Editor’s note: This article has been updated on Monday, Jan. 22 to include mention of Victoria Monét and reflect D’Mile’s 2024 GRAMMY nomination.

"He is a genius. I don’t feel like most people realize how much of a genius he actually is" producer D’Mile asserts when thinking back on his popular project with Bruno Mars.

But prior to the formation of Silk Sonic, longtime friend and bandmate Anderson .Paak implored Mars and D’Mile to come together for a session. "Once we realized we were doing a group project, I think it was easy for all of us to know what kind of vibe it was going to be," D'Mile says. 

"Leave The Door Open,'' the GRAMMY-winning product of the trio’s collaboration, became a hit for its groovy R&B bridges and velvety vocal harmonies — and D’Mile’s career skyrocketed. Now, he is a creative backbone behind many top artists, infusing discographies with blues, jazz and neo-R&B, while engineering for Beyoncé, Jay Z, Lupe Fiasco, H.E.R. and others. Now, D’Mile is nominated for Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical, at the 2024 GRAMMYs, alongside Jack Antonoff, Hit-Boy and more.

 At the66th GRAMMY Awards, D’Mile is nominated forProducer Of The Year, Non-Classical for his work on JAGUAR II. TheVictoria Monét record is nominated for Best R&B Album and Best Engineered Album. Non-Classical.

Long before earning a clutch of awards, D’Mile was disciplined in a musical household. Dernst Emile II, a.k.a. D'Mile was born to two esteemed Haitian musicians —  vocalist Yanick Étienne and Dernst Emile, an established music arranger and instrumentalist —  with a wide global lineage and appreciation of the music of the African diaspora. Coming up in Brooklyn,  D'Mile learned the piano from his father, and would hear his mother sing jazz and Haitian konpa around the house.

"They would always work together," the music producer bashfully remembers over Zoom, chuckling. "My dad [still] gives private lessons to this day. I was just always around instruments my whole life — the jam and recording sessions. I feel like I am just a younger version of him." 

A young D'Mile inherited the musical aptitude of his parents, nurturing his musical roots while keeping his ear close to the ground as his career blossomed. "One of my first [producer] placements ever was actually Mary J. Blige in 2005," D’Mile reflects bashfully. That single was the title track on Blige’s 2005 album, The Breakthrough, which won the GRAMMY Award for Best R&B Record.  

Nearly two decades into producing music, D’Mile applies artists' personal experiences to the music they create together, tailoring their sounds as a reflection of who they are, at the moment he meets them. "I just do what I know when I feel right in my heart," D’Mile says, shrugging his shoulders. "[But] when I do a collab with an artist, I try to speak to who they are through the music."

That insight, and ability to cohere an artist's essence with contemporary culture, has led to many hit-making moments. After having compulsive thoughts of quitting music over the past decade, D’Mile ignited an artistic flare at the beginning of the pandemic and a plethora of gold-plated accolades was on the horizon. 

From 2020 to 2022, D’Mile experienced highs that accelerated career’s trajectory. At the 2020 GRAMMY Awards, D’Mile received seven nominations for his work on Lucky Daye’s debut album, Painted and H.E.R’s second album, I Used To Know Her. Following the police murder of George Floyd, D'Mile channeled racial tensions into H.E.R.'s "I Can’t Breathe"; the song won the coveted GRAMMY Award for Song Of The Year in 2021. That same year, D'Mile won an Academy Award for Best Original Song ("Fight For You") in the motion picture, Judas and the Black Messiah.

D'Mile's star only continued to rise in 2022. At the 64th GRAMMY Awards, the producer took home three golden gramophones for his work on Silk Sonic's "Leave the Door Open" — including Song and Record Of The Year. A testament to his production expertise and wide-ranging ear, D'Mile was also nominated for his efforts on Christian/Contemporary song "Hold Us Together (Hope Mix)."

"I am not saying my first accomplishments haven’t hit me yet, but it is just unbelievable sometimes to think of all of the good things that have been happening in my career recently," D'Mile reflects.

At the 66th GRAMMY Awards, D’Mile is nominated for his work on JAGUAR II; the Victoria Monét record is nominated for Best R&B Album and Best Engineered Album. Non-Classical.

The Los Angeles-based musician is nourishing the nucleic basis of R&B, creating an environment for upcoming and celebrated artists to rejoice and evolve. The producer shared memories from some of his favorite collaborations with GRAMMY.com.

Joyce Wrice - Overgrown

Executive produced by D’Mile, Joyce Wrice's 2021 debut album is an exquisite gift to R&B buffs. The bluesy 14-track Overgrown is a delineation of nostalgic 90’s R&B and hip-hop, with pitched vocal highs and emotional lows.

"The first time Joyce and I met in the studio, I was picking up on who she is as a woman and her vision for Overgrown," says D’Mile. "I got close with her and I would gather information off of what she would play me. I feel like when I make music, that's me kind of examining who you are."

Throughout Overgrown, the San Diego native sings about the pains of healing from heartbreak and unrequited love. The album is also a celebration of womanhood, where a confidently independent Wrice embraces the mental strength she discovered while finding herself. 

Buddy - "Happy Hour"

Compton-raised rapper Buddy released his sophomore album, Superghetto, in 2022 and D’Mile produced one of the most popular tracks from the project. "Happy Hour" is an ode to letting loose and treating life as joyously chaotic as ordering a drink at a crowded bar on a weekend night.

"Buddy and I created this song a couple of years ago," D’Mile recalls, thinking deeply about the track's origins. 

The single can be seen as a sequel to T-Pain’s 2007 anthem, "Bartender" — and fittingly so. Adds D'Mile, "T-Pain hopped on the track maybe a few months before it was released. I can’t take credit for getting that feature on the song, but it did make all the sense in the world."

H.E.R’s "Fight For You," "I Can’t Breathe" & I Used To Know Her

In 2021, D’Mile got together with longtime collaborators H.E.R and singerTiara Thomas to create socially-charged songs that highlighted the atrocities of police violence against Black Americans.

"The creation of these songs started with a conversation," D’Mile says, smiling as he reflects on the trio's tight bond. "H.E.R and Tiara were talking about what was going on in the world. H.E.R. is an artist that really cares about people and cares about what's right."

D'Mile recalls that H.E.R. picked up a guitar and played "I Can’t Breathe." "I remember tearing up when I first heard the song and I just knew exactly what I needed to do to help."

The producer also assisted on the tearful tune "Could've Been," which was also born from this session and later appeared on H.E.R’s second LP.

Victoria Monét - Jaguar

D’Mile had his hands in all processes behind the production of Victoria Monét’s debut album, Jaguar. The supersonic 2020 project is a funky unification of fun R&B with sultry pop melodies.

While Monét has penned lyrics for Ariana Grande, Nas, Chris Brown and others, Jaguar was the Georgia native's first full-length foray as a solo artist. The performer, dancer and recent mom is also using D’Mile’s musical compositions on her next album.

D'Mile says he's excited for Monét’s next musical chapter, which incorporates her experiences with motherhood and more sass.

"We dug a little deeper. She is an artist that I feel really comfortable with," the producer says of Monét's forthcoming record. "There might be a couple of songs that you wouldn’t expect from her, and then there are songs that are just incredible records."

And all in all? “That’s my fam. That’s like my sister, you know. Me and Vicky have known each other for years,” he said in another interview. “I’ve always been a fan. I’ve seen her grow and we’ve worked on and off pretty much since the beginning.”

Silk Sonic - An Evening With Silk Sonic

The breakout group of 2021 were undoubtedly the nostalgically catchy vocal duo Silk Sonic — a project of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak. D’Mile executive produced the entire An Evening With Silk Sonic album, which swept the 64th GRAMMY Awards.

D’Mile related immensely to Bruno Mars, who is also a producer, and found commonality in .Paak's interest in older R&B originals from the likes of Michael Jackson, Donny Hathaway and Stevie Wonder. The stars finally aligned in 2020 when Anderson reached out to D'Mile about a collaboration.

"It took us two years to create the vision and we all just kind of love that era of music [that Silk Sonic is emulating]. That's what we grew up on," D’Mile reminisces. "'Smoking Out the Window' was a song that Bruno and Anderson sat on for five years until the right moment came. It feels like a blur because we were just having so much fun together."

2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Nominees List

The 2025 GRAMMYs season is officially here. The 67th GRAMMY Awards nominations will take place on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 at 7:45 a.m. PT / 10:45 a.m. ET, featuring guest appearances from multiple GRAMMY-winning artists, including Mark Ronson, Kylie Minogue, Victoria Monét, Brandy Clark, Kirk Franklin, and others.

Then, it's the main event: The 2025 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 67th GRAMMY Awards, take place Sunday, Feb. 2. The ceremony will be held at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and streamed live and on demand on Paramount+.

The GRAMMY Awards celebrate the artistic excellence that defined the year in music. As music's only peer-recognized accolade, the Academy’s Voting Member body — made up of active music creators representing more than 22 different music genres and over 13 creative disciplines, including songwriters, composers, producers, engineers, and more — are eligible to vote for the GRAMMY Awards. These members ultimately determine the nominees and winners on Music's Biggest Night. 

Check below for a full guide to the 2025 GRAMMYs nominations livestream event happening next week proudly sponsored by City National Bank, Coca-Cola, and Dunkin'. 

Follow "Recording Academy/GRAMMYs" on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn, and use #GRAMMYs to join the conversation as it unfolds on Nov. 8. 

How Can I Watch The 2025 GRAMMY Nominations? 

Watch the full 2025 GRAMMYs nominations livestream event on live.GRAMMY.com, your go-to destination for all things GRAMMYs all year long — 24/7, 365, and the Recording Academy's YouTube channel. 

This year, the Recording Academy is revolutionizing the GRAMMY digital experience with the improved live.GRAMMY.com, a dynamic, expansive online experience providing music fans a backstage view into Music's Biggest Night. Featuring a multi-screen livestream you can control, live.GRAMMY.com is where you can watch all the highlights from the 2025 GRAMMYs in one place before, during and even after the telecast. Catch GRAMMY performances, acceptance speeches, the GRAMMY Live From The Red Carpet livestream special, the full Premiere Ceremony livestream, behind-the-scenes backstage moments, and so much more. 

Updating in real time, live.GRAMMY.com gives music fans an exclusive peek into this year's official GRAMMY Week celebrations, a multi-camera video feed giving fans a true 360-view into the GRAMMY Awards, and exclusive articles, performances, interviews, and videos.  

When Are The 2025 GRAMMY Nominations Announced?

The 2025 GRAMMY nominees will be unveiled during a livestream event on live.GRAMMY.com and YouTube, kicking off with a special presentation announcing the nominees in the General Field and select Categories. Video announcements of the nominees in the remaining Categories will also be published on live.GRAMMY.com and YouTube while the event is underway, and the full list of nominees will be published on GRAMMY.com immediately following the presentation. Nominees will also be announced via a press release. 

The schedule for the 2025 GRAMMYs nominations livestream event is as follows:

GRAMMY Nominations Pre-Show

7:45 a.m. PT / 10:45 a.m. ET 

Watch the 2025 GRAMMY Nominations Pre-Show, which takes place ahead of the 2025 GRAMMY nominations on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. Hosted by Emmy-Award-winning TV hosts and "Entertainment Tonight" correspondents Cassie DiLaura and Denny Directo, the 2025 GRAMMY Nominations Pre-Show is an inside look at the various departments and initiatives that the Recording Academy — the organization behind the annual GRAMMY Awards — supports on a year-long basis on its mission to recognize excellence in the recording arts and sciences and cultivate the well-being of the global music community.  

Nominations Livestream Event

8 a.m. PT / 11 a.m. ET 

Nominations Livestream Event Ends & Full Nominations Revealed

8:30 a.m. PT / 11:30 a.m. ET

GRAMMY Nominations Wrap-Up Show

Immediately following the end of the nominations livestream event

Watch our exclusive 2025 GRAMMY Nominations Wrap-Up Show where correspondents Cassie DiLaura and Denny Directo discuss your favorite artists and the biggest trends to come out of the 2025 GRAMMY nominations. The show offer s music fans the inside scoop into all the biggest news and top stories from the 2025 GRAMMY nominations.   

For more information about the 2025 GRAMMY Awards season, learn more about the annual GRAMMY Awards process; read our First Round Voting guide for the 2025 GRAMMYs; read our FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section; view the official GRAMMY Awards Rules and Guidelines; and visit the GRAMMY Award Update Center for a list of real-time changes to the GRAMMY Awards process.   

^All times are approximate and subject to change.

Read More: GRAMMY Awards Updates For The 2025 GRAMMYs: Here's Everything You Need To Know About GRAMMY Awards Categories Changes & Eligibility Guidelines

Who's Announcing The 2025 GRAMMY Nominations?

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. will be joined by GRAMMY winners Brandy Clark, Kirk Franklin, David Frost, Robert Gordon, Kylie Minogue, Victoria Monét, Gaby Moreno, Deanie Parker, Ben Platt, Mark Ronson, and Hayley Williams, along with GRAMMY-nominated comedian Jim Gaffigan and "CBS Mornings" host Gayle King, to announce the 67th GRAMMY Awards nominees.

When Are The 2025 GRAMMYs?

The main event, the 2025 GRAMMY Awards, will take place Sunday, Feb. 2. The ceremony will be held at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and streamed live and on demand on Paramount+.

Mark your calendars now for the 2025 GRAMMY nominations happening Friday, Nov 8.

The start of spooky season may be upon us, but there's nothing terrifying about the sheer plethora of releases on the first New Music Friday of October.

On the new project front, Leon Bridges drops his self-titled LP Leon, Ariana Grande celebrates seven months of her latest era with Eternal Sunshine Slightly Deluxe and Also Live, Tucker Wetmore makes his official debut with his Waves On a Sunset EP, and Brooke Alexx unveils her first full-length, Big Mouth. 

Plus, Joe Jonas offers Jonatics a second taste of his upcoming solo album Music For People Who Believe in Love with new single "What This Could Be," BLACKPINK's LISA channels Sixpence None The Richer's '90s-era classic "Kiss Me" on her latest solo offering "Moonlit Floor," and Nate Smith duets with Avril Lavigne on "Can You Die From a Broken Heart."

Below, dive into 10 more new releases ranging from pop-rock, R&B and electronica to soul, country and contemporary Christian music.

Coldplay are back among the stars for their tenth album, Moon Music. A sequel to 2021's Music of the Spheres, the new LP was executive produced by Max Martin, who also helmed production on its predecessor.

Moon Music also marks a new benchmark in the band's commitment to sustainability, with each vinyl LP being made from 100 percent recycled plastic bottles.

"I think what this album is about is a response to struggling with all the conflict within oneself, within myself, and also all the conflict outside, and working out what the best response is," frontman Chris Martin said in a recent video on social media. "And I think what Moon Music is trying to say is maybe love is the best response."

Victoria Monét expounds on her GRAMMY-winning 2023 album JAGUAR II with not just a few bonus tracks for its deluxe edition, but an entire second disc of new music.

The reigning Best New Artist GRAMMY winner takes a well-deserved victory lap on the musical addendum, with help from the likes of Bryson Tiller ("We Might Even Be Falling in Love (Duet)") and Thundercat ("Don't Sleep"). The result is a sensual, melodic thrill ride that's sure to keep fans enthralled as Monét dreams up the long-promised third act of her JAGUAR trilogy.

After two full-length albums filled with personal introspection, Dan Snaith is ready to hit the dance floor with Honey, his sixth album as Caribou and eleventh overall.

On the LP, the Canadian producer shows off his flair for sonic experimentation while simultaneously channeling his dance-driven alter ego Daphni. He embraced technological advances by using artificial intelligence to change his voice ("Once I tried it, it was impossible to look away," he said in a statement), resulting in the high-pitched pep of opener "Broke My Heart," the hollow echoes on "Come Find Me" and everything in between.

Fresh off earning a stamp of approval from none other than Beyoncé in her recent GQ cover story, Thee Sacred Souls have unveiled their sophomore studio album, Got A Story To Tell.

The rising R&B trio — made up of members Alejandro Garcia, Salvador Samano and Josh Lane — meld disparate influences from Jamaican rocksteady to girl groups of the 1960s into their 12-track collection of modern, shiver-inducing soul, including pre-release singles like "Lucid Girl," "Waiting on the Right Time" and "My Heart is Drowning."

In the wake of the destruction Hurricane Helene caused across North Carolina, Granite Falls native Eric Church isn't just dedicating his latest single to his home state — he's giving them all of the publishing royalties to help relief efforts.

"Darkest Hour," Church's first new release in over three years, is a heartfelt ode to, as the country star put it himself, "the people who show up when the world's falling apart." Over soulful, stripped-back instrumentation, Church tenderly sings, "Baby don't give up/ I'll do everything in my power/ To take even a minute off your darkest hour."

It's also a serendipitous release for the singer, who had the song written long before the tragedy. "The line that struck me in light of the recent devastation was 'I'll come running,' because there are a lot of people out there right now who are in their darkest hour and they need people to come running. We were going to wait to release music until next year, but it just didn't feel right to wait with this song. Sometimes you give songs their moment and sometimes they find their own moment."

Two decades after rocketing up the charts with 2004's Trouble, Akon is back and feeling blissed out on his single "Akon's Beautiful Day" — his first new song in a decade.

"God thank you for sunshine, thank you for rain/ Thank you for joy, thank you for pain/ It's a beautiful day-ay-ay-ay," the Senegalese-American artist sings on the track. But lest you think Akon has traded the bananzas and belly dancers that made him famous for nothing but inspiration and platitudes, never fear: he still manages to winkingly reference his 2006 smash "Smack That" in the song's verses.

James Bay returns with his fourth studio set, Changes All The Time. Along with co-production from Gabe Simon, the English troubadour's latest full-length also features heavyweight co-writers throughout its liner notes, from Brandon Flowers and Natalie Hemby to Holly Humberstone and Kevin Garrett.

Standout tracks on the album include the smoldering love song "Speed Limit" and anthemic, emotionally raw closer "Dogfight." For the three-time GRAMMY nominee, the album served as creative liberation. "I really felt some true musical freedom making this music," he wrote in an Instagram post, adding that Simon helped him find "the courage to make what I wanted to make in ways I never have before."

Toosii continues his string of annual album releases with JADED, a follow-up to the rapper's sprawling 2023 effort NAUJOUR and its viral single "Favorite Song."

The latest project from the Raleigh, North Carolina MC was preceded by singles "Fuk U Mean" and the Gunna-assisted "Champs Elysee." In addition to the "one of wun" rapper, Toosii also links up with Kehlani (woozy confessional "Ok… Whatever") and Muni Long (the sparklingly romantic "I Do") on the album in between solo tracks like "She Doesn't Mind," "New Corvette" and closer "Sticks and Stones."

Andy Grammer — 'Monster'

Throughout the 2010s, Andy Grammer made a name for himself thanks to bright, optimistic ditties like "Honey, I'm Good" and "Keep Your Head Up," and his fifth album, Monster, continues that streak of delivering sunny, emotional anthems — though this time, with a few more shades of gray.

The follow-up to 2019's Naive finds the singer/songwriter showing off his impressive skills on the mandolin while also venturing into new sonic territory. He digs deeper into his vulnerable side, too, particularly on the booming ode to self-awareness "Blind Spots," on which he admits, "I played the hero/ Wore a smile and wore a cape/ When all along I was the one/ That needed to be saved."

Don't Stop Praying is both the title and overarching message of Matthew West's new album. The contemporary Christian stalwart's latest body of work uplifts throughout its 12 tracks, courtesy of collaborations with Christian country singer Anne Wilson ("Last Page of the Bible") and Stephen McWhirter ("Breakthrough's Coming"), as well as testimonial solo cuts like "Chosen," "Unashamed," "Goodbye Yesterday," and "God's Hand."

"Each song in its own way is inspired by the different types of prayers we find ourselves praying throughout our lives," West wrote on Instagram upon the LP's release. "I hope these songs inspire you to discover for the first time or maybe rediscover the power of prayer."

It’s officially awards season! Today, the nominees for the 2024 Emmys dropped — and, happily, the 2024 GRAMMYs telecast received a whopping five nominations.

At the 2024 Emmys, the 2024 GRAMMYs telecast is currently nominated for Outstanding Variety Special (Live), Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special, Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Special, Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special, and Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Special.

Across these categories, this puts Music’s Biggest Night in a friendly head-to-head with other prestigious awards shows and live variety specials, including the Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show starring Usher as well as fellow awards shows the Oscars and the Tonys.

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2024 was a banner year for the GRAMMYs. Music heroes returned to the spotlight; across Categories, so many new stars were minted. New GRAMMY Categories received their inaugural winners: Best African Music Performance, Best Alternative Jazz Album and Best Pop Dance Recording. Culture-shaking performances and acceptance speeches went down. Those we lost received a loving farewell via the In Memoriam segment.

The 2025 GRAMMYs will take place Sunday, Feb. 2, live at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and will broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and stream live and on demand on Paramount+. Nominations for the 2025 GRAMMYs will be announced Friday, Nov. 8, 2024.

For more information about the 2025 GRAMMY Awards season, learn more about the annual GRAMMY Awards process, read our FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section, view the official GRAMMY Awards Rules and Guidelines, and visit the GRAMMY Award Update Center for a list of real-time changes to the GRAMMY Awards process.

Beware of venom: Megan Thee Stallion is not biting her tongue on her new album, simply titled Megan.

The GRAMMY winner's first full-length release in two years is also the first to drop under her own control. Fans have been ready for this release even before the first single, "Cobra," came out in November. The second single, "Hiss," followed in January and brought the star her first No. 1 hit on the Billboard’s Hot 100 and Global 200 charts. These songs, as well as the third single, "BOA," foreshadowed a certain slithery theme that helped shape the album.

Megan was released on June 28 and features guest stars such as GloRilla, Victoria Monét, Big K.R.I.T. and Kyle Richh as well as her longtime ace producers like Juicy J (who made "Hot Girl Summer" among other calling cards) and LilJuMadeDaBeat, who produced Stallion anthems like "Big Ole Freak," "Body" and "Thot S—."

Here’s what we learned from listening and vibing to the latest work by three-time GRAMMY winner Megan Thee Stallion.

A Theme Snakes Through Megan

As could have easily been predicted from the first three singles "Cobra," "Hiss" and "BOA," and now the album track "Rattle," there is a hint of a snake theme that wends its way through the album from beginning ("Hiss") to end ("Cobra").

In several songs, she denounces all the snake behavior that she has encountered from former lovers, friends, and haters who support those who have caused actual harm to her. In the music video for "Cobra," Megan literally sheds her old skin to reveal a shining new layer.

Megan Is Calling The Shots This Time 

"I feel like Biggie, 'Who Shot Ya?’/But everybody know who shot me, bitch/ So now, let’s stop speaking on the topic," she rapped in "Who Me (feat. Pooh Shiesty)" off her 2022 album Traumazine. MTS was referencing the July 2020 incident in which rapper Tory Lanez shot her in the foot, and was subsequently charged with assault with a semiautomatic firearm and carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle. 

Turns out, she wasn’t done referencing the topic. Now, she’s one taking the shots. MTS takes aim at less-talented women rappers on "Figueroa" (named for a Los Angeles street known for prostitution), and at Lanez on "Rattle," when she suggests that his male supporters should schedule a conjugal visit with him in prison. (Lanez is currently serving a 10-year sentence while simultaneously going through a divorce with wife Raina Chassagne.)

Inspiration Comes From Everywhere

The star and her collaborators incorporate unexpected musical influences on Megan via creative sampling. Megan Thee Stallion speeds up and flips Teena Marie's 1984 ballad "Out on a Limb" for "B.A.S." — a song she co-produced with her longtime ally LilJuMadeDaBeat. "BOA" is cleverly crafted from sounds in the first solo hit by Gwen Stefani, 2004’s "What You Waiting For?" 

UGK are reunited from across the heavenly divide on the Juicy J-produced "Paper Together," with Bun B contributing new work and the late Pimp C joining in lyrical spirit. This is especially significant when considering that Juicy J produced "Intl’ Players Anthem (I Choose You)," UGK’s 2007 hit with Outkast. Juicy J also made the beats for Megan’s famous song "Hot Girl Summer." 

That’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to samples waiting to be discovered on Megan. There are many more riffs and other musical notions that the sample bank in our brains have yet to detect.

Self-Love Is Queen 

Whether she’s affirming, "I’m worthy, not worthless" on "Worthy," or literally touching herself in the auto-erotic "Down Stairs DJ" (which joins masturbation masterpieces like Divinyls’ "I Touch Myself" and Tweet’s "Oops"), Megan is grounded in songs that promote self-love as the best kind of love. 

She does admit that this is sometimes a challenge to embody, as when she talks about lingering depression on "Moody Girl." But the album generally moves towards the light.

She Loves Japan 

One of the big surprises on Megan is that she raps in two languages. She rhymes beautifully in Japanese on "Mamushi" with Yuki Chiba, a seasoned rapper from Japan who is influenced by the Southern swag. (Just take a look at the Memphis moves and Houston rhyme schemes of his viral song "Team Tomodachi.") 

On "Otaku Hot Girl," she raps about the manga series "Naruto" and drops other anime references to show her love of Japanese pop culture. 

Learn more: 10 Neo J-Pop Artists Breaking The Mold In 2024: Fujii Kaze, Kenshi Yonezu & Others 

Megan's Game Is Tight 

Megan is the first album to be released on Megan Thee Stallion’s own label. It follows her split from 1501 Certified Entertainment, a record label with which she was engaged in a protracted and ugly legal battle for earnings. 

She now has the muscle of the major label Warner Brothers as a partner for her independent venture, Hot Girl Productions. She also recorded an Amazon Original song called "It’s Prime Day" for a commercial, as well as an exclusive Amazon edition of Megan. 

It’s safe to say that this album represents a new level of business freedom and acumen for Megan Thee Stallion.