Megan Thee Stallion says she’s stepping back from music to ‘heal’

Rapper released her latest album ‘Traumazine’ in 2022

Megan Thee Stallion has announced that she will be taking a break from music to focus on “healing”.

In 2020, the 28-year-old artist – real name Megan Jovon Ruth Pete – was shot in the foot by rapper Tory Lanez. The ensuing legal battle ended last December, with Lanez currently awaiting sentencing.

After ascending to global fame in 2018 with the hit single “Big Ole Freak” from her album Tina Snow, Megan has released new music on a regular basis. Her latest record, Traumazine, debuted in 2022.

While fans may be wondering when they can expect her to drop the next summer anthem, she’s admitted that her mental and physical health has taken priority.

“Fans can expect new music when I’m in a better place,” Megan told InStyle. “Right now, I’m focused on healing.”

She further explained: “The music and entertainment industry can be a grind, so it’s important to take time off and avoid burning out. Life is all about balance.”

Over the last half year, the three-time Grammy winner has been embroiled in a court battle against fellow musician Lanez, who was eventually found guilty in December 2022 of shooting Megan in the foot after a 2020 party.

Earlier this month, a judge denied Lanez’s motion for a new trial. He is scheduled to be sentenced on 13 June and faces up to 20 years in prison.

(AP)

In April, Megan opened up about the impact of both the event and the cultural reaction to it in an emotional essay for Elle.

Explaining that she saw herself as a “survivor, because I have truly survived the unimaginable” rather than a “victim”, the rapper said that she had had to face her trauma being turned into a “running joke”.

“First, there were conspiracy theories that I was never shot,” she wrote. “Then came the false narratives that my former best friend shot me. Even some of my peers in the music industry piled on with memes, jokes, and sneak disses, and completely ignored the fact that I could have lost my life.

“I wish I could have handled this situation privately. That was my intention, but once my attacker made it public, everything changed. By the time I identified my attacker, I was completely drained.”

Megan added that she “started falling into a depression” where “I didn’t feel like making music”.

“I was in such a low place that I didn’t even know what I wanted to rap about,” she continued. “I wondered if people even cared anymore… It never crossed my mind that people wouldn’t believe me”.