Megan Thee Stallion – Sex Talk
Released: 22 March 2019
On BET’s Rules to this Shit, recording artist Mila J expressed her disdain with entertainment’s fixation on image,
“Once you come out as one way, the public will try to pigeon-hole you like ‘Well no, you should only be sexy all the time!’ and if you do something other than that, it’s like ‘Oh my god…is she losing her mind?“
This brings me to Megan Thee Stallion’s most recent single off her upcoming Fever album, “Sex Talk”. Many of us know Meg for her twerk-dancing videos online. In fact, many people reading this may recognize more of her twerking videos than her actual music (I compiled her radio freestyles for those who are unaware of her lyrical skill). Between her twerk videos, the recently-released and hypersexual “Big Ole Freak” video, and her new lead single “Sex Talk”, coupled with a recent major signing with 300 Entertainment, does Megan runs the risk of pigeon-holing herself as a sexual object in Hip-Hop, as noted by Mila J?
We know that Megan can rap, on “Sex Talk” she balances syllables between deafening bass and heavy drums, while deploying Lil Uzi Vert-esque “HUH/ AY” adlibs. On verse 2, Meg utilizes a staggered flow, with an end-couplet rhyme scheme. She ends the song with a double-time flow reminiscent of the Migos.
The skill is all there, and sex sells – a recipe for success, right? But how will this bode for Megan Thee Stallion’s longevity and personal sanity? With legal obligations now to 300 Entertainment, will Meg, a young college student now, be willing to continue this sexual spree of lyrical content and videos as she matures? If she isn’t, what will this mean for her relationship with 300 Entertainment – a label that has recently been in the crossfires of multiple Southern rappers for refusing to release music?
The risk of over-sexualizing seems to be exclusive to women in Hip-Hop (although male rappers face criticisms of derivativity in sex, money, guns and drugs content too), but it seems like Megan is banking on sexuality as her main selling point. As Mila J noted with BET: will Megan, who is leading with sexuality, pigeon-hole herself as a sex-object so deep that her fanbase and/or label won’t respond if she steps away from sexual content?
Only time will tell.
Megan Thee Stallion – “Sex Talk”
★★★: Good; fans of the artist will find value here.
Rating Categories:
★★★★★: Best in show; pinnacle release from an all-time great artist.
★★★★1/2: Stellar example of genre; peak potential.
★★★★: Excellent; recommended to all fans of artist or genre.
★★★1/2: Very good; a few bland songs or minor flaws throughout.
★★★: Good; fans of the artist will find value here.
★★1/2: Average; does little to establish the artist or maintain quality.
★★: Unexceptional; a few highlights but otherwise bland.
★1/2: Weak; unrecommended for anyone but major fans of the style and/or artist.
★: Seriously flawed; very poor work but relatively listenable.
1/2: Terrible; a true embarrassment and akin to audio masochism.