Have you ever wanted to practice your English while listening to Megan Thee Stallion? Well, you’re in luck! Take a listen to the song and read the lyrics. Learn some new vocabulary, phrases, or cultural pointers here in Lyrics “Explained.” If you have time, answer some follow-up questions below and read some other lyrics here on CultSurf!
Queen B, want no smoke with me (Okay)
- *You don’t want any smoke… “Smoke” here refers to a conflict. It probably comes from guns, since sometimes people say smoke to refer to guns or shooting.
Been turnt, this motherf***** up eight hundred degree (Yeah)
- *I’ve been turnt… “Turnt” means having lots of fun, feeling good about yourself, etc. It comes from “turned up” which means about the same thing. “Turning it up” refers to making the temperature hotter, or making things more exciting and fun. *Eight hundred degrees…
My whole team eat, chef’s kiss, she’s a treat (Mwah)
- *My whole team eats… “Eat” in this slang sense means to get money and to have success. Remember that “bread” and “cheese” are also terms for money. A “treat” is normally something tasty to eat like candy. It can also be used to talk about a situation, event, or person that is really nice and that you like, almost like it is a gift. “Coming to see you during the holidays is always a treat.”
Ooh, she so bougie, bougie, bon appétit
- *She is so bougie… “Bougie” is another word for fancy or someone who has expensive taste. “Bon appétit” comes from French and is used in many languages to mean “enjoy your food.” This mixes well with the word “bougie” which comes from the French word bourgeoisie. Also because the French language, fashion, and food are considered fancy by many Americans and others.
I’m a savage (Yeah), attitude nasty (Yeah, ah)
- “Savage” has become a way to compliment someone who is really cool, has lots of style, skill, and other good features. “Nasty” normally means that some food doesn’t taste good. In a sensual way, it can mean that someone is highly sexual and acts inappropriately. Having a “nasty attitude” means to be upset or angry about something. Megan is probably mixing all of these meanings into one.
Talk big s***, but my bank account match it (Ooh)
- *my bank account matches it… To “talk s**” (also “talk crap,” “talk mess,” “talk stuff”) is to talk badly about someone or to brag about yourself. Basically she brags a lot about herself but she actually has the money to prove it, or to back it up.
Hood, but I’m classy, rich, but I’m ratchet (Oh, ah)
- The “hood” is a lower-class neighborhood usually for underprivileged communities or ethnic minorities. Often these are places with more poor people, drug trafficking or gang violence, thought not always. To “be hood” is to act like the stereotypical person from these kinds of neighborhoods, which could mean loud, confident, but also enjoying fights and conflict. Again, this is the stereotype. “Ratchet” is a similar term that is used to describe women who act loud, cause conflict, and can get very “in-your-face.” It’s like she’s saying she’s the best and worst all wrapped into one.
Haters kept my name in they mouth, now they gaggin’ (Ah, ah)
- *my name in their mouth, now they are gagging… She means that her haters talk about her a lot or criticize her. “Gag” is a form of choking, so her haters are now choking on Megan’s success. The origin of this phrase might be to “make someone eat their words.” This means to prove somebody wrong and be successful, especially when others are criticizing you. “John always calls me stupid. I’ll make him eat his words when I go to college.”
Bougie, he say, “The way that thang move, it’s a movie” (Ooh-oh)
- *he says, “The way that thing moves… “Thang” is just another way to pronounce “thing.” It’s usually used more often by black Americans to add emphasis to that word. Here you might be able to guess what “thang” she’s talking about.
I told that boy, “We gotta keep it low, leave me the room key” (Ooh-oh)
- This line comes from the term “down low” or “keep it on the down low.” Sometimes people say “on the low” or “low down” but it’s basically the same. The “low” is a secret or something secretive. The “room key” refers to a hotel room. Megan is showing her dominance by kicking her “boy” out of the room.
I done bled the block and now it’s hot, b****, I’m Tunechi (Ooh-oh)
- *I have bled the block… Saying “done” like this is another way to say that “you have gotten done doing something” or you “finished something.” “Ouch! I done hit my toe!” “Bleed” here is related to the slang word “kill” which means to have a lot of success in something. Megan “bled the block” so she had a lot of success (in music, I’m guessing) on her block, or in her city. “Hot” of course means it is fresh, new, and everyone likes it. “Tunechi” is another name for rapper Lil Wayne. He made a famous song a while ago called “Tha Block is Hot“. Lil Wayne is also a very good and respected rapper, so she is kind of paying respect to him.
A mood and I’m moody, ah
- A “mood” is a special feeling. Saying something is “mood” has become popular because of social media and hashtags. “Moody” usually is used to call someone emotional or dramatic.
I’m a savage, yeah (Okay)
Classy, bougie, ratchet, yeah (Okay)
Sassy, moody, nasty, yeah (Hey, hey, nasty)
Acting stupid, what’s happening? (Woah, woah, woah, what’s happening?)
- “Acting stupid” doesn’t necessarily mean that she is acting dumb or unintelligently. Sometimes “stupid” can mean funny, silly, or crazy. The way she pronounces “acting” like “ackin” is an informal way that some people might pronounce this word. Again, it’s more common in African American communities. Her “what’s happening?” isn’t a real question really. It’s just a rhetorical question seeing if anyone has something to say now. She’s doing so well that she leaves her haters speechless!
B****, what’s happening? (Woah, woah, okay)
B****, I’m a savage, yeah (Okay)
Classy, bougie, ratchet, yeah (Ratchet)
Sassy, moody, nasty, huh (Nasty)
Acting stupid, what’s happening? (Woah, ooh-oh)
B****, what’s happening? (Ayy, ah, ooh-oh)
Hips TikTok when I dance (Dance)
- “TikTok” is the name of a famous social media app, maybe you’ve heard of it? It has a double meaning here though, since “tick-tock” is the sound a clock makes when the hands move. It’s like saying her hips shake and move back and forth like a clock. A lot of people view and like videos on TikTok, so it can also mean that her hips get lots of love.
On that Demon Time, she might start a OnlyFans (OnlyFans)
- “Demon Time” is a series on the OnlyFans website that has to do with strippers and erotic dancing. OnlyFans is a place where people can post exclusive content directly to their fans and interact with them. It’s kind of known for having provocative content so that’s where the reference comes from.
Big B and that B stand for bands
- *that B stands for… “Bands” is the same as money; a thousand dollars is one band.
If you wanna see some real a**, baby, here’s your chance
I say, left cheek, right cheek, drop it low, then swang (Swang)
- “Swang” is the same as “swing.” It’s same idea as “thang” and “thing” from before.
Texas up in this thang (Thang), put you up on this game (Game)
- To “put someone on the game” is to make someone attracted to you or what you are doing, or to get them “hooked” onto something.
IVY PARK on my frame (Frame), gang, gang, gang, gang (Gang)
- Ivy Park is a clothing brand founded by Beyoncé. It’s on her “frame” or body, so she’s wearing her own brand clothing. “Gang” is just something that some people say to show excitement or enthusiasm for your “crew” or the people you represent. It comes from a song too, “GANG GANG” by Jackboys.
If you don’t jump to put jeans on, baby, you don’t feel my pain (Hol’ up)
- “Hold up” is the same as “wait a minute.” This lyric is a reference to her butt, by the way.
Please don’t get me hype (I’m hype), write my name in ice (Ice, ice, ice)
- To “get hype” is to get excited. It can also mean to get out of control, which is probably how Beyoncé means it. “Ice” in slang can mean diamonds. Writing her name in diamonds would be cool, and it also refers to her being “cold” or really good at what she does, maybe ruthless or someone hard to compete against. This comes from the phrase “write my name in stone” which means you are famous forever and people will always know your name.
Can’t argue with these lazy b******, I just raise my price
I’m a boss, I’m a leader, I pull up in my two-seater
- “Two-seater” is a sports car with just two seats. It can also mean a person with a really big butt.
And my mama was a savage, n****, got this s*** from Tina
- Beyoncé’s mom’s name is Tina
I’m a savage, yeah
Classy, bougie, ratchet, yeah (Ratchet, yeah)
Sassy, moody, nasty, yeah (Okay)
Acting stupid, what’s happening? (Ah)
B****, what’s happening? (Ah, what’s up?)
B****, I’m a savage, yeah
Classy, bougie, ratchet, yeah (Woah, woah, woah, okay)
Sassy, moody, nasty, huh (Ooh, ooh, okay)
Acting stupid, what’s happening? (Woah, ah)
B****, what’s happening? (Ayy, ah, ah)
Like Beyoncé, like me (Like me)
He want a b**** like thee Stallion with the knees (With the knees)
- *He wants a… Megan is referring to the way she dances.
He be like, “Damn, how that thang movin’ in them jeans?” (Yeah, yeah, them jeans)
- *He’s thinking… or He is like… How is that thing moving in those jeans? Saying “like” can be used to introduce a thought or dialogue in informal speech. “I was like, Come over, and he was like, Okay.” In informal speech some people say “them” when they mean “those.” “Them are some nice shoes! I want to buy them.”
Ayy, even D4L couldn’t do it like me, like me
- “D4L” (Down For Life) is a rap group based in Atlanta that was popular in the early 2000s, especially for their song “Laffy Taffy.” They made a song called “Betcha Can’t Do it Like Me” which is probably what she’s referring to. D4L was like a one-hit-wonder, so she might be saying that she can make lots of hit songs.
Ooh, ah, ooh
I done got this body ready just for you
Girl, I hope he don’t catch me messin’ ’round with you
- *I hope he doesn’t catch me messing around… To “catch” someone in this sense means to find them doing something they aren’t supposed to do. To “mess around” can be another way to say cheating on someone or sleeping with someone. It can also be just spending time with someone or having fun. Mess around has other meanings too, but these are some of them.
Talkin’ to myself in the mirror like, “B****, you my boo“
- *you are my boo… “Boo” is a loving term that you call someone you love and appreciate like a partner, spouse, and less commonly a family member. Here she’s calling herself “boo” in the mirror.
I’m the s***, ooh
- Saying this means that you are really great and awesome. It sounds like a contradiction, but that’s what it means.
I need a mop to clean the floor, it’s too much drip, ooh
- “Drip” is style, confidence, attractiveness, and all of that good stuff in one. She uses a metaphor, saying she has “drip” but comparing it to a literal liquid dripping on the floor that needs to be mopped.
I keep a knot, I keep a watch, I keep a whip, ooh (Keep it real, ooh)
- These are all things used to control or dominate someone. A knot (she keeps her men tied, they are stuck with her), a watch (she keeps them on the clock, as if they were working for her), and a whip (like slavery, basically, or maybe like Fifty Shades of Grey?). To “keep it real” means to be open, tell the truth, and show things the way they really are. Not hiding or lying about yourself.
Let’s play a game, Simon says I’m still that b****, ayy
- “Simon says” is a schoolyard game where one person is in charge (Simon) and everyone else has to do what that person says. “Simon says, touch your toes. Simon says, stomp your feet” etc. When someone says, “I’m that __,” it means that they are the best or the one being talked about. “Wait, so who are you?” “I’m that dude. Ask your friends, they know.” Megan also could be saying that she is the same as before and hasn’t changed her ways, in a good way.
I’m still that b****, yuh (Ah)
I’m a savage, yeah (Okay)
Classy, bougie, ratchet (Okay)
Sassy, moody, nasty, yeah
Acting stupid, what’s happening? (Ah, what’s up?)
B****, what’s happening? (Ah, what’s up?)
B****, I’m a savage, yuh (Okay)
Classy, bougie, ratchet, yeah (Woah, woah, woah, okay)
Sassy, moody, nasty, huh (Ooh, ooh)
Acting stupid, what’s happening? (Ooh, ooh, ah)
B****, what’s happening? (Ayy, ah, ah)
I heard they askin‘ for the Queen, they brought some cameras in here
- *I heard that they were asking for the Queen…
I’m a bad b****, she’s a savage, no comparison here
- A “bad B-word” is a term of respect and admiration for a woman who takes care of her business, has good looks, makes good money, and so on. Not all women like this term and it could be offensive depending on who says it or hears it. This goes back to the meaning of “bad” as something really good or cool.
I’ma flip my hair and look back while I twerk in the mirror
- *I’m going to flip… You should know what twerking is. If not, just look up Miley Cyrus or somebody. Better yet, watch a Megan Thee Stallion video.
All this money in the room, think some scammers in here
- A “scammer” is someone who tricks others into making money for themselves or makes money in a number of illegal ways. Megan and B make so much money that it looks as if they were doing it illegally.
I’m comin’ straight up out that Third (ah)
- To “come straight up out of” something just means to come out of it or come from it. “Straight up out” here just adds rhythm and emphasis to the sentence, but it doesn’t change the meaning in any major way. Think of the slogan “Straight Outta Compton” (NWA came directly from Compton). The “Third” she refers to is the Third Ward of Houston, which I guess is where Beyoncé lived for a while. Interestingly, the way she pronounces “ah” after Third sounds like she could be saying “Third eye”, which is a light reference to the mystic third eye and deep perception. It’s actually referenced quite often in modern music and could just be used to mean a deeper level of awareness and success. It’s kind of associated with the Illuminati too …
I whip the whip like I stirred it (Stirred)
- “Whip” is a slang term for a car. When talking about cooking, “whip” means to stir something quickly and repeatedly until it forms a foam or cream. That’s why she also says “stir.” Basically, she’s driving her fancy car as if she were whipping some type of food, driving it in circles, doing tricks in her car, and so on.
Woodgrain, we swervin‘, keepin’ his mind all on these curves (Uh)
- *We are swerving… “Woodgrain” is a finish on wood that makes it look more natural. The design of woodgrain has lots of curves and swirls in it. To “swerve” is to curve quickly, usually in a car around a corner or sharp turn.
Coupe fly like a bird (Bird), cold on ’em like, “Brrr” (Ice)
- “Coupe” is another word for a nice car or two-seater, too. Also, a coop is a place where chickens and sometimes other birds are kept, so she plays with this pronunciation. “Fly” here has the slang meaning of being stylish and attractive, although she compares it to the literal sense of a flying bird. “Cold” here probably has a mixed meaning of ice (diamonds and jewelry) and looking really good, fresh, stylish, etc. Cold is an adjective but she uses it like a verb, which happens a lot in English. “Brrr” is the sound someone makes when they are cold (temperature). It’s also the sound rapper Gucci Mane makes a lot in his music, much for the same reasons as Beyoncé just now.
Always keep my words, no, I don’t do crosswords
- To “keep your word” means to be honest and do what you said you were going to do. It’s like not giving up. “Crosswords” are those word puzzles that you see in newspapers or puzzle booklets. She plays with the idea of a crossword puzzle and “crossing” someone, meaning to lie, trick, or cheat them. It’s also like saying “she doesn’t go back on her word” (she doesn’t say one thing and do another).
Stallion when I ride, he like them hot girls with them hips, ah (Skrrt, skrrt)
- *He likes those hot girls with those hips…
I hopped that s***, the way I hopped out and slid, ah (Skrrt, skrrt)
- Repeating “skrrt skrrt” makes me think she really is referring to a car. She hopped out and slid (got out of) her car. That sound is very popular in hip-hop music lately, and it almost always is talking about a fancy car, usually when someone is arriving or leaving somewhere. I’ll leave you to figure out the rest of what she means.
I pop my s***, now watch me pop up again, ah (Woah)
- This line is more inappropriate but an interesting note: to “pop up” can mean to show up or appear unexpectedly.
I mop the floor, now watch me sweep up these Ms, ’cause I— (Ah)
- Mopping the floor is a reference to the previous line talking about “drip.” Now she’s sweeping up “Ms” (millions of dollars).
.
And the lyrics repeat.
Wow, that was a lot. This song is packed full of slang, informal expressions, double meanings, and pop-culture references. The whole song is basically about how cool, stylish, and awesome these two women are. They make lots of money, are sexy, close big business deals, and can walk the talk. There’s nothing much more to explain here.
Questions:
- What did you think of this song? Do you prefer the original or the remix?
- Why do you think they focus so much on their physical attributes? Does hip-hop as a genre encourage this?
- What’s your favorite Beyoncé or Megan Thee Stallion song? What is that song about?
- Would you rather be a savage, classy, nasty, bougie, ratchet, or sassy? (What’s happening)
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Cover image: By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63308428
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