One of the most exciting rappers to emerge in the past year is Megan Thee Stallion, a rapper from Texas whose raunchy lyrics and fast flow have garnered her two No. 1 hit songs in 2020. Those songs are “Savage Remix” featuring Beyonce and “WAP” with Cardi B.
With the release of her debut album “Good News,” Megan Thee Stallion continues to flex her strength as a skilled rapper while also experimenting with the genre.
The opening track “Shots Fired” is the best leading track I’ve heard all year. Megan Thee Stallion targets the song at Canadian rapper Tory Lanez after he allegedly shot her in the leg at a party in Los Angeles, California earlier this year. What makes the song so spicy is that Lanez is not directly mentioned by name but instead is described in such detail that most hip-hop fans know who is being talked about.
One of Megan Thee Stallion’s greatest talents is how well her style works with other featured artists. “Savage Remix” sees her and Beyonce express themselves freely and without restraint, giving the song an empowering feeling.
This sentiment does not hold true on the track “Cry Baby,” however, where DaBaby is featured and raps the questionable lines “Like goddamn, what a n***a gotta do for your number? / Shawty came through with that head so good, I said f**k it, I ain’t usin’ no rubber.”
My least favorite part about “Good News” is the middle of the album. More specifically, the songs “Body” and “What’s New.” It seemed like Megan Thee Stallion rushed writing the lyrics and asked the producers to do the same for the production. The songs lack any purpose or meaning and feel like b-sides on a record from the 90s.
Things pick up later and the song “Don’t Rock Me To Sleep” is my favorite song on the album. Instead of rapping, Megan Thee Stallion is singing and it is fantastic. Her voice and delivery remind me of a hybrid between Halsey and early Charli XCX. It is sweet while also conveying poetic honesty.
The lines “Remember who you belong to when they friendly / I shouldn’t have to teach you somethin’ you should be feelin’” demonstrate the lyrical wisdom Megan Thee Stallion has to offer. Producers VYNK and Avedon should also be thanked for making an airy 80s scythe style beat that flows in unison with Megan Thee Stallion’s vocals.
“Good News” is a solid debut album from rising star Megan Thee Stallion. Her versatility in writing lyrics and vocal styles is a tremendous skill set to have in an ever-changing music landscape. The album does suffer from inconsistent features and a weak middle section, but there are enough singles and catchy beats that prevent this album from being background noise.
Megan Thee Stallion has a long career ahead of her and as long as she continues to write and record for herself and no one else, “Good News” will be looked at as the starting point to an allustrious musical career.
Rating:4/5
