Megan Thee Stallion experienced life-altering trauma in 2020 that greatly impacted her mental health.
That July, the rapper was shot in the foot by now-incarcerated artist Tory Lanez, and later she was involved in an assault trial that centered on the Canadian rapper.
But years before Megan took the stand, she was wracked with ongoing stress that prevented her from enjoying her success. In a new Women's Health interview, the 29-year-old discussed the public scrutiny she endured, and recalled what she called "dark times." The month after she was shot, Megan was featured alongside Cardi B on "W.A.P," which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, although, mentally, Megan couldn't fully savor the achievement.
“Before I went onstage, I would be crying half the time because I didn’t want to [perform], but I also didn’t want to upset my fans,” she told Women's Health.
"I didn’t want to get [out] from under the covers,” she continued. “I stayed in my room. I would not turn the lights on. I had blackout curtains. I didn’t want to see the sun. I knew I wasn’t myself. It took me a while to acknowledge that I was depressed. But once I started talking to a therapist, I was able to be truthful with myself."
While the artist now has a full wellness regimen, including Pilates sessions, therapy, and journaling, it's a far cry from when she felt dehumanized by the public, including gossip bloggers who spread misinformation about the shooting.
"A lot of people didn’t treat me like I was human for a long time," she said. "I feel like everybody was always used to me being the fun and happy party girl. I watched people build me up, tear me down, and be confused about their expectations of me. As a Black woman, as a darker Black woman, I also feel like people expect me to take the punches, take the beating, take the lashings, and handle it with grace. But I’m human."
Now, the newly independent Megan's fully locked in, as she's headlining the Hot Girl Summer Tour with support from GloRilla, ahead of her upcoming third album.
