Fall Fest Concert: Megan Thee Stallion

With raps that are candy coated and set on fire, Megan Thee Stallion is building a strong foundation rooted in talent, fearlessness and grace. Growing up in Houston, the 23-year-old rapper (b. Megan Pete) was blessed with the tutelage of her wordsmith mother, Holly Thomas, who rapped under the moniker Holly-Wood. As a young girl quietly studying her mom's moves in the studio and learning firsthand the art behind MCing as a bright-eyed observer, Megan began writing her own rhymes in secret. Later during her teenage years, the aspiring artist revealed her authentic interest in becoming a rapper to her mom, who was admittedly taken aback by both her daughter's explicit bars and penchant for spitting alike. After sagely mandating that Megan wait until she turns 21 to fully embark on her destined path as a rapper, the pair began working together to help carefully curate the direction of Megan's career once she came into her own as an adult.

While wholeheartedly trusting her passion for hip-hop would be properly ignited in due time, Megan enrolled as a student at Prairie View A&M University, where she began earning a Bachelor's Degree in health administration, an area of study that fuels her longtime goal to open assisted living facilities around Houston. After transferring to Texas Southern University in her junior year, she continued balancing her schoolwork with her developing artistry. Megan, through the guidance of her mother's Pretty Time Entertainment management company, went on to meet producer TA and record her first single, "Like a Stallion," in April 2016. Soon thereafter, the born entertainer experienced her first onslaught of digital reinforcement when her instinctually quick-witted ability to freestyle was captured on video and began racking up hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube.

After garnering an early buzz on social media off the strength of her "Houston Cypher," which featured her going in over Drake's "4pm in Calabasas," she dropped her first mixtape on SoundCloud, 2016's Rich Ratchet. The following year, her "Stalli Freestyle" took off, becoming a moment of conviction that years of perfecting her craft and relentlessly putting in work were beginning to pay off. The rework of XXXTentacion's "Look At Me!" racked up over 2 million plays, showcasing her profound confidence, lyrical dexterity and polished delivery, all of which was amplified on 2017’s Make It Hot EP. The 7-track project paired with her unshakeable charisma won over the attention of Houston legend, T. Farris, whose encouragement helped facilitate her signing to 1501 Certified, a record label owned by retired baseball player, Carl Crawford. Continuing her momentum in 2018, Megan Thee Stallion dropped her Tina Snow project, which debuted at No. 11 on the iTunes Hip-Hop chart. Throughout the 10-track collection, Megan channels her all-time favorite rapper and biggest influence, Pimp C, trying her hand at an alter ego inspired by the late UGK member's Tony Snow persona. Finding ways to experiment with her sound without straying too far from those who inspire her the most, such as the Notorious B.I.G and Southern heavyweights including Bun B, Three 6 Mafia and Project Pat, to name a few, became Megan's sweet spot, finding solace in carving her own lane and paying homage to those who helped pave the way.

In 2018, she was tapped to join Iggy Azalea on her Bad Girls tour alongside CupcakKe, and while the 21-trek was canceled due to unforeseen circumstances, the endorsement from the Grammy-nominated rapper did not go unnoticed by the mainstream audience, with a growing fanbase eager to learn more about the H-Town Hottie.