What is #HotGirlSummer? Megan Thee Stallion is showing us how it's done

Megan Thee Stallion — aka Tina Snow, aka The Houston Hottie — is a rapper, singer and songwriter from Texas who is climbing the charts. From covering Paper magazine this week, to dropping a new single with Nicki Minaj, titled “Hot Girl Summer,” she appears to be taking off overnight.

But her meteoric rise to fame has been in the works for some time. In February, she released the video to her break out single “Big Ole Freak” and dropped her first album, Fever, back in May. The 5-foot-10 rapper credits her mother, the late Holly Thomas aka Holly-Wood, as her inspiration. Thomas, a Houston-born rapper, used to bring Megan with her to recording sessions as a child.

Under her mother’s management, Megan began writing music at age 16 and released her first mixtape, Rich Ratchet, in 2016. Now, at 24, she is the first female rapper to be signed to 300 Entertainment and although her mother passed away from a brain tumor earlier this year, Megan continues to make chart-topping music in honor of “the best mom in the whole world.”

On top of taking the rap world by storm, Megan has started what seems to be one of the biggest hashtags of the summer — #HotGirlSummer. Alongside the female-rap duo City Girls, the hashtag has given rise to a summer of female empowerment — which has prompted a rival movement, #CityBoys.

While there’s been heated debate online about who is winning that rivalry, the increased attention Megan is receiving suggests that the girls are in the lead. But competition aside, Megan has been promoting positivity and sisterhood — hosting “Hottie Parties” all over the country, bringing together women of all backgrounds.

Although she has been heating up the streets all summer — all the while encouraging her fans to do the same — many are still unsure about what exactly the Houston Hottie means by having a “Hot Girl Summer.”

In a red carpet interview with The Root, Megan explained that, “it’s about being unapologetically [yourself], having a good time, hyping up your friends” and not caring what anybody else has to say about it. While some fans have taken to Twitter to showcase their “hot girl summer shortcomings,” Megan on the other hand, has been exemplifying the hot girl guidelines.

As our summer’s end is fast approaching, here are the top seven ways Megan has shown us how to be our best hot girl (or boy).

1. Drop a song with Nicki Minaj

Megan’s newest song, “Hot Girl Summer,” was only released about 12 hours ago, but reached #1 on Apple Music’s hip-hop chart less than an hour after coming out. The track features Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign. It has given Hot Girls an official anthem and is the Nicki/Megan collaboration that many have been anxiously awaiting. Nicki, another female rapper and self-proclaimed hot girl, has also recently topped the charts with her latest single “Megatron,” which reached #1 on Apple Music’s hip-hop chart in June. Fans around the world have reacted positively as this song continues to make hot girls even hotter — both Megan and her fans.

2. Give back

One hot girl tip is to pour into those who pour into you. Megan has vocalized her appreciation of fans on numerous occasions, but this summer she personally donated to the cause. This past May, after a fan was shot and killed shortly after meeting her in a club in Maryland, she sent her condolences in a tweet. "I am so sorry for your [loss],” she wrote in response to a tweet from his cousin. “His energy was amazing when we met.” The tweet included a picture of 26-year-old Cyril Briscoe, alongside Megan and Wale, from the night he was killed. “Hopefully she sees this,” Cyril’s cousin wrote. Megan responded by donating $1,200 towards his funeral costs.

3. Kick back to some classical sounds

Why not enjoy the relaxing sounds of a wind instrument under the hot summer sun? Bump some Mozart or find a friend who’s talented like Lizzo and let the music take you away. Classical music has been known to reduce stress levels and spark creativity, so don’t leave self-care out of your hot girl summer — blow off some steam with Beethoven. If that’s not your vibe, you can always tune into Megan’s official "Hot Girl Summer" playlist on Spotify which has more than 110,000 followers.

4. Stay Active

The Houston Hottie isn’t known only for her raw lyrics, but for her moves as well. Megan has been known to drop it like it’s hot and has received much praise and admiration for her legendary knees — so much so that BET has dubbed them “knees stronger thank your credit score.” Keke Palmer was also recently seen showing off her hot girl skills in the club. It’s easy to get super sluggish in the sweltering summer sun, but that’s no excuse to be a slouch! Perfect your “squat form” and get moving to keep your hot girl summer going strong.

5. Start a business

Entrepreneurship is the mark of a true boss, so back in July, Megan filed to trademark the #HotGirlSummer slogan, as brands including Wendy's, Duolingo, Forever 21 and Maybelline have all used it in their recent marketing. If approved, the trademark will cover merchandise specifically for products such as hoodies, T-shirts and sportswear. This summer, get your gears turning and think up ways to make your talents more lucrative! Nothing says hot girl summer like chasing the bag.

6. Cover a magazine

Just this week the Houston Hottie made the cover of Paper magazine — a New York City-based publication that centers on fashion, pop culture and music. In normal hot girl fashion, Megan donned bright blonde and red hair in front of a fiery backdrop. As a part of her feature, she told the popular mag, “There is so much going on with this song” — in reference to “Hot Girl Summer” — "I literally think I'm going to extend the summer until October. I think I can do that. F*** it. Why not?" Megan has always championed the idea of being carefree and living unapologetically, so let’s consider this an official extension of 2019’s Hot Girl Summer.

7. Be yourself — unapologetically

If you don’t remember any of these hot girl tips, remember to be yourself. A big part of having a hot girl summer is simply being the best you that you can be. Be kind to yourself, allow yourself room for growth and don’t worry about what anybody else thinks about your evolution. This summer, follow in Megan’s footsteps by living in your truth and valuing the uniqueness of your journey — for those who deserve you as a butterfly will have always seen your value, even as a caterpillar.

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