Megan Thee Stallion Covers ESSENCE

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Hellooooo, hot girl!

Source: Chrisean Rose / Essence

A real hot girl’s got a hot new cover. Megan Thee Stallion is covering ESSENCE’s coveted September/October “Global Black Fashion” issue cover and doing so in tantalizing Tina Snow alter ego fashion. For the cover spread, the Houston hottie was styled by Zerina Akers with hair by Kellon Deryck and was captured by famed photographer Chrisean Rose.

Source: Chrisean Rose / Essence

While donning designs by Hanifa, Cartier, Norma Kamali, Christian Dior, Bulgari, Catherine D’Lish, and Orseund Iris, she told ESSENCE Associate Editor Brooklyn White about working on her highly-anticipated new album, what’s behind her fierce drive, her musical influences, and her teeny tiny inner circle comprised of only four people.

Check out highlights from Megan Thee Stallion’s “Snow No Mercy” cover story below.

WHAT TO EXPECT ON HER NEW ALBUM:

“I feel like [my new album] will be aggressive. I feel like this project is definitely something very well thought out. This project is me talking my sh–, getting back comfortable with myself, getting back to the Megan that was on the come-up…”

ON HER MUSICAL ROOTS…AND TINA SNOW BEING AN ODE TO HOUSTON RAPPER PIMP C:

“My mom would always be playing Pimp C, UGK, all of the Houston legends, so that was my vibe, my flavor…Being in Houston, in Texas in general, I feel like getting in a circle and freestyling is just what we do. It doesn’t matter where you at, who you with, somebody is going to do a rap battle. I would see boys together and they would be rapping, so in my head, this is what you do. I wanted to make sure I was always sharp and I could do it…”

Source: Chrisean Rose / Essence

ON USING HER MUSIC AS A POLITICAL STATEMENT:

“Social media really gave a lot of people a voice that I don’t feel like they needed…When I would see these men and these women talking crazy, I thought, Let me put this in a video, because that is my response…”

ON WHAT DRIVES HER:

“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?’…”

ON WHAT KEEPS HER CENTERED & HER INNER CIRCLE:

“There are probably approximately four people around me on a daily basis. 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…”

Meg’s fans might remember a time when the rapper was kiki-ing with tons of people in the industry. That’s clearly over and rightfully so the rapper can protect her peace.