Culture
Hot Girls Deserve Rest Too
Megan Thee Stallion is prioritizing her mental health and encouraging her fans to do the same.December 9, 2022 | By Leila Cox
Megan Thee Stallion performs “Anxiety” at Saturday Night Live on Oct. 15, 2022.
F
or Saturday Night Live's Season 48, three-time Grammy Award-winner Megan Thee Stallion served as this season's first host and musical guest combo and is only the second woman rapper to do so since Queen Latifah in 2004. The H-Town hottie commanded the SNL stage and performed three songs from her second studio album, Tramauzine. A day before Saturday Night Live and just a day after her Los Angeles home was robbed, Megan announced that she needs to take a break.
PHOTO: MEGAN THEE STALLION/ TWITTER
The 27-year old artist has always been vocal about mental health advocacy and about her personal issues regarding anxiety, depression and grieving the loss of her mother. Her latest album Traumazine touches on her intimacy with sadness and grief while having the platform that she has. In an Apple Music interview earlier this year the artist shared that she does not get a lot of time to just be Megan before Megan Thee Stallion and writing Traumazine was her outlet.
PHOTO: MEGAN THEE STALLION/ APPLE MUSIC
"Some of the songs on Traumazine are definitely me venting, I feel like the album is more for me than anybody else,'' she said in the Apple Music interview. Megan explained how her song "Anxiety" was originally a diary entry to herself before she took it to the booth. "Anxiety is not even a song that I wanted to write for other people, like I wrote it for me, to me and kind of like to my momma a little bit, and it was rough but I got through it," she said.
Megan Thee Stallion gave a raw, emotional performance of her Traumazine track "Anxiety" on Saturday Night Live. The performance was inspired by a beauty pageant, with Megan wearing a shimmery red gown and a white sash that read, "Miss Anxiety." Behind the rapper were 5 dancers also in pageant dresses with sashes that read, "Ms. Overworked", "Ms. Underpaid", "Ms. Insecure", “Ms. Overwhelmed" and "Ms. Overlooked". For many Black women these labels hit way too close to home and it hit home for Megan as she began to rap the second verse.
"If I could write a letter to Heaven/ I would tell my mama that I shoulda been listenin'/ And I would tell her that I really been wildin'/ And ask her to forgive me, 'cause I really been tryin'. And I would ask please, show me who been real/ And get 'em from around me if they all been fake."
Viewers and critics praised Megan Thee Stallion's recent double duty job and applauded her for her vulnerability on stage. There are not many spaces where you can see Black women in real time being something other than the strong Black woman trope that is expected of us at all times. Megan continues to show the world layers of herself that demonstrate that Black women are humans after all. Thank you Megan.
Megan Thee Stallion gave a raw, emotional performance of her Traumazine track "Anxiety" on Saturday Night Live. The performance was inspired by a beauty pageant, with Megan wearing a shimmery red gown and a white sash that read, "Miss Anxiety." Behind the rapper were 5 dancers also in pageant dresses with sashes that read, "Ms. Overworked", "Ms. Underpaid", "Ms. Insecure", “Ms. Overwhelmed" and "Ms. Overlooked". For many Black women these labels hit way too close to home and it hit home for Megan as she began to rap the second verse.
"If I could write a letter to Heaven/ I would tell my mama that I shoulda been listenin'/ And I would tell her that I really been wildin'/ And ask her to forgive me, 'cause I really been tryin'. And I would ask please, show me who been real/ And get 'em from around me if they all been fake."
Viewers and critics praised Megan Thee Stallion's recent double duty job and applauded her for her vulnerability on stage. There are not many spaces where you can see Black women in real time being something other than the strong Black woman trope that is expected of us at all times. Megan continues to show the world layers of herself that demonstrate that Black women are humans after all. Thank you Megan.
PHOTO: BAD BITCHES HAVE BAD DAYS TOO WEBSITE Thee Stallion's latest endeavor "Bad Bitches Have Bad Days Too" is another testament to her unwavering mental health advocacy. The artist officially launched a mental health website that features a variety of resources for mental health treatment for both the Black community and LGBTQ+ people of color.
Named after a lyric in her song “Anxiety”, the website consists of direct links to different therapy platforms, podcasts about mental health, inclusive organizations and crisis hotlines such as the National Alliance of Mental Illness, the LBGTQ Psychotherapist of Color Directory, the Dear Black Woman Project etc. At the bottom of the website, there is a link to help users find a therapist and sign up for updates for new resources.
Megan Thee Stallion unapologetically uses her platform to speak out for the safety of Black women despite her own story having become part of a movement that is often ignored. A controversial new Drake lyric that appears to question Megan Thee Stallion’s account of getting shot in 2020 has sparked backlash.
“This b—- lie’ bout gettin’ shots, but she still a stallion/ She don’t even get the joke but she still smilin.” Drake raps in his song “Circo Loco'' with 21 Savage on his latest album, “Her Loss”.
Named after a lyric in her song “Anxiety”, the website consists of direct links to different therapy platforms, podcasts about mental health, inclusive organizations and crisis hotlines such as the National Alliance of Mental Illness, the LBGTQ Psychotherapist of Color Directory, the Dear Black Woman Project etc. At the bottom of the website, there is a link to help users find a therapist and sign up for updates for new resources.
Megan Thee Stallion unapologetically uses her platform to speak out for the safety of Black women despite her own story having become part of a movement that is often ignored. A controversial new Drake lyric that appears to question Megan Thee Stallion’s account of getting shot in 2020 has sparked backlash.
“This b—- lie’ bout gettin’ shots, but she still a stallion/ She don’t even get the joke but she still smilin.” Drake raps in his song “Circo Loco'' with 21 Savage on his latest album, “Her Loss”.
PHOTO: MEGAN THEE STALLION/ TWITTER
In response to the perpetual misogyny directed towards Megan The Stallion and countless victims of domestic violence and abuse, The Southern Black Girls & Women’s Consortium, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, #MeToo founder Tarana Burke, Women’s March organizer Tamika Mallory and other women in power joined forces in writing an open letter to the Houston rapper to declare support and denounce violence against women.
“You don’t deserve any of this, Megan,” the letter offers. “You deserve to be heard, to be believed, and most importantly, to be safe. You’ve been so strong, Megan, but that’s not what we should expect from you. You deserve the space to cry, mourn and heal as you see fit without having to worry about being judged for having a human reaction to a personal tragedy.”
In the face of adversity Megan continuously shares with the world how she overcomes life challenges and keeps a positive outlook on life. Last week the Houston rapper became the first Black woman to appear on the cover of Forbes magazine’s annual 30 under 30 edition.
“You don’t deserve any of this, Megan,” the letter offers. “You deserve to be heard, to be believed, and most importantly, to be safe. You’ve been so strong, Megan, but that’s not what we should expect from you. You deserve the space to cry, mourn and heal as you see fit without having to worry about being judged for having a human reaction to a personal tragedy.”
In the face of adversity Megan continuously shares with the world how she overcomes life challenges and keeps a positive outlook on life. Last week the Houston rapper became the first Black woman to appear on the cover of Forbes magazine’s annual 30 under 30 edition.
PHOTO: MEGAN THEE STALLION/ FORBES:RAMONA ROSALES
To Megan Thee Stallion and all Black women that exist in a blinding spotlight, remember that it is perfectly acceptable to take a break to reset to where you need to be.
For more mental health resources visit www.badbitcheshavebaddaystoo.com
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