Megan Thee Stallion
Biography
Megan Jovon Ruth Pete, known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter born on February 15, 1995, in San Antonio, Texas. Shortly after her birth, she moved to Houston, where she was raised in the South Park neighborhood. Her mother, Holly Thomas, was a rapper known as "Holly-Wood," and often brought Megan to recording sessions, which sparked her interest in music. Megan began writing her own raps at age 14. She adopted the stage name "Megan Thee Stallion" because she was called a "stallion" during her adolescence due to her height and build.
Career Beginnings
Megan's career began to gain traction when videos of her freestyling went viral on social media. In 2016, she released her first single, "Like a Stallion," followed by the mixtapes 'Rich Ratchet' (2016) and 'Megan Mix' (2017) on SoundCloud. Her professional solo debut came in 2017 with the EP 'Make It Hot'. In 2018, she signed with 1501 Certified Entertainment, becoming the first female rapper on the label. That same year, she released the EP 'Tina Snow', named after her alter ego, which gained critical acclaim. The single "Big Ole Freak" from the EP became her first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2019.
Rise to Stardom
Megan's mainstream breakthrough came in 2019 with the release of her mixtape 'Fever', which was critically acclaimed and introduced her "Hot Girl Meg" persona. The mixtape featured the hit single "Cash Shit" featuring DaBaby. That summer, she popularized the phrase "Hot Girl Summer," releasing a song of the same name with Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign. In 2020, she released the EP 'Suga', which was originally intended to be her debut album. The EP included the single "Savage," which, aided by a remix featuring Beyoncé, became her first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100. Later that year, she was featured on Cardi B's number-one single "WAP".
Debut Album and Recent Work
Megan Thee Stallion released her debut studio album, 'Good News', on November 20, 2020. The album was met with widespread critical acclaim and featured guest appearances from artists like DaBaby, SZA, and Big Sean. It included the singles "Girls in the Hood" and "Body". Her second album, 'Traumazine', was released in 2022. In 2024, she released the song "Hiss," which debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. She followed this success with her third studio album, 'Megan'.
Awards and Philanthropy
Throughout her career, Megan Thee Stallion has won numerous awards, including three Grammy Awards, six BET Awards, and five BET Hip Hop Awards. At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, she won Best New Artist, becoming the second female rapper to do so after Lauryn Hill. In 2020, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Beyond music, Megan is a philanthropist. She founded the Pete and Thomas Foundation in honor of her late parents, which focuses on education, housing, and health for women, children, and underserved communities in Houston and globally. She graduated from Texas Southern University with a Bachelor of Science degree in health administration in 2021.