Content warning: this article mentions gun violence and assault.
Let’s face it: if you have any pop culture awareness, then you’ve heard of Megan Thee Stallion. Whether you know her from her famous collaboration with Cardi B’s “WAP,” her hit single “HISS” — the notorious diss track aimed at Niki Minaj — or even from her recent hit “Mamushi” featuring Yuki Chiba, it goes without question that Megan Thee Stallion has blown up across social media in recent years. I have been a long-time fan of hers, dating back to when I saw her cosplay photoshoot of Shoto Todoroki (a character from “My Hero Academia”) back in 2019. So, imagine my surprise when I heard the latest controversy surrounding her and her new boyfriend, Torrey Craig.
On Nov. 14, 2024, a podcast called 3 Girls 1 Kitchen aired its first episode for the first time in two years. Known for their coverage of trending media and the modern-day dating scene, the podcast is hosted by internet personalities Lana Rhoades, Olivia Davis, and Alexa Adams, who all had quite a bit to say regarding Thee Stallion’s new beau. In their latest episode, Rhoades and Davis dived right into the discussion, eager to address the obvious elephant in the room — Torrey Craig, Davis’ ex-boyfriend.
Davis begins by saying, “Do I start with the one where my ex is dating the, uhm…the Megan- what is it, Meg- Megan?”
Rhoades and Adams correct her, “Meg Thee Stallion.”
Davis proceeds, “Mag? Magan, I’m just going to call her Megan.”
The three continued to make fun of Thee Stallion’s stage name, seemingly masking their intentional disrespect for the artist behind ignorant excuses. The situation only grows worse when Rhoades recounts seeing news that Thee Stallion and Torrey Craig were dating on social media.
Rhoades remarks, “Torrey- not Tory Lanez, a different Tory…I just wonder what his type is because he dated you [Davis], then he was talking to other girls, and they all look like you guys,” gesturing to her caucasian co-hosts.
Rhoades adds, “So, I’m just curious what his type is.”
This was the nail in the coffin for most viewers, as many perceived the statements as microaggressions toward Thee Stallion’s identity as a Black woman.
For viewers unfamiliar with the situation’s context, there’s a lot to unpack. To start, fans weren’t buying Davis’ excuse of unfamiliarity with the artist or the pronunciation of her name. As previously mentioned, if you’re anywhere on social media, you’ve at least heard of Thee Stallion in passing. Aside from that, let’s be honest: “Megan” is one of the most common names in America. Even after all things considered, viewers on social media found the most ironic part of the whole situation is that Davis had actively used one of Thee Stallion’s songs on one of her Instagram stories within the last few months.
On Aug. 2, 2024, an outfit check that Davis posted was accompanied by “Mamushi,” which happened to be one of Thee Stallion’s most trending songs of 2024. With all considered, how possible could it really have been for Davis not to know who Thee Stallion was?
The next controversial part of this clip that should be addressed is the comment about Torrey Craig’s “type.” Rhoades referred to him as usually preferring girls like Davis and Adams — but what exactly was meant by this? For one, they’re both white, blonde, and petite, completely contrasting with Thee Stallion’s tall stature, dark complexion, and curvier appearance. Many viewers have taken that as a microaggression, comparing Thee Stallion to the petite blonde girls Craig used to be involved with.
Furthermore, some have said it was evident in how Rhoades tried to “act so perplexed” by this. Following the backlash regarding this part of the podcast, Rhoades posted a video on Jan. 9, 2025, stating that she wasn’t referring to “white women as a whole” but just a “specific type of look.” Regardless of whether you believe her, people find it odd that that’s what she pointed out, of all things.
Finally, the unfortunate clincher of the whole situation is the reference to Tory Lanez. For those who don’t know, in July 2020, Lanez fired a semiautomatic handgun in his vehicle, striking Thee Stallion in the foot twice. After denying the incident first, Thee Stallion finally admitted to the incident on an Instagram Live in August 2020. In the following months, Lanez released his album Daystar, containing several jabs at the shooting. Adding fire to the flame, Lanez’s team attempted to start smear campaigns against Thee Stallion in an attempt to silence her about the incident.
In the end, Lanez was convicted in 2022 of assault with a semiautomatic handgun, having a loaded and unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and gross negligence in discharging his firearm, as covered in The New York Times. Most recently, Thee Stallion has been granted a restraining order against Lanez until 2030, citing that he has been harassing her through third parties since his incarceration in a California correctional institution, according to NBC News.
Despite all of this, Thee Stallion has remained strong. On Oct. 31, 2024, she released her documentary Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words on Amazon Prime, in which a significant portion focuses on the trauma and after-effects of the violence Lanez committed against her, including the legal matters and trials for his criminal sentencing.
“I think Megan Thee Stallion is trying to protect Megan Pete.”
Megan in covering her documentary, Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words
For those who have not seen the documentary, I strongly recommend it; it is a true display of her strength and power not only as a victim of gun violence but as a successful Black woman in the music industry.
All of this shows that the Lanez reference made on 3 Girls, 1 Kitchen has been seen by many as a disgustingly low blow to an already petty and microaggressive podcast clip. While Rhoades stands firm in her stance that she and her co-hosts meant no harm, supporters of Thee Stallion stand firm that this disrespect should not be tolerated.