Everyone seems to know everything about Megan Thee Stallion.
From her meteoric rise into the upper echelons of the music industry to the Tory Lanez 2020 shooting and subsequent trial that sparked misinformation and a bitter divide in the hip-hop community — people online and in the industry thought they were clued into every minute detail of the Houston-born rapper's life. That's why the rapper, born Megan Pete, had to make a documentary to reclaim her story — "In Her Words."
That's the message underscored at the Manhattan premiere of the Prime Video documentary directed by Nneka Onuorah. In a live telecast from the Los Angeles premiere, Megan and Onuorah gushed about the filmmaking process. Onuorah explained her first meeting with the rapper became a three-hour cry session. The Emmy-winning director knew "it was my life's purpose to support and uplift a young woman through her journey of grief, trauma — using my art as the tool."
But mostly, Onuorah emphasized that of all her films, "This film means the world to me. it's a portrait of resilience and a timeless artifact to remind women of their true inner power." Then the director introduced Megan, who was regally dressed in a purple silk gown and sported an updo. The artist was immediately overwhelmed with emotion as the crowd roared in LA, not entirely aware of the roars in my New York City theater too.
The rapper, who suffered a great deal at the hands of internet hate campaigns and misogynoir before and during Lanez's trial, stated, "I started to watch a lot of people start to dehumanize me and a lot of people were trying to take control of my narrative and tell my story."
But four years after the shooting, the 29-year-old shared that she was ready to open up about her life. "Let me just go ahead and tell my truth and lay it out on the table because y'all don't respect s**t else but raw and honesty. I was tryna be a cookie-cutter celebrity for y'all. I'm sorry that didn't work out," she said.
Salon's interview with director Nneka Onuorah highlights the experience of making a documentary where we see Onuorah and Megan's "closeness and intimacy" and how Megan Thee Stallion exists as a symbol of empowerment for women.
The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What was it about Megan that initially stuck out to you that really made you know that this was the right project for you?
What stuck out to me is that a young woman was experiencing a transformation, going through the fire, and I knew she was on her way to rising into a beautiful phoenix. And so it was kind of a coming-of-age story. I felt like the juxtaposition of Megan Thee Stallion going through the most successful point in her career while Megan Pete was struggling, gave it an internal conflict that I think people could really learn a lesson from. So that, to me, was like a no-brainer in terms of the next film I wanted to do.
The documentary is called “In Her Words,” how did Megan reclaim the narrative of her life and career? How’d you aid her along the way?
Megan was so brave to put the hardest point in her life on display. She did not have to do this. I feel like me as a filmmaker, that's why, I didn't use sit-down interviews and a bunch of other people talking. I wanted a first-person experience up close and personal, very intimate access with Megan. So I had to offer myself as a safe space for her to come and be able to really share her thoughts, share her emotions, her feelings and observe her day in and day out. I took time out of my life, almost three years out of my life, to be able to dedicate to showing that experience, because I knew it would be timeless. It will be a timeless doc for women to see, 'How do I go from a disempowered state to an empowered state by activating my own inner power, my inner vulnerability?' and using that as a strength. The motif of Megan Thee Stallion versus Megan Pete shows that perfectly.
Megan is a big anime fan and the same style is seen in her music videos like "BOA" and "Neva Play." Some of the most traumatic moments of Megan’s life like her mom’s death, the 2020 shooting and subsequent trial are all told through animation. Why was animation the right move to retell these heavy life moments?
Number one, I'm always trying to figure out as this artist, what does this person like? I knew Meg liked anime. But beyond that, there's so much conversation or footage around her external experience, but what can tell her internal experience? It's equally as important to know what someone is going through inside. I felt like it would be a strong visualization of what she was going through, whether it was nightmares, anxiety therapy, as well as just like memories of her mom that you know she has in her mind, but she can't hold on to them. I also wanted to offer up a visualization of what she was going through, because I wanted Megan to look back and watch this and be like, "Wow, I'm that strong." Or, "Oh my God, look at that beautiful time I had with my mom." I wanted that to be something that she also was able to reflect on for herself. So I felt like, because she liked anime, giving her her own story as a gift, she would love the anime and to receive it in that way.
It was one of my favorite parts of the documentary. Other standout moments are when Megan spirals over hot chips or when she admits she lied to Gayle King on "Good Morning America" in 2022. How’d you get to such a vulnerable place with Megan? Was it a challenge as a filmmaker?
I wouldn't say it was a challenge. I would say that it was my job to be able to walk away with this film and I think creating that bond and that friendship was a genuine thing. When I shot the chip scene, you can hear my voice talking to her through it. I gave her the space I'm like, "Yo, why you don't want to eat?" I was just being a person with her and giving her the space to express her frustration, having an outlet for that. Where does she have to go to do that? So I gave her space. I gave her a platform. I listened. I think that listening really created a closeness and intimacy. Sometimes you just want people to relate to you and understand you. I really understood her. I get it like, girl, I get it. I love food. So when stuff doesn't go right with that and you stressed underneath, it could spiral into something else. I put the camera on those moments. I think that's what made this different. It's like people, a lot of other filmmakers try to placate and make a film based on what they think, but I'm letting the truth be what it is. That's what filmmaking is and that's my style of filmmaking.
Some of this truth lies in the loss of Megan’s mother, Holly Thomas, and the private grieving of her mother. Did you find that there are some misconceptions about Megan’s private grieving and the public persona she has built?
I think that they just forget that Megan Thee Stallion is a human being — Megan Pete is. Megan Thee Stallion is such an example of feminist strength and an icon and a strong woman. People forget that as a strong Black woman, you can also be vulnerable. You can also go through pain. Those two things can be true and that going through something doesn't make you any less strong. Being strong doesn't stop you from going through things. That was where that came from, and what was important about that for me.
A large portion of this is because the hip-hop industry has mistreated Megan with exploitative record deals, beefs with rappers and the spread of misinformation online. What about the industry through Megan’s experience did you uncover while filming this movie?
I learned that the industry is deeply misogynistic and that they're intimidated by a woman who's just deeply honoring herself for herself. Audre Lorde's "The Power of the Erotic" really was an inspiration for this. It talks about how women have to say yes to themselves: their erotic nature, their empowerment and it's not in service of men all the time. So I made the film because it highlights that and how the industry is threatened by that and how patriarchy is threatened by that. What I learned about the industry is that it's deeply patriarchal. That made me want to do it even more, to show a woman's journey by two women.
Ultimately, in the end, we see the emotional release Megan has when Tory Lanez is convicted of the shooting. What was it like seeing it in real-time? What message do you hope this documentary and Megan's story leave people with?
I was deeply emotional. I saw Meg go through everything. So to see her have that justice and that release, that cry, it just captured my heart. I want people to take away to tell the truth, to speak up for yourself, to not be afraid to be vulnerable and not try to present yourself as strong all the time. But allow yourself to go through these moments. I say the only way out is through. It's not avoiding but just going through things so that you can get through them. That is what is so great about this movie. What I want people to take away from this movie is just knowing that they have a power within, innate, as a woman, and that they can access it if they just continue to stick by themselves in opposition.
"In Her Words" is now available to stream on Prime Video.
