EXTRA, EXTRA! Megan Thee Stallion has finally arrived with her official debut album, Good News. Without a doubt, nobody has been more prolific in hip-hop this year than the H-Town Hottie herself. As her stardom has increased instantaneously, the public has seen a headline of every update in her own life. Within the past year, the 25-year-old rapper has battled through a fiasco with her record label, the passing of her mother and grandmother, and being shot. On the flip side, she has exceeded expectations amidst the pressure and naysayers as she's snagged two #1 singles and stacked an array of standout guest appearances without a debut. Now that her name has become the center of attention, there isn't a better time to present her first full-length.
The intro "Shots Fired" is an attention grabber that immediately addresses the elephant in the room. Using the infamous "Who Shot Ya" sample, she spends the first three minutes off-loading the clip about the shooting incident in July with alleged shooter Tory Lanez. Megan pulls no punches as she breaks her silence about the allegations with more detail than ever.
"And if it weren't for me, same week, you'd a been indicted,
You offered Ms not to talk, I guess that made my friend excited,
Now y'all in cahoots, you a pussy boots,
You a shot a 5'10 b**ch with a .22"
A little more on the conceptual side, "Circles" is an inspired comeback track for Hotties of all kind. The Houston spitter uses the New Orleans sound and a sped-up Jasmine Sullivan hook to brush her shoulders off and gracefully moves on from all negative situations. The same goes for 'What's New", the deep album cut that acknowledges unwillingly being the topic of discussion.
One thing that immediately stands out is Megan's refusal to play the victim or bow down. She delivers with so much bravado and confidence that it makes you uncomfortable if you can't match her energy. It's ideologies like these that make the Hot Girl comes alive on jams like "Sugar Baby".
A strong suit for this album definitely lies in its selection of collaborations. One that immediately standouts is the electrifying third track "Cry Baby" featuring frequent collaborator DaBaby. It's songs like this that are responsible for Megan's allure as she effortlessly boasts about possessing prowess that could make a man want to wear her hoodie. "Freaky Girls" is another great example as she teams up with R&B superstar SZA to deliver an ode for the grown and sexy. The mood is set once the beat drops alluding to the raunchy Adina Howard classic. Their seductive duet embodies the essence of what those 2 AM sneaky links feel like during Homecoming celebrations (s/o Texas Southern).
Thee Stallion and the City Girls flex heavy when they cross paths on "Do It On the Tip". The Miami bass shines throughout this joint as Megan, Caresha, and JT make a tune that could have the thickest in the room touching her toes. The most surprising collaboration can be found on "Intercourse", the dancehall-infused track with Popcaan & Mustard. The song holds promising signs for the range of her sound as it sounds clearly away from her comfort zone.
Of course, this wouldn't be a true Megan album without the uptempo erotic anthems. "Body" is a bawdy track where Megan reclaims full control of her sex appeal and sells temptation like none other. The NSFW-like moans that make up the production allow the "Savage" rapper to heat things up on her own terms.
The album closer "Outside" plays nicely on the juxtapose between wanted freedom within a post-quarantine world and a personal one to be herself without having to explain herself. One could say that Megan has fought to fight for herself tirelessly since she's rose to prominence. This is why the outro is a joyous encore as she admits to her Hot Girl ways while concluding that she won't change for anybody.
"I ain't for the streets, 'cause b**ch I am the street,
and I ain't on these n**as, all these n**as they on me,
I'ma be outside until I don't want to be,
and I'ma show this ass 'cause it's what they want to see"
The Good News about this album is that Megan exceeded expectations by delivering a memorable debut project. Everything about Megan's debut album screams empowerment wearing a pair of heels. Many of the song listings on here carry heavy themes of remorseless living and a blatant disregard for those disagreeing. The authenticity of her sound and the sincerity of her delivery takes this project up a level. Megan is the running headline but she reminds everyone in her debut that she's still the one controlling the narrative.
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