Megan Thee Stallion “Traumazine” Album Review

Traumazine

Megan Thee Stallion

• • Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
  • Date: 12 Aug, 2022
  • Content: explicit
  • Region: USA
  • Track(s): 18

• A 1501 Certified Entertainment / 300 Entertainment Release., ℗ 2022 1501 Certified, LLC

Megan’s latest studio album, Traumazine, is a thrill ride of a listen, a motley mix of slick bops and searing confessionals that wonderfully encapsulate all of her various vibes. In a blaze of cutting take downs and melt-in-your-mouth hooks, Megan has constructed a multi-layered exercise in empowerment – as well as unveiling an entirely new layer of vulnerability.

Album Cover Art

The very artistic black-and-white album cover features Megan’s face split in three different but somewhat merged places, perfectly depicting the varying phases of a seemingly troubled person, as seen from the emotions carried by her facial expressions, which were also fully expressed on Traumazine.

Tracks and Features

On opener “NDA,” Megan comes clean about the drawbacks that came with her quick rise to fame. And there’s a caustic pressure-cooker intensity to her tone, as she confesses, over the dramatic strings and steely percussion, “Going through some things, so I gotta stay busy/Bought a Rari, I can’t let the shit I’m thinking catch up with me.” It’s refreshing to hear her rap about feeling vulnerable and having to grind it out through her day-to-day trials. But those witty bars still pop up out of nowhere.

On “Not Nice,” Megan Thee Stallion continues to assert her position of fortitude. A strident beat, prominent bass line and drippings of keyboards anchor statements such as, “I’m done with being humble” and “I’m not nice, I’m mean.” Time to duck for cover?

“Her” is a heady combination of swirling dance track, throbbing beat and Megan Thee Stallion’s rat-a-tat delivery is another definitive declaration. Between informing that she never wears an outfit twice and taunting, there is an undercurrent of humor in her haughty announcement.

“Who Me” with Pooh Shiesty, probably the most obvious song about Lanez, decimates everyone in Megan Thee Stallion’s path in under two minutes. “I feel like Biggie – who shot you? Everybody knows who shot me,” she snarls.

“Star” with Lucky Daye, the most traditionally melodic song among the crop, is a sweet R&B jam that features Megan Thee Stallion singing more than rapping. Lucky Daye swoops in with smooth vocals that inject an ideal amount of lover boy longing.

On “Ungrateful,” Meg shows off her strong delivery over an equally strong and almost hypnotic, piano laced beat. “Anxiety” chronicles Megan’s hold-it-together-in-the-elevator thought bubbles—affably splitting the difference between self-deprecation.

Some of the ratchet fun we’ve come to expect from Meg is embodied in songs like the humid soon-to-be strip-club anthem “Budget,” and the punchline-packed “Scary.” The former, which features Miami’s Latto, conveys big make-it-rain energy.

Standout anthem “Sweetest Pie” oozes aphrodisiac magic, the glittering Dua Lipa feature a dazzling, disco-pop delight. “Consistency” also takes on Jhené Aiko’s beautifully sexy R&B flow, resulting in a rich, deeply seductive track. “Flip Flop” explores the aftermath of Megan’s life after the passing of her mother; heartfelt and vulnerable, the bruised softness is a welcome respite.

“Gift & A Curse” snarls at recent shift in abortion laws in light of Roe V. Wade, Megan embracing sexual freedom and bodily autonomy. In the same vein, “Plan B” is a ferocious diss track. Undoubtedly aimed at ex Tory Lanez, the track luxuriates of the glory of plan b – the weightless relief of not being forever tied to someone capable of such damage.

Bringing things to a close, the “Southside Freestyle” track, which is suitable for candy-paint car shows, bristles with neighborhood pride and gives this deftly organized, well-balanced LP the tough hood-famous vibe of a must-have mixtape.

Tracklist

NO	TITLE	ARTIST	TIME
1	NDA	Megan Thee Stallion	3:21
2	Ungrateful (feat. Key Glock)	Megan Thee Stallion	2:34
3	Not Nice	Megan Thee Stallion	2:45
4	Budget (feat. Latto)	Megan Thee Stallion	3:21
5	Her	Megan Thee Stallion	2:17
6	Gift & a Curse	Megan Thee Stallion	2:52
7	Ms. Nasty	Megan Thee Stallion	2:11
8	Who Me (feat. Pooh Shiesty)	Megan Thee Stallion	1:58
9	Red Wine	Megan Thee Stallion	2:34
10	Scary (feat. Rico Nasty)	Megan Thee Stallion	2:33
11	Anxiety	Megan Thee Stallion	2:15
12	Flip Flop	Megan Thee Stallion	2:08
13	Consistency (feat. Jhené Aiko)	Megan Thee Stallion	3:40
14	Star (feat. Lucky Daye)	Megan Thee Stallion	3:30
15	Pressurelicious (feat. Future)	Megan Thee Stallion	2:53
16	Plan B	Megan Thee Stallion	2:43
17	Southside Royalty Freestyle (feat. Sauce Walka, Big Pokey & Lil’ Keke)	Megan Thee Stallion	4:03
18	Sweetest Pie	Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa	3:21

Album Theme

The record serves as a middle-finger to those trying to control her art, her voice and, her body. This is her dominion. Traumazine abounds in empowering affirmations but, beneath it all, this is a release that starts to unpack Megan the human.

Production Credits

Producers on the record include Avedon, BandPlay, Bankroll Got It, Bongo, CashMoneyAP, Diego Ave, D. Sims, dwilly, FranchiseDidIt, Go Grizzly, Hitkidd, Hitmaka and many more.

Stream

Available on streaming platforms: https://megantheestallion.ffm.to/traumazine