'In Her Words': Megan Thee Stallion Doc Director Says Rapper Is 'An Example of Feminist Strength'

Everyone seems to know everything about Megan Thee Stallion.

From her meteoric rise to the upper echelons of the music industry to the 2020 Tory Lanez shooting and subsequent trial that sparked misinformation and a bitter divide in the hip-hop community, people on the internet and in the industry believed every little detail to be informed about the life of the Houston-born rapper. That's why the rapper, née Megan Pete, had to make a documentary to reclaim her story – “In Her Words.”

That's the message expressed at the Manhattan premiere of Nneka Onuorah's Prime Video documentary. In a live broadcast of the premiere in Los Angeles, Megan and Onuorah gushed about the process of making the film. Onuorah explained that her first meeting with the rapper turned into a three-hour crying session. The Emmy-winning director knew, “My purpose in life was to support and encourage a young woman through her journey of grief and trauma – using my art as a tool.”

But most of all, Onuorah emphasized that of all her films, “this film means the world to me. “It is a portrait of resilience and a timeless artifact that reminds women of their true inner strength.” The director then introduced Megan, regally dressed in a royal blue silk dress and with an updo. The artist was immediately overcome with emotion as the LA crowd cheered, although he was not entirely aware of the roar in my New York theater.

The rapper, who suffered greatly from online hate campaigns and misogyny before and during Lanez's trial, explained: “I started to see a lot of people starting to dehumanize me and a lot of people trying to take control of me. “ Tell and tell my story.

But four years after the shooting, the 29-year-old shared that she was ready to talk openly about her life. “Let me just go ahead and speak my truth and put it on the table because you don’t respect anything other than rawness and honesty. I wanted to be a celebrity who looks out of nowhere for all of you. I “I’m sorry that didn’t work out,” she said.

Salon's interview with director Nneka Onuorah highlights the experience of making a documentary where we see Onuorah and Megan's “closeness and intimacy” and how Megan Thee Stallion exists as a symbol of female empowerment.

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What stood out to you about Megan in the beginning that really made you realize this was the right project for you?

What struck me was that a young woman was undergoing a transformation, walking through the fire, and I knew that she was on her way to becoming a beautiful phoenix. So it was kind of a coming of age story. I felt like the juxtaposition of Megan Thee Stallion going through the most successful point of her career while Megan Pete was struggling led to an internal conflict that I thought people could really learn a lesson from. For me it was a no-brainer when it came to the next film I wanted to make.

The documentary is titled “In Her Words.” How has Megan reclaimed the narrative about her life and career? How did you help her?

Megan was so brave to put the most difficult point in her life on display. She didn't have to do this. I feel like a filmmaker, so I didn't use sit-down interviews or conversations with other people. I wanted an up close and personal first person experience, a very intimate approach to Megan. So I had to give her a safe place to really share her thoughts, her emotions and her feelings and observe them day by day. I took the time of my life, almost three years of my life, to dedicate myself to depicting this experience because I knew it would be timeless. It will be a timeless documentary for women to see, “How do I move from a disempowered state to an empowered state by activating my own inner power, my inner vulnerability?” and use that as a strength. Megan Thee Stallion vs. Megan Pete's theme shows this perfectly.

Megan is a huge anime fan and the same style can be found in her music videos such as “BOA” and “Neva Play”. Some of the most traumatic moments in Megan's life such as her mother's death, the 2020 shooting, and the subsequent trial are all told through animation. Why was animation the right step to retell these difficult moments in life?

Firstly, I always try to figure out, what does this person like as an artist? I knew Meg liked anime. But beyond that, there are so many conversations or footage about their external experience, but what can their internal experience tell? It is equally important to know what someone is going through internally. I felt like it was a strong visualization of what she was going through, whether it was nightmares, anxiety therapy, or just memories of her mother that you know she has in her head but can't hold onto them. I also wanted to provide a visualization of what she was going through because I wanted Megan to look back and look at that and say, “Wow, I'm so strong.” Or, “Oh my God, look at the beautiful time that was.” I spent with my mother.” I wanted this to be something she could think about herself too. Since she liked anime and gave it her own story, I felt like she would love the anime and preserve it that way.

It was one of my favorite parts of the documentary. Other standout moments include when Megan gloats over hot fries or when she admits to lying to Gayle King on “Good Morning America” ​​in 2022. How did you get to such a vulnerable place with Megan? Was it a challenge as a filmmaker?

I wouldn't say it was a challenge. I would say it was my job to get through this film and I think it was a real thing to build that bond and friendship. When I shot the chip scene, you can hear my voice talking to her in it. I gave her the space I asked, “Yo, why don't you want to eat?” I was just being human with her and giving her the space to express her frustration and have an outlet for it. Where does she have to go to do that? So I gave her space. I gave her a platform. I listened. I think listening really created closeness and intimacy. Sometimes you just want people to identify with you and understand you. I really understood her. I understand, girl, I understand. I love food. So if something doesn't work out and you're under stress, something completely different can happen. I focused the camera on these moments. I think that made the difference. It's like a lot of other filmmakers try to appease them and make a film based on their thoughts, but I'll let the truth be what it is. This is filmmaking and this is my style of filmmaking.

Part of that truth lies in the loss of Megan's mother, Holly Thomas, and her mother's private grief. Have you found that there are some misconceptions about Megan's private grief and the public persona she has built?

I think they just forget that Megan Thee Stallion is a human being – Megan Pete. Megan Thee Stallion is an example of feminist strength, an icon and a strong woman. People forget that as a strong black woman you can also be vulnerable. You may also be in pain. Both of these things can be true and that going through something doesn't make you any less strong. Being strong doesn't stop you from getting through things. That's where this came from and what was important to me about it?

A large part of this is because the hip-hop industry has mistreated Megan with exploitative record deals, feuds with rappers, and the spread of misinformation online. What about the industry you discovered through Megan's experience while making this film?

I learned that the industry is deeply misogynistic and that it is intimidated by a woman who deeply honors herself. Audre Lorde's The Power of Eroticism was really an inspiration for this. It's about how women have to say “yes” to themselves: their erotic nature, their self-determination and not always in the service of men. That's why I made the film, because it highlights that and how the industry is threatened by this and how the patriarchy is threatened by this. What I learned about the industry is that it is deeply patriarchal. This made me want to show the journey of one woman by two women even more.

Ultimately, we see the emotional relief Megan feels when Tory Lanez is convicted of the shooting. What was it like to see it in real time? What message do you hope to get from this documentary and Megan's story?

I was deeply emotional. I've seen Meg go through everything. Seeing her experience that justice and that liberation, that cry, captured my heart. I want people to tell the truth, stand up for themselves, not be afraid to be vulnerable, and not constantly try to portray themselves as strong. But allow yourself to live through these moments. I say the only way out is through. It's not about avoiding things, but simply going through things so you can overcome them. That's the great thing about this film. I want people to know from this film that there is an innate power within them as a woman and that they can access it if they continue to stand up for themselves in the opposition.

“In Her Words” is now available to stream on Prime Video.