After a heated public battle with her record label 1501 Certified Entertainment, Megan Thee Stallion has blessed Hotties around the world with a brand new project. Her long-awaited third EP was released across streaming platforms today, ushering in the dawn of a sexy new alter ego named Suga. And just in time — while it bangs, we couldn't just listen to "Hot Girl Summer" for the rest of our lives.
Megan hinted at the debut of the new persona during her 2019 NPR Tiny Desk performance. "[On] my next project, I will be introducing a new lady," the rapper teased. "Her name is Suga. She's besties with Tina Snow."
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Suga makes her appearance the eponymous EP. The nine-song project drips with a new type of energy from the Houston hottie. In comparison to the rapper's last few works, many of Suga's tracks are slowed down and smoother, songs to vibe to. Megan takes her time on the beat, cruising leisurely on songs like "Savage" and "Crying in the Car."
True to form, we also get a healthy dose of shake ya ass music with "Captain Hook" and "Rich." On the latter, Megan drops a tune for the girls. "I'm a rich bitch with some rich friends," she raps. "If he buying for me, he gotta buy it for them." Queen of putting her team on.
The debut of Suga brings the grand total of Megan's alter egos to three, including Hot Girl Meg and Tina Snow. If Suga is the cool and laidback one, then Hot Girl Meg is her foil, the party girl living her best life. As seen on the Fever mixtape, Hot Girl Meg is the centre of attention — she can always be found twerking on a handstand or making her friends drive the boat.
Tina Snow rounds out the crew. The first of Megan's alter egos, her persona was inspired by the late Houston rapper Pimp C's alias Tony Montana. "She’s the pimp and the mack," Megan told The Source of her alias in 2018. "I get into my act when I listen to Pimp C, so I turn myself into Tina Snow, his opposite. When people listen to me, I want them to feel cool as hell. I want them to get in their act when they’re listening to Tina Snow."
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You'll know her when you see her. An icy blonde and decked out in luxury coats, Tina Snow is hard to miss. Beyond her expensive appearance, you may recognize the character by her lyrics. The persona is marked by a healthy sexual appetite, with songs like "Big Ole Freak" and "Cognac Queen" setting the tone for a wild night in the bedroom.
Megan is just one of many musicians to tap into the concept of an alter ego. Some of the Black women that she stans have also incorporated alter egos into their careers, including Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj. Bey famously introduced the world to Sasha Fierce on her third album (we haven't seen her in a while), and Minaj has almost 20 different personas, each with a distinct personality and rap cadence. In an industry marked by an obsession with branding, alter egos give artists a chance to widen the scope of their artist identity, allowing them to express themselves to the fullest.
In the new music video for Suga's single "B.I.T.C.H.," Tina Snow makes a rare appearance. "You don't need to be playing nice with everybody," she cautions Suga.
"You're right," says the new alter ego. "I am that bitch."
Welcome to the fold, Suga.