With her popularity seemingly rising every day and more opportunities coming her way, Houston's own Megan Thee Stallion understands the value of never giving up. Coming to prominence due to her edge, outright technical skill, strong pro-woman stance and liberated image, Megan provides a different energy in hip-hop; her fans simply love her. That supportive energy has carried her to incredible heights, from her "Big Ol Freak" video breaking 20 million views, to an opening slot on Future and Meek Mill's Legendary Nights Tour. In 2019, she took her career by the reigns and struck while the iron was hot; it won't be cooling off any time soon. With all her talent and incredible momentum, Megan was selected as a 2019 XXL Freshman and accepted the honor, breezing through all the different aspects of the shoot like a pro. At just 24 years old, the sky is the limit for her.

In her early days, then just a teenager known as Megan Pete, she was on the road to stardom. Under the tutelage of her late mother, who rapped under the name Holly Wood, Megan worked hard at her craft as a young girl, writing her own rhymes during her mother's studio sessions. As she grew up, she started to take her mother's instrumental CDs and write her own verses to them, eventually becoming known as a rapper while she studied at Prairie View A&M University.

After revealing her talent, the mother-daughter duo worked as a team, with Meg being shown the ins and outs of artistry by her mom, who served as a her manager. The lessons from her mother remain a large part of Megan's personality, which she shares in her 2019 XXL Freshman profile interview. "I was raised by a woman who was her true and authentic self," she explains. "So I feel like it's very important to put on for people who aren't that confident or people who don't realize the value in self-love."

Those early studio sessions produced her first project, 2016's Rich Ratchet, followed by 2017's Make It Hot. That year was Megan's turning point, with her "Stalli Freestyle" video taking off, a lyrical exercise over a remade version of XXXTentacion's "Look At Me."
In 2018, she dropped the EP Tina Snow, featuring the song that would change her career: "Big Ole Freak." Megan is still visibly amazed by how quickly things have been unfolding. "Tina Snow was more turnt up than anything I ever dropped, it's my alter ego," she shares. "It's a mixtape, and 'Big Ole Freak' is on Billboard!"

The sultry single is about Megan's views on sex and romance, with a focus on her taking full control of what she wants. The subject matter doesn't mean the lyrics took a dip. Meg is spitting on this track. All these parts mixed with an entrancing beat turned Megan from a bubbling young artist to a name to watch, as the song slow-burned and really picked up in 2019, after she signed her deal with 300 Entertainment and dropped its accompanying video

The release of her first project with 300, Fever, helped solidify her name and only served to make her even more popular. The young girl from H-Town is fully grown and coming into herself now, setting herself apart from the fray of very talented rappers, man or woman. Preparation and talent can take you very far with Megan's journey just beginning. "Five to 10 years from now, I'm gon' be an icon," Meg exclaims with confidence. "We gon' be a household name!" Now alongside 10 of the hottest artists 2019 has to offer, she is well on her way.

Get to know Megan Thee Stallion in her 2019 XXL Freshman interview above.

See Photos of Megan Thee Stallion Behind the Scenes at the 2019 XXL Freshman Cover Shoot

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