the creative freedom that she gives me. She’s always open to whatever I’m saying or any suggestion, so I love that about her,” the Flamin’ Hot Cheeto brand ambassador said. “She not scared to try nothing, and her ego ain’t big. She’s not a woman that’s scared to say ‘you’re right.’ So, I really love that about her work-wise.”
She continued, “Friendship-wise, she’s just so real. When I first met her, she was so shy! Anybody’ll probably see her online and they think her personality gonna be one way, no, it’s so opposite. But like as we got more [close as] friends — you know people start off shy and then they get like ‘Oh, yeah, this the real you?’ — I feel like I definitely get to see the real her. She’s just so nice, and she’s really a kind person. That’s what I really like about her. And she just raw.”
She cleared the air about meeting Justin Timberlake at the VMAs.
While at this year’s MTV VMAs ceremony, she crossed paths with Justin Timberlake who expressed to her that he was a fan of hers. As Blavity previously reported, a short video of the moment went viral due to onlookers’ assumption that they were arguing.
The two stars quickly shut down the rumors when Megan posted a video of them laughing at an afterparty event. In the clip, Timberlake mouthed “real hot girl sh**” in the camera, which shocked her.
“Dawg! That’s why my mouth was open big! I was so excited! It’s a good feeling when you know the icons know about you. It made me feel good. I was like, ‘C’mon, real hot girl sh—!'”
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She promised music is coming soon.
When it comes to new music, Megan hinted that her fans won’t have to wait too much longer.
“It’s definitely coming very soon. I’m really excited about this chapter of my life because I feel like I’m finally closing all the old chapters, and now I’m starting with a blank slate,” she said. “Very fresh, very new. I think Thee Hotties are gonna be so excited. I’m trying different things. I got a lot of things that I produced with Ju and with some new producers.”
“The tea is… everything about the music is tea! [Laughs] Just expect the unexpected. Expect a lot of rawness, a lot of realness, a lot of sh— talking. Just know I’m coming and I hope everybody ready.”
We’re so excited to see and hear what Megan’s got up her sleeve!
