Written By: Anastasia Malys
It is officially a Hot Girl Summer – Megan Thee Stallion is featured on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, which made her the first female rapper to do so.
Monday, July 19, Megan said on Instagram: “REAL SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SWIMSUIT EDITION COVER MODEL SHIT!!! ??, she captioned the cover issue. “Thee first female rapper on the cover of @si_swimsuit ?? I want to thank all the strong women in my life who inspired me to love my body and live my best hot girl life. It means the world to me to be on this cover DREAM COME TRUE!! ? #SISwim21.”
On the cover shoot, photographed by James Macari, Megan donned a light brown strappy bikini by Fashion Nova, where, by the way, the rapper has her capsule line of swimsuits. In total, she presented ten different looks, ranging from bikinis to maillots, for her shoot.
Megan Thee Stallion has deservedly established herself as a body positivity and female sexuality influencer – her music translates as an unapologetic love for curves and self-confidence. For instance, her 2020 hit “WAP,” featuring Cardi B, overtly messaged female-sex positivity. Later that year, during her single’s “Body” debut at the American Music Awards, the rapper preached a motivating message of self-love: “I love my body. Every curve, every inch, every mark, every dimple is a decoration on my temple. My body is mine. And nobody owns it but me,” she said in a prerecorded message that played as she took the stage. “And who I chose to let in is so lucky. You may not think my body is perfect, and it probably never will be, but when I look in the mirror? I love what I see.”
In recent years, Sports Illustrated has shifted towards body positivity, featuring more “inclusive” models. For example, last year, a Brazilian Valentina Sampaio was the first transgender model featured inside the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. In addition, this year, the magazine hosted a show in Miami, which may be its most diverse in body types, ages, and races.
On the 2021 swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated, Megan joins Japanese and Haitian tennis champion Naomi Osaka and model-actress Leyna Bloom, who made history as the first Black and Asian transgender woman featured in Sports Illustrated.
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2021 also featured actress and social media personality Olivia Culpo, singer-songwriter Tinashe, and YouTuber and makeup artist Nyma Tang. The issue is available starting July 22.