Megan Thee Stallion revealed the exciting news on Tuesday that she’s going on tour this summer. It marks the Grammy-winning singer’s return to the spotlight since she was shot in the foot by rapper Tory Lanez in 2020.
“It was really rough because for the past couple years, music just seemed so negative to me,” Stallion said on Good Morning America. “I just wasn’t in a good space mentally after everything that had happened to me and it just all felt like, ‘I’m tired of this. I’m tired of fighting.’ But I had to tell myself, you know what, I don’t want to give up.”
In August, Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the assault. Stallion has been the target of vitriol online in the wake of the incident with peers like Drake and Nicki Minaj among those who’ve suggested she lied about the attack. Stallion’s new single “Hiss” is a response to such haters — but one line referencing “Megan’s Law” is sparking its own controversy and escalating her feud with Minaj.
What is the controversial lyric in ‘Hiss’?
On Jan. 26, Stallion said her song hits back at people who’ve used her name to get attention online. “When a snake feel like you’ve been playing and like doing a whole bunch of swaying, it’s basically telling you to back off. I hear you, I see you, get up off me now,” she said on The Breakfast Club. “Basically, that’s what it means.”
Although Minaj is never specifically mentioned, fans were quick to assume she’s one of the haters Stallion is talking about because of the line: “These hoes don’t be mad at Megan, these hoes mad at Megan’s Law.”
What is Megan’s Law?
The federal law notifies the public about certain information on registered sex offenders.
“Megan’s Law is named in honor of Megan Kanka. On July 29, 1994, Megan Kanka, at 7 years of age, was raped and murdered by a neighbor. That neighbor was a convicted sexual predator who had previously assaulted two other young girls,” attorney Judie Saunders, a partner with law firm ASK, explains to Yahoo Entertainment. “As a result of Megan’s horrible murder, her family campaigned and were instrumental in the passage of Megan’s Law.”
Saunders says that in New York, for example, Megan’s Law requires convicted sex offenders to register and requires mandatory notification by police when a registered sex offender moves into a community. All states in the U.S. have some form of Megan’s Law.
Why would Minaj be offended?
Minaj is among those who suspect the above lyric was aimed her way because of her husband, Kenneth Petty, who is a registered sex offender. Petty was convicted of attempted rape in April 1995 for an assault on a 16-year-old girl. He served four years in prison and is required to register as a sex offender wherever he lives. Petty was put on probation in 2022 for failing to register as a sex offender in California.
There’s speculation that another line in “Hiss” refers to Minaj — “I can never be judged by a bitch that was dancin’, makin’ R. Kelly go viral” — as the “Barbie World” singer mentioned Kelly in her 2018 song called “Up in Flames.” (“Even R. Kelly couldn’t touch the kid,” Minaj rapped.)
What’s the history between Stallion and Minaj?
It wasn’t always sour between the stars as they collaborated on 2019’s “Hot Girl Summer,” which skyrocketed Stallion to stardom. It’s theorized that the two fell out in 2020 when Stallion collaborated with Minaj’s rival Cardi B on “WAP.” In December, Minaj released Pink Friday 2 and sent a message to Stallion on the track “FTCU.” Minaj raps, “Stick to your Tory lane, bitch, I’m not Iggy.” (Iggy Azalea wrote a letter supporting Lanez last year ahead of the rapper’s sentencing.)
Minaj responds with diss track ‘Big Foot’
The rapper fired back on Monday with a song of her own — and it’s clear she’s taking aim at Stallion. In the track, Minaj questions multiple times whether Stallion was really shot in the foot by Lanez. She also makes fun of Stallion’s 5-foot-10 height.
“Bad bitch, she like 6 foot, I call her Big Foot, the bitch fell off, I said get up on your good foot,” Minaj raps. During another point in the song, she accuses Stallion of having ghostwriters. She adds: “F*** you get shot with no scar?”
The Kanka family responds
Richard Kanka, father of Megan Kanka, criticized Stallion for mentioning his late daughter’s name in the expletive-filled song, telling TMZ that it’s disrespectful. He said he’s considering legal action against Stallion.
Can Richard actually sue Stallion?
While he can take legal action, it’s unlikely the case would go anywhere. However, Saunders says Stallion’s reference is a bad look.
“The reference to Megan’s Law by a recording artist is subject to many interpretations, but respect and deference should always be observed when dealing with the gruesome suffering and murder of a child,” she explains. “Megan’s Law is a legislative effort to prevent harm caused by sexual predators. This law has been revised numerous times since its enactment and some argue that the law has both negative and positive consequences. I encourage recording artists not to use their platforms to trade insults that dilute the severity of sexual abuse, battery, assault or gun violence.”
