Megan Thee Stallion’s Court Battle Over BTS’ ‘Butter’ Remix Release
New Music Friday includes a BTS “Butter” remix starring Megan Thee Stallion, albums by Nelly and Halsey, and a single by Selena Gomez.
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If it seems a lot more than 21 months since Megan Thee Stallion released her invigorating debut Good News, consider everything she’s experienced since then: Three Grammy Awards; a string of hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts; collaborations with artists from Maroon 5 to Doja Cat; Academic degree; a first-look deal with Netflix; a surprise appearance at this year’s Academy Awards; and starting a charitable organization in honor of her parents.
Still exhausted?
Oh, and she was also in a high-profile contract dispute with her label, 1501 Certified Entertainment, the likely trigger for her surprise announcement Thursday that her long-awaited sophomore album would be out at midnight.
“We’re almost out. Let’s stay focused and lead the last one up,” she wrote in a tweet Revealing the arrival of “Traumazine”.
True to their word, the 18-track release, featuring guests like Latto, Lucky Daye and Jhené Aiko, landed hashtag excitement, though Megan Thee Stallion, 27, has been delighting fans with early drops of the album since spring.
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“Sweetest Pie,” her groove-infused sexual banter with Dua Lipa, was released in March, followed by “Plan B,” which some lyricists believe was aimed at rapper Tory Lanez (“Ladies, love yourself, ’cause this [expletive] could get ugly,” she spits out. Lanez shot Megan Thee Stallion in the feet in 2020; the trial over the incident is scheduled for September.
A few weeks ago, Megan Thee Stallion (actually Megan Pete) revealed her latest preview – her trap hype with Future, “Pressurelicious.”
Here are some other notable tracks on “Traumazine,” a snappy exercise (only one track, “Southside Royalty Freestyle,” tops the four-minute mark) that’s sassy, pointed, and super explicit. In other words, Megan Thee Stallion is completely unbridled, just like her “hotties” love her.
“NDA”: Over a slinky piano riff that morphs into a menacingly slinky synthesizer, Megan Thee Stallion utters the record’s opening words, which are more of a warning shot than an admission: “I’m not perfect.” Her flow is relentless, as is her attitude states: “And the next (expletive) who breaks my non-disclosure agreement, I will go for you too.”
“Unkind”: Megan Thee Stallion continues to assert her steadfastness. A shrill beat, a distinctive bass line and dripping keyboards anchor statements like “I’m done with modesty” and “I’m not nice, I’m mean”. Time to take cover?
“She”: A heady combination of swirling dance track, throbbing beat and Megan Thee Stallion’s rat-a-tat delivery is another definitive statement while telling any other women who might be wondering that it’s “she, she, she”. . Between the information that she never wears an outfit twice and the quip, “You do it, whatever that is, I’ll do better,” there’s an undertone of humor in her haughty announcement.
“Who Me” with Pooh Shiesty: The most obvious song about Lanez decimates everyone in Megan Thee Stallion’s path in less than two minutes. “I feel like Biggie – who shot you? Everyone knows who shot me,” she growls. Enough said.
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“Red wine”: Overlaid beneath the cold, nodding beat is an orgasmic moan as Megan Thee Stallion teases a would-be lover with pick-up lines in order to get drunk (hence the red wine). Her instructions on what to do with her body parts unfold like the most lascivious blueprint ever drawn.
“Fear”: One of the most memorable songs on the album is not only equipped with a brisk keyboard backdrop and pop swing, but also with a ready-made t-shirt slogan: “I hate every and that’s just me being real. Bad (swear words) have bad days, too,” she raps without a shred of apology. After naming “Britney, Whitney” and Marilyn Monroe, Megan Thee Stallion becomes vulnerable for a moment: “All I really want to hear is that it’s going to be okay.”
“Star” with Lucky Daye: Traditionally the most melodic of songs, it’s a sweet R&B jam that has Megan Thee Stallion singing more than rapping (“You should want to take me out and make me smile”). Lucky Daye rushes in with smooth vocals that inject an ideal amount of lover boy longing.
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