Megan Thee Stallion, Good News | Album Review 💿

Megan Thee Stallion brings the heat on her cocky, confident, hypersexual, and unapologetic debut album, Good News.

What’s the best way to capitalize on a great year if you’re a musician? Release an album, of course! For 🎙 Megan Thee Stallion, it’s the perfect time to drop her debut album, 💿 Good News. 2020 has been one hell of a year for everyone, yet Thee Stallion helped bring us some joy with big-time singles like “Captain Hook”, “Savage” and “WAP” (with Cardi B).  After suffering her own unfortunate setbacks, which she addresses on the album, she continues to bring a smile to fans and Stans’ faces with this cocky, confident, and hyper-sexual debut album.

“Shots Fired”

“Imagine ni**as lyin’ ‘bout shootin’ a real bitch / Just to save face for rapper ni**as you chill with.” Woo! Talk about starting an album fiery, Megan Thee Stallion indeed ‘fires shots’ on ✅ 🎵 “Shots Fired.” The banger is produced by 🎙 Buddah Bless and samples The Notorious B.I.G. (“Who Shot Ya”).  Who does Megan shoot at exactly? Tory Lanez, and honestly, she obliterates him following the infamous incident where he shot her in the foot in Summer 2020.  She goes in, not only on him, but also calls out “a lotta weak ni**as” who “hate me, but watch my videos beatin’ they d**k.”  Shots fired indeed!

After she gets that off her chest, she enlists 🎙 Rick Star Did It and 🎙 Cool N Dre to work the boards on ✅ 🎵 “Circles.” Once again, the gift that is sampling fuels the fire, this time, enlisting Jazmine Sullivan (“Holding You Down (Goin’ in Circles)” from Love Me Back).  After totally obliterating Tory Lanez, she mostly focuses on being a ‘bad bitch.’ Still, she references her adversity (“Bullet wounds, backstabs, mama died, still sad”) and throws some shade (“Ni**as love usin’ Instagram like a journal”).  Most importantly, Thee Stallion informs us “We ain’t goin’ back and forth with the lil boys.” 🚫🎓!

“Cry Baby”

Following two solo cuts, Megan Thee Stallion invites a guest: 🎙 DaBaby.  She contributed to his album, BLAME IT ON BABY on the filthy “Nasty”, so, it’s fitting he reciprocates on ✅ 🎵 “Cry Baby.” On this skeletal banger (produced by 🎙 d.a. got that dope, as to be expected, DaBaby is true to self – sexed TF up. Exhibit A:

“She got her hands on her knees with her ass in the air, ooh, that lil’ bitch a player
If her friends ain’t around to record it, she bend over, shake that lil’ ass in the mirror...”

Of course, Megan matches his intensity, insisting he’s “Moaning like a bitch when he hit this p***y,” while encouraging him to “Choke me, spank me, look at me, thank me.”  If that wasn’t enough sex, 🎙 City Girls join her on the follow up, 🎵 “Do It on the Tip.” No worries, because you don’t have to leave anything to the imagination – that’s not how Megan, 🎙 JT, and 🎙 Yung Miami roll.  The modus operandi is stimulation on the male member, period.  The task is accomplished via three verses and the repetitive “Do it on the d**k” chorus.  What more can you say but “Real hot girl shit!

🎵 “Sugar Baby” continues to find Megan Thee Stallion being ‘bad.’  One of the best lines of the song occurs on the pre-chorus where she asserts, “Invest in this p***y, boy, support black business.” Day-um! The beats continue to be a strong suit, with 🎙 Helluva Beats stitching things up.  The big takeaway from “Sugar Baby?” If you want a bad bitch, you’ve got to pay for her… something like that!

“Movie” 

The bangers don’t seem to end on Good News which is indeed ‘good news’ for Megan Thee Stallion fans.  On 🎵 “Movie” she’s supported by a 🎙 Tay Keith beat and the assist by 🎙 Lil Durk. As the title suggests, a ‘flick’ is involved, and it is definitely NC-17.  “Eat my coochie, let’s make a movie, ni**a,” Megan spits on the first verse, continuing, “I’m talking ASMR, let me hear you chew it, ni**a.” Nasty! Lil Durk adds to this strip club anthem, placing emphasis on ‘bouncing’ and ‘shaking.’

🎙 SZA adds some girl power to 🎵 “Freaky Girls,” which is produced by 🎙 Juicy J. The sex remains off the charts, obvious when the first words out of Megan’s mouth are “Freaky bitch, I do this, suck it like I’m toothless…” There are more unforgettable, absolutely filthy lyrics with “Bust that p***y wide, let him adventure inside / If my p***y was a beach, he get swept up by the tide” leading the charge.  SZA isn’t ‘clean’ herself on the chorus, providing Thee Stallion with a pretty sweet vocal lift.

Of course, one of the most unforgettable songs of Good News follows: ✅ 🎵 “Body.” When a song begins with a woman moaning sexually, you know exactly what’s about to follow. 🎙 LilJuMadeDaBeat definitely inspires Megan Thee Stallion to get totally ‘down n dirty.’ In the process, she wins us over with naughty infectiousness, thanks to the chorus which expands the word body from being a two-syllable word into a multisyllabic one.  She breaks from the pattern long enough to throw in “Body crazy, curvy, wavy, big titties, lil’ waist.” If you listened to no more of the song, you’d get the premise.  Perhaps you might characterize Megan as being cocky, but she’s no cockier or different from her male counterparts.

“What’s New”

🎵 “What’s New” definitely has a tough act to follow.  No problem as Megan continues to exude toughness and obliterates the haters.  “They think I’m weak in this bitch,” she raps on the third verse, continuing, “Instead of me teachin’ these hoes / I probably should’ve been readin’ a bitch.” On God! Anyways, with Juicy J behind the boards once more (with 🎙 Z3N), and a prominent Juvenile sample fueling the fire (“Rodeo”), the heat continues on “Work That.” There’s nothing game changing, but once more, the chorus is naughty yet utterly infectious, and Thee Stallion delivers totally unapologetic, agile bars. “Hold that stick like I’m a symphony,” she spits on the second verse, continuing, “For these simps, I have no sympathy.” Can you say 🎤💧!

She dips her toes into some Jamaican dancehall on 🎵 “Intercourse” (🤔, wonder where she’s going with that title). She’s joined by 🎙 Mustard, who produces, and 🎙 Popcaan.  While the sound of the record marks a contrast to much of Good News, I found it to be cut that is skippable and ultimately could be omitted.  Honestly, it takes a lot of skill to pull off Jamaican, dancehall, and reggae, and sometimes, records that integrate it in fall short.  Some will indeed like this one, but personally, didn’t truly entice me.

“Go Crazy”

No worries as 🎙 Big Sean (verse two) and 🎙 2 Chainz (verse four) are definitely ‘true to self’ on the banging ✅ 🎵 “Go Crazy.”  Samples propel “Go Crazy” to another level – “Bitches (Reply)” (DJ Jimi) and “ABC” (The Jackson 5). Putting all this together behind the boards is a team comprised of 🎙 Nicki Pooyandeh, 🎙 Benjamin Lasnier, and 🎙 J.R. Rotem. Of course, Thee Stallion makes it clear she’s “the shit” and that she “ain’t gotta prove it / Finna go dumb since these hoes think I’m stupid.”

🎵 “Don’t Rock Me to Sleep” is quite a change of pace.  More melodic and incorporating a danceable R&B backdrop, it shows more versatility from Megan. Yes, she’s still profane, but she reins it in more than usual.  If you missed the ‘toughness,’ it returns on 🎵 “Outside,” which still has melodic moments but not quite to the same degree. Worth noting, once more, is sweet production by Juicy J.

“Savage Remix” 

“I’m a savage / Classy, bougie, ratchet / Sassy, moody, nasty / Acting stupid, what’s happening? / Bitch, what’s happening?” Unsurprisingly, ✅ 🎵 “Savage Remix” featuring Beyoncé makes its way on Good News. “Savage Remix” is starkly different from the original.  The essence of the original doesn’t change, but lyrically, it’s a complete contrast.  Beyoncé puts her stamp on the remix early on and has a sizable role on the record.  Megan then delivers the first verse, contrasting the original and adding some Bey ad-libs.  Likewise, Bey ad-libs on the chorus before dropping a sexy, savage verse of her own.  Essentially, the focus is on booty. Moving to the third verse, both women contribute to the savagery equally, with some joint moments.  On a rare fourth verse, Bey takes the reins, before one final collaborative chorus with Megan. Savagely good!

“Fuck bein’ good, I’m a bad bitch…” Ah ✅ 🎵 “Girls in the Hood” – another successful banger from the ever-unapologetic rapper. “Girls in the Hood” is short but sweet, featuring fine production work from 🎙 Illadaproducer and 🎙 Scott Storch, including some old-school hip-hop cues coupled with a modern, hard-hitting beat. The biggest reason for the success of the record is Megan, who serves up plenty of aggressive lyrics. Continuing to be a self-described “bad bitch,” she’s sexed up and assertive AF about what she does to her men (“I’ma make him eat me out while I’m watchin’ anime”). There is no shortage of colorful one-liners.  The catchy chorus serves as the centerpiece.

🎵 “Don’t Stop” concludes Good News with some bite (and more sex). Budda Bless gives Megan another lit beat to work with. 🎙 Young Thug provides the assist on the second verse, playing off the The Stallion’s sexual rhymes on the first.  “Don’t Stop” isn’t the crowning achievement of Good News, but it does give Megan another undisputed banger.

Final Thoughts 💭

So, how does Good News stack up? All in all, it’s an enjoyable debut album by Megan Thee Stallion that finds her being ‘true to self.’ She’s already established herself as being incredibly confident, sexed-up, and unapologetic, so, we would’ve been totally surprised if Good News didn’t highlight those characteristics.  Is this a perfect album? No.  The sex grows overabundant at points.  There are times you’d like for Megan to show more range – be more transcendent.  The fact that she’s not is no dealbreaker of course – there’s plenty to like and spin repeatedly on Good News.

✅ Gems 💎: “Shots Fired,” “Circles,” “Cry Baby,” “Body,” “Go Crazy,” “Savage Remix” & “Girls in the Hood”  

🎙 Meghan Thee Stallion • 💿 Good News • 🏷 1501 Certified Ent. LLC / 300 Entertainment • 🗓 11.20.20

[📷: 1501 Certified Ent. LLC / 300 Entertainment]