★★★★☆
Fresh off the release of her third studio album MEGAN in June, Megan Thee Stallion returns with the album’s deluxe version, MEGAN: ACT II, to reinforce her lyrical prowess and space in the rap industry. She boasts her talent further by exploring different sounds and genres, such as rave pop in the deluxe album’s 12th track “Like a Freak” and the R&B-inspired “Best Friend,” the album’s fifth track.
Earlier in the summer, the Houston-born rapper released “HISS” as her second single from MEGAN. In her lyrics, Megan shot back at Nicki Minaj’s previous insults toward her.
“These h—s don’t be mad at Megan / these h—s mad at Megan’s Law,” Megan says.
“HISS” became a cultural phenomenon, going viral on platforms such as TikTok and X, and set the stage for the rivalry between Kendrick Lamar and Drake.
Megan still engages in rivalry in MEGAN: ACT II, just in a different manner. Rather than explicitly calling out those who have been insulting her, Megan reinforces her own confidence in the face of insults or hate that she has received. MEGAN: ACT II represents the radical act of self-love and self-confidence in a society filled with vitriol and hate toward women, especially Black women.
Megan opens the deluxe tracks with “Bigger in Texas,” a reference to her home state. She raps lyrics about her success in her career, addressing hate in a positive way.
“Ayy, I’m at the top of my game, I’m who they hate / This shit come with the fame, that’s how I knew that I made it,” Megan raps, most likely in reference to the hate that she received from both men and women concerning the Tory Lanez trial, where he received 10 years in prison for shooting the rapper in her foot.
The second track on MEGAN: ACT II, “Bourbon,” exhibits a moodier, smoother, more R&B inspired beat. Megan expresses her confidence, especially in her body and relationships, and how she no longer engages with those who send her hate.
“Think you my opp but it’s all in your head,” Stallion raps slyly.
“Number One Rule” acts as an anthem for anybody who has forgotten their self-confidence in their relationships with men. Megan encourages her listeners to refrain from “chasing” men, and reminds them to not forget who they are when feeling upset about how men treat them.
“I’m sittin’ here thinkin’ to myself, hold up / damn, b—, you trippin’ / Why you on the phone goin’ back and forth,” Megan reflects.
The next track, “Roc Steady” circles back to self-confidence about one’s body. While this track seems a bit repetitive in the larger picture of Megan’s larger discography, Flo Milli’s feature and the song’s sample of “Goodies” by Ciara breathe new life into the track. This same pattern occurs in the album’s sixth track, “Right Now.” This track, however, unfortunately does not have a feature nor a sample to bring it some novelty.
“Best Friend,” the fifth track on MEGAN: ACT II, cements itself as the deluxe’s standout track through its fresh, R&B inspired production. The singing juxtaposed with rapping is reminiscent of 2000s R&B hits. Coupled with the song’s glittery-sounding instrumental, “Best Friend” is an immensely successful track.
“I like girls that like girls, that attract me / I got a b— and a man, make ’em tag team,” Megan raps about her bisexuality.
“Mamushi” from the original MEGAN is remixed into the deluxe album’s seventh track, “Mamushi (Remix). Featuring TWICE, a highly successful Korean girl group whose notoriety extends beyond Korea into Japan and America, this track successfully capitalizes on the virality of the original track. The song features a fresh verse from both Megan and TWICE in addition to catchy quips from TWICE’s members.
In this track, Megan again raps about her success.
“I get money, I’m a star,” affirms the track’s most viral line.
In “TYG,” Megan engages in a style of a rap that is quite novel for her, reminiscent of the more aggressive styles of artists like Tyler, the Creator. Megan features the heavy metal artist Spiritbox to add a heavy guitar flair to the song.
“Motion” further affirms Megan’s confidence. The track’s spoken intro and catchy beat make the track a quick earworm.
“God—, y’all b—-s annoyin’ as f— / Don’t like Thee Stallion? Then listen to her / Hmm, oh now it’s quiet, comparin’ me to these rap h—s so tired.”
“Fell in Love” and “He Think I Love Him,” tracks 10 and 11 respectively, paint the story of a relationship gone wrong. While “Fell in Love” is all about falling in love, as the title suggests, “He Think I Love Him” depicts Megan’s philosophy when relationships go wrong. She remains confident and still believes that she deserves the best from a man.
“He ain’t mine if I hear him say, ‘It costs too much’ / Wagyu my beef, I ain’t tryna act tough / My name hold weight like I walk around buff, ah,” Megan raps.
“Like a Freak,” the album’s penultimate track, samples “Like a G6” by the Far East Movement. This sample adds a fun dance, rave pop element to the track. This sample elevates the track past its original form, taking it into new territory.
The final track of the album “Neva Play” is a satisfying conclusion to the genre-filled MEGAN: ACT II. Over a techno beat, Megan reinforces the overarching themes of her album—she raps again about her success and her confidence. RM, of BTS fame, adds a new layer to the track with a raspy, breathy rap verse, touching on the same themes Megan explores throughout the whole album.
Above all, MEGAN: ACT II lets its listeners know that Megan is still running the rap world, and it doesn’t seem like she will be slowing down anytime soon.
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