Amid swirling headlines and rumors, Megan Thee Stallion is ready to share her side of the story. The new documentary, Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words, premieres October 31 on Prime Video, and offers fans an unfiltered look at the woman behind the iconic persona. Known for her bold and fierce presence in the music industry, she is now inviting her audience to witness her life through a more vulnerable lens.
Directed by Nneka Onuorah, the documentary delves into Megan’s journey, filled with intense highs and equally significant lows. From her meteoric rise in 2019 with “Big Ole Freak” to personal tragedies and public scrutiny, In Her Words chronicles the artist’s determination to overcome her challenges and take control of her own narrative.
“I really was just tired of people telling my story for me, giving my life their own voice, and I wasn’t doing it,” Megan tells ESSENCE. “So I really just wanted to give people a real inside look at what I was really going through in real time.” This sentiment sets the tone for the documentary, which Megan sees as an opportunity to dismantle the façade created by others and reveal her true self.
Onuorah, who has previously directed projects like Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, brings a verité approach to the film, allowing audiences to follow Megan in her real-world experiences without the filter of staged interviews. “This is not a bunch of people sitting down in a chair talking about her,” she explains. “I did that specifically because I want to show the process of finding the power within.” The documentary captures not only the celebrated moments of the Texas rapper’s career but also the moments of introspection and resilience that have shaped her into the woman and musician she is today.
The documentary traces Megan’s rise from Houston to international acclaim, and the challenges she faced along the way. After the release of Fever and her now-iconic “Hot Girl Summer,” Megan continued to soar, eventually earning a GRAMMY for her “Savage” remix with Beyoncé. Yet, her public success was shadowed by profound personal losses, including the passing of her mother and great-grandmother. “I definitely was emotional looking back on how sad I was back then,” Megan shared, “but it made me happy knowing that I got through that part, and now I’m here.” This perseverance, demonstrated in her triumphs and trials, forms the backbone of the narrative.
In recognizing Megan’s passion for anime, Onuorah creatively integrated animation to symbolize Megan’s inner struggles, providing a visual representation of her psychological battles. “Anything that was internal about Megan’s story, I told through the device of anime,” Onuorah says. “not only because she loves anime, but because I felt like we could really get a sense of things that were going on in the unconscious underneath.”
In addition to chronicling Meg’s success, the documentary addresses the intense public scrutiny she faced, particularly following the 2020 shooting incident with rapper Tory Lanez. For Onuorah, her subject’s journey represents the broader struggle of women, especially Black women, to have their voices acknowledged. “The feminist in me wanted to give Megan a safe space to be there,” she notes. “A lot of times women’s voices get silenced in this misogynistic world, and I feel like my purpose is to amplify women’s voices.”
Megan, too, hopes viewers will see her story as a call for empathy and humanity. “I hope people learn to be more kind. I hope just people learn to just treat other people better,” she shared, expressing her wish that the documentary will challenge viewers to see beyond her public image and recognize her humanity. Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words stands as a testament to the TSU graduate’s unique journey, a chronicle of triumphs and challenges that reveal her strength and authenticity. It’s a story not only of fame but of resilience, showing that, as Megan says, “I am a human. Stop talking to me like I’m not.”
As audiences prepare to witness this highly-anticipated release, Onuorah’s vision for it offers a critical message. “I hope that people take away from this documentary that they should speak up when they feel silenced, and that the power is within them,” she says. “And Megan is a perfect example of that.”
