Megan Thee Stallion took to her Instagram on Aug. 5 to define a word she created: traumazine.
"The chemical release in the brain when it is forced to deal with painful emotions caused by traumatic events and experiences," she explained in the post. "See synonyms: self-realization."
On Aug. 11, Megan announced that her second album is called Traumazine and it would be released the next day. On Twitter, the Houston rapper, 27, made it seem like she had wanted to keep the release day a secret, but leaks prompted her to talk about it.
"From my cover art, pieces of my track list and me even hearing a part of a song I haven't dropped yet leaking (and we ALL know who the only ppl who had access to all these PRIVATE links are..) I might as well…lol," she wrote.
The album straddles rap and pop through collaborations with guests like Jhené Aiko, Dua Lipa, Latto, Rico Nasty and Future, offering listeners a rare glimpse inside the mind behind her body of work. Here are five key details to know about Megan Thee Stallion's new album, Traumazine.
She Addresses Being Shot — Maybe For The Last Time
Megan briefly references a July 2020 incident in which rapper Tory Lanez allegedly shot her in the foot. According to CBS News, Lanez has been charged with assault with a semiautomatic firearm and carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle.
"I feel like Biggie, 'Who Shot Ya?'/ But everybody know who shot me, bitch/ So now, let's stop speaking on the topic," Megan raps in "Who Me (feat. Pooh Shiesty)."
On July 28, a lawyer for Lanez asked that his Sept. 14 trial date be delayed; he's due back in court on Aug. 12.
Notorious B.I.G. Is A Running Metaphor
Megan's Biggie lyric in "Who Me" is not the only reference to the late rapper on Traumazine. She samples the Isley Brothers' 1983 hit "Between The Sheets," which was also used for Notorious B.I.G.'s "Big Poppa," on "Consistency (feat. Jhené Aiko)."
The rapper also calls herself "Biggie-Biggie black" on "Not Nice" and interpolates Junior M.A.F.I.A.'s "Get Money," which was written in part by Christopher Wallace, on "Plan B."
She Opens Up About Depression And Anxiety
"Excuse me while I get into my feelings for a second. Usually I keep it in, but today I gotta tell it," Megan raps on "Anxiety," offering a rare look into her personal feelings. "Bad bitches have bad days too," she shares.
On "Flip Flop," she admits that, "Behind this smile, I'm fightin' these tears/'Cause a bitch be sad as f—/Ever since my mama died, 2019/ I don't really know who I can trust."
Bodily Autonomy Is Important
In the wake of the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, Megan fights for reproductive rights on Traumazine. She references emergency contraception on "Plan B" and asserts her bodily autonomy on "Gift & a Curse."
"My motherf—kin' body, my choice," she spits on "Gift & a Curse." "Ain't no lil' dick takin' my voice."
She Pays Homage To Ball Culture
Just as Beyoncé did on her new album, Renaissance, Megan pays homage to ball culture on Traumazine with the upbeat and boastful song "Her." Megan served looks and fierce commentary as a judge for two seasons on Legendary, the HBO Max competition series that pits houses of voguers against each other.
Traumazine is the last album that Megan owed to 1501 Certified Entertainment, her record label with which she has been engaged in a legal battle for earnings. She shared her frustrations with dealing with 1501 on social media while encouraging her fans to support the album.
"Y'all know I always have problems with dropping my music under this label, all these games and having to go to court just to put out my art has been so stressful," she tweeted on August 10. "Thank you hotties for rocking with me through the bulls—. WE ALMOST OUT LETS STAY FOCUSED AND RUN THIS LAST ONE UP."