Megan Thee Stallion joins the list of female rappers to grace the cover of 'Essence'

Back in 1993, rapper Queen Latifah was the cover star for Essence’s October issue (she’s featured on no less than six of the magazine’s covers since). This fall, Megan Thee Stallion gets the job, joining the illustrious list of female rappers that came before her including Latifah, Lauryn Hill (a three-time cover star), Missy Elliott, Eve, Foxy Brown, Lil Kim, and the 2019 fall issue star, Lizzo.

For Megan, the fall issue marks her first time as an Essence cover girl and the rapper gave a far-reaching interview to accompany the gorgeous shoot.

“I opened my soul to the hot girls at ESSENCE for my debut cover story,” wrote the rapper, sharing her cover look on Instagram. For the shot, Megan appears as her alter-ego, Tina Snow, a throwback to a 2018 three-track EP.

“The superstar is resplendent…” promises the magazine, “and she doesn’t hold back as she opens up about growing up in Houston, sexuality, what’s behind her fierce drive, her musical influences and more.” The issue hits newsstands later this month but bits and pieces from the rapper’s confessional interview are online now.

The officially minted superstar has come a long way from rapping over beats she dug up on YouTube in the privacy of her Texas Southern University dorm room. Now, however, she still credits that same personal space and privacy for her meteoric rise to success (where success = multiple Grammys and Beyoncé on speed dial).

“There are probably approximately four people around me on a daily basis,” she told Essence. “I don’t see a lot of people, I don’t talk to a lot of people, because I feel like it’s not good for me. I figured out that my personal space is what keeps me balanced and it’s what keeps me centered.”

Her focus, she says, is always on self-improvement — not just in her career but within her everyday life. “Every time I make a move, I’m like, ‘Okay, how can we be better than Megan last month?’ ‘How can we be better than Megan last year?’”

Naturally, there was talk about her next project, a new album Megan wasn’t willing to risk giving away too much about. But, she said, “I feel like it will be aggressive. I feel like this project is definitely something very well thought out,” she revealed. “This project is me talking my sh–t, getting back comfortable with myself, getting back to the Megan that was on the come-up.”

Is the world even ready for Hot Girl 2.0? We’re stockpiling ice in preparation.

BEFORE YOU GO: Megan Thee Stallion announces hiatus

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