After a week-long delay, Megan Thee Stallion's highly anticipated "Hot Girl Summer" dropped at midnight Friday. The single, which features Ty Dolla $ign and Nicki Minaj and samples City Girls' hit "Act Up", delivers on Megan Thee Stallion's promise to end her hot girl summer with a bang.The eponymous track of Megan's now-viral catchphrase, the Juicy J–produced single has Megan and Nicki going bar-for-bar about making men disposable. Their effortless chemistry outshines the single's subpar beat and Ty Dolla $ign's underwhelming verse. But while it's only fitting that the men sit on the sidelines here, the track's main highlight isn't about the lyrics at all.
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The rapper's celebration of friendship with her industry peers while also being among rap's hottest characters is a visible endorsement of rap's ability to hold space for more than one woman. Rappers like Maliibu Miitch, Rico Nasty, and Kash Doll, among others, have posted on social media about their friendships with Megan. She's also enlisted the likes of SZA, Kamaiyah, and Kehlani in her "Drive the Boat" campaign, which sees Megan pouring drinks directly into her new friends' mouths.In an Instagram video posted on Wednesday, Megan twerks to the beat of Lizzo playing the flute. Her Hot Girl Summer playlist also features music from a plethora of female rappers including Missy Elliott, Cardi B, and Remy Ma.With "Hot Girl Summer," Megan makes it clear that she's here for the community, offering an optimistic, collaborative future for women in rap.