Celebrity Coverage
‘In Her Words’: Megan Thee Stallion Sets a Record – Essence
Photo credit: Gilbert Flores/Billboard via Getty Images
Amidst the headlines and rumors, Megan Thee Stallion is able to share her side of the story. The recent documentary, premiering October 31 on Prime Video, offers fans an unfiltered have a look at the girl behind the enduring character. Known for her daring and fierce presence within the music industry, she now invites audiences to see her life through a more sensitive lens.
Directed by Nneka Onuorah, the documentary delves into Megan’s journey, stuffed with intense highs and equally significant lows. From her meteoric rise in 2019 with “Big Ole Freak” to private tragedy and public criticism, this chronicles her determination to beat challenges and take control of her own narrative.
“I was really tired of people telling my story for me and giving my life their own voice and I wasn’t doing it,” Megan tells ESSENCE. “So I just wanted to give people a real-time insight into what I’m really going through.” This feeling sets the tone for the documentary, where Megan sees a likelihood to tear down the facade created by others and reveal her true self.
Onuorah, who has previously directed projects corresponding to , brings a real approach to the film, allowing viewers to follow Megan through her real-life experiences without the filter of staged interviews. “It’s not a group of people sitting in a chair and talking about it,” he explains. “I did it on purpose because I want to show the process of finding power within yourself.” The documentary highlights not only famous moments within the Texas rapper’s profession, but in addition moments of introspection and resilience that shaped her into the girl and musician she is today.
The documentary follows Houston’s Megan’s rise to international recognition and the challenges she faced along the way in which. After releasing the now iconic “Hot Girl Summer,” Megan continued to rise, eventually winning a GRAMMY for her remix of “Savage” with Beyoncé. However, her public success was overshadowed by profound personal losses, including the deaths of her mother and great-grandmother. “I definitely got emotional when I remembered how sad I was at the time,” Megan said, “but it made me happy to know that I made it through that phase and now I’m here.” This perseverance, reflected in her triumphs and trials, forms the backbone of the narrative.
Recognizing Megan’s passion for anime, Onuorah creatively integrated animation to symbolize Megan’s internal struggles, providing a visual representation of her psychological battles. “Everything that was internal to Megan’s story, I told it through anime,” Onuorah says. “not just because he loves anime, but because I felt like we could really sense what was going on in the subconscious.”
In addition to chronicling Meg’s success, the documentary also addresses the extraordinary public scrutiny she faced, particularly following the 2020 shooting incident with rapper Tory Lanez. For Onuorah, her character’s journey represents the broader struggle of girls, especially black women, to have their voices recognized. “The feminist in me wanted to give Megan a safe space to be,” she notes. “In this misogynistic world, women’s voices are often silenced and I feel my goal is to amplify women’s voices.”
Megan also hopes viewers will see her story as a call to empathy and humanity. “I hope people learn to be more kind. “I hope people just learn to treat other people better,” she said, expressing her wish that the documentary would challenge viewers to look beyond her public image and acknowledge her humanity. is a testament to the TSU graduate’s unique journey, a chronicle of triumphs and challenges that reveal her strength and authenticity. It’s a story not only about fame, but in addition about resilience, showing that, as Megan says, “I’m human. Stop talking to me like I’m not.
As audiences prepare for this long-awaited release, Onuorah’s vision carries a critical message. “I hope people take away from this documentary the belief that they should speak up when they feel silenced and that there is power within them,” she says. “And Megan is a perfect example of that.”