Embrace Your Inner Hottie with Megan Thee Stallion

- Okay, everyone. (laughing)

- The way the question is bad.

(laughing) - That's just the way I want to do it. - I want to do it. - Yeah, of course. Like, hobbies can be how boys, how girls,

how everybody, how people. Like, a hottie is just a hot person, and a person that like, make him say. (upbeat music) - This episode of IMO is brought to you

by progressive insurance. - How are you? - I am good. - I'm doing really good. I'm feeling hot girl summaries,

but we'll get to that later. (laughing) - Do the good ones. - Can you be a guy, hottie? - Well, we'll find that, but I don't know.

- We gotta, maybe you gotta find this out. - But that means you really gotta be hot. - I know, I might not qualify.

“- You gotta have a little like you have to have that t-shirt off”

and three buttons down. (laughing) - That's definitely not out of it. (laughing) - But what's even up to Craig, you Craig?

- Craig, you know, we just came back from the opening of the OPC, the Obama presidential set. - Yeah, yes, yes, the may not air until later. But yeah, we just did that.

- That was a wonderful experience. - Was, you know, it was just, it was just really full circle. - Yeah. - For us to be able to open up that. It's not even just the presidential center.

It's a campus, and seeing it activate it

for the first time, users in it, the community using it,

open on June 10th, so there was just a lot of love and good feeling. I mean, it was really, it really, whoop, it didn't end up on my heart. It right, right now has the street from all of it.

- Yeah, so that was really nice. - Yeah, yeah, while I was there in Chicago. - In Chicago, of course.

“- It was between all the things we were doing.”

- All the things we were doing. I stayed at an Airbnb, and I did an Airbnb experience that I wanted to share with you. - Oh, so, 'cause, so now remind me the Airbnb experiences, are these in addition to, you can sign up

do you have to be in an Airbnb? - So what I'm finding out is, if you stay at an Airbnb, you can choose an experience, but you don't have to stay at an Airbnb in order to do an Airbnb experience.

- Oh, that's great. - So that's really neat to know, 'cause I didn't know that until I started getting involved with it, but this one was really a cool experience. - What did you do?

- We got to design our own sneaker, and I got mine right here. - Oh my goodness. - So this started out as a all-white Air Force and then you colored it in like a Kindergartener.

- It does, I know it looks like a five year old did this,

but-- - It's like, you were never the artistic one.

- I was not. Everybody in our family is artistic, except me. - Oh. - But what did these colors remind you of? - I am old.

- These are the IMO colors.

“- No, what did you figure that out all by yourself?”

- I did. - I did this, so my creativity. - So what did you pick the orange? I picked this orange to go with the orange in our logo. - But the blue with the orange.

- I'll get to that part, I was mean. - No, the shoe did not come with this leather on the back there. I added that leather, and I was gonna stencil in IMO, but we ran out of time. - Well that's the main part, can you take it back?

- Yeah, this is a work in progress. I think I'm gonna add some more color to this, but I found the laces, which are the color of the dot over the I and IMO, and if you notice, I got these little eyelids on the laces,

but it was really fun. - It's a great effort. - It was really fun, really therapeutic, and I look forward to my work. - Are you gonna wear those?

- As soon as I finished them, I'm gonna wear 'em. I was really pleased with it. - For out of your shoulders. - I was really proud of myself, really proud of myself. - Well that sounds fun, maybe one day,

when I go back to the center, we can do that. That'd be a fun. - That would be a fun group activity. - That would be a good family activity. - Yeah, yeah.

- See who shoot would be better, better would be mine. - Yes. Now we can get down to business. - Now that we have fully explored your kindergarten shoe, we can do what we came here to do.

I'm so excited for our guests today. I love this woman. She, like, we only met once, but she left a deep impression on me because of her energy, her spirit.

You know, her, you know, just there's a maturity and grace about her that I just don't think a lot of people

She's smart as a whip and I can't wait to talk to him more.

- You know, we just met her briefly. I just met her briefly. You've known her and what I would say is that she reminds me of someone who would be in our family. Immediately, very warm, very welcoming and just a sweetie.

So let me give her a proper introduction. So hailing from Houston, Megan, these stallion is a three-time Grammy winning recording artist, philanthropist and entrepreneur. Over the course of her career, she has earned three billboard,

hot 100, number one hits, and has been honored multiple times for her advocacy efforts, which we're gonna get into as well. Megan made history in 2022 as the first black woman to appear on the cover of Forbes, prestigious under 30 issue.

So it is--

“- You need to be billion. - Our pleasure to introduce Megan,”

these stallion. - Well, well, well, well, well, well. - Two, all right. - Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. - Oh, we're here. - Thank you for having me. - Yeah, yeah, great intro. - Yeah, it was a good intro. - Yeah, it was a good intro. - Yeah, it was a good intro.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - You got used to just being fabulous and known as being fabulous,

is that ever become-- - I feel like you're just never getting used to it.

- You know, like, you know, you wake up in the morning and then you like, I think I look good today and then people get to see you and they like, yeah, you look good and it's like, okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. - You remind me of Sasha, my youngest. - Yeah, I love that.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah, you and Sasha have similar SaaS levels, you know. - I feel like I hung out with Sasha after a Saturday night, my Saturday night live performance. - I'm probably so-- - Yeah. - Oh my God. - Hello, 'cause-- - They just show what they do to the secret surfing.

(laughing) - You're awesome. - It's like, oh, excuse us. - Yeah, you just have to wrap her around and about-- - Yeah. - May my security be around. - I was like, I don't know, yeah, we got the president. Go out in here. - And she just-- - She's just been--

- Is all up in it? - Yes. - It's-- it's-- your-- your energy is just-- it's just-- it's so familiar. - Yeah. - It's-- yeah. - I love it, it's like family. - It's like family. - You know? - So thanks for being here, but you are fresh, girl. - You're fresh off of Fiji, Fiji. - Yes, love, I love it.

- Okay, love Island just-- I would just watch it, Craig. - I don't. - He doesn't. - I don't know what you're talking about. - You don't know what we're talking about. - No, I do. I do all of it. - I know what he does. - He doesn't. - Well, let me tell you.

When they were telling me that you were on love Island, I said, "Oh, that's the show where all the-- the bachelor's and bachelor's who lost, go on the island and they were like, "No, no, what is that in it?" - Traders, he doesn't know. I guess if he doesn't know. - He doesn't know what he's talking about. - I love Traders.

- I want to be on Traders. - You would be great on Traders.

“I keep saying, I think if I went on Traders,”

they would immediately vote me off because they would think I'm the Trader. - Well, see, you know, yeah, I think you know how to play it. I think you know how to play it. I feel like when you have a big personality, he would just automatically assume issue.

- They just took Porsche out. - Poor Porsche. - Right. - I mean, well, he doesn't know the different show now. - We're on a different show. - Okay, this is a different show. - Which Traders in love, you know, I keep saying, how do we are doing a podcast, we talk about culture.

And this dude is at, you know, he's at the gym with his little boy. - He doesn't choose. - He just doesn't. - He just doesn't. - He just doesn't. - I didn't like it. - Yeah, dude. - I did, I tried as blue as my favorite color.

Like, when I thought of blue. - It was blue, it was blue. - It's a weird thing. - Thank you. - Did you see it? - Did you see it up close? - I saw it from back there. - Okay, I was like, this looks very nice.

- It looks like a very dark thing. - I was very proud of my shoes. - Yeah, your shoe is wonderful, but back to live.

“- Back to live, I was like, what was the vibe of the villa?”

'Cause this was your second season.

- This is my second time doing it. - Second. - What is that like? - I feel like every time Love Island brings me on, it is just to bring the positive vibes inside the villa 'cause when I got there was very tense.

- It sure was. - Yes. - But when I came, everybody was having a good time. I came in and spoke to all the ladies first. I made TikToks with them. We just talked for a little while.

And then I went to go see the boys. And I stay in there that long. - How many people are on Love Island? - I couldn't tell you. They come and go, they come and go. So they start out with maybe a group of 10, 12.

And then they couple up and then some of them don't.

So it's always 10 each or 10 total.

- Maybe six girls, six girls, six guys. - It's very interesting. - Yeah. - Very, I love keeping up with it. Something about watching people's love life unfold on TV. - It's just so theological study.

The men in my life, my husband, my brother, they just don't understand reality TV. And the love of it. But I was like, it is like, it's like my fix. - Yeah, yeah.

- Because you are always analyzing. Well, what I do in that situation. And I wanted you to do that. - Right. - You know, that reminded me of the time that, you know,

it's very like live playhouse. - Like this is a scenario that I probably would never be in. But I like putting myself in their shoes.

“You know, I keep saying, oh my God, why don't you all do this?”

- I don't get that. Why does you say that? Did you forget you all that? - Yes, it's like don't you know. But it was everywhere.

- But I feel like, at the end of the day when you're famous or you're putting yourself in a position to be seen by so many,

whether you're artists, whether you are the first lady.

Just anything like that, like everybody's watching you. Everybody have their eyes on you all the time. And you just have to remember these people are humans. - Yeah. - And I feel like sometimes we forget that

about people that were watching on TV. People we see in magazines. - It is amazing. - And I feel like we got to remember to have a little compassion because there's still humans like that.

- And they're young kids. At that, you know, making regular mistakes that we all make. But they're just on camera. - That's awesome. - To be honest, a lot of ladies and men make these same mistakes.

- Same mistakes, right? - For these people are just on national TV. - Exactly. You know? (laughing)

- No! - And it's not the word we use. - Oh, great. - You know what I mean? - It's life.

- And it's life. - You know what? - It is. It's like people. - I think I'd be able to watch it.

“I mean, yeah, I don't want to see people at their worst.”

- You get to see people learn lessons. - Mm-hmm. - And fun love. I love love. - I do too.

- Yes. - So when I see people thriving and doing good, I'm like, "It brings a tear to your eyes." - I'm like, "I'm gonna cut your eyes off of it." - I'm like, "You're not like that."

- I'm like, "You're not like that." - I'm like, "You're not like that." - I'm like, "You're not like that." - I'm like, "You're not like that." - I'm like, "You're not like that."

- I'm like, "You're not like that." - I'm like, "You're not like that." - I'm like, "You're not like that." - I'm like, "You're not like that." - I'm like, "You're not like that."

- I'm like, "You're not like that." - I'm like, "You're not like that." - This will this literally happen yesterday. - You just wrote this letter. - You know?

- And then you would just done. - But anyway. - How do you do it all? - I mean, how do you feel? How are you feeling in yourself in life?

That's what you do, you go. But I'm so excited to be here. So I definitely was like, "I have to come sit down." Now I'm your cousin. I feel so grateful to be here.

- But I don't want to know my cousin how you doing. That flight from Fiji was like 11 hours. - Yeah. - And then I came straight here. But like I said, "I'm really grateful."

Being me is... - It's a roller coaster? - Yeah. - Like some days I feel like, "Yes." - Yeah.

- Hell yeah. - We all stop. It's like doing it. Yes. But in some days I feel like, "Oh my gosh, I need to go get under my bed."

I don't want to see anybody. I don't want to see me. I'm so tired. I'm tired of people talking about me. I'm just tired.

But then I have to take a step back sometimes and realize I'm very blessed. So even though I have like a lot of good days, I mean, I can't have a good without the bed. But what I've been learning lately is how to like, express more gratitude and just like instead of praying all the time

about, "Can I have, can I have?" Like I start praying and saying, "Oh my gosh, I'm so thankful." I'm glad I have this. I'm just practicing having more gratitude.

- And when you have a bad day, how do you handle that? What do you do when you have a bad day? How do you get yourself back to being a good day? - I used to feel like when I have a bad day,

I have to do something to fix it. Like maybe I need to calm my therapist and I need to tell her everything that's going on right now.

“And you need to tell me something that's going to fix it right now.”

I need you. What's wrong with me? Help make this go away. Make it feel better. And then I used to think like,

"Okay, why just can't think about it?" Because I have things to do. And which I do? Like I can't be under the bed all day. I've got the form.

I have to go do an interview. I have to go to things for my foundation.

I always have something to do.

So I can never like just wallow in how I feel. But that's how I used to feel. Then I started realizing, "Okay, I need to take these couple of days to myself. I need to have this week to myself."

Because then I started learning like, "There's nothing anybody's going to be able to say to me. That's going to fix it in 10 minutes."

to hurry up and put a bandaid over how I feel right now. So I've learned to just feel what I'm feeling. And just feel it. Like if it's pain, if it's sadness, I have to express it.

I get under my bed across. I have to feel it.

Because I'm never going to be able to come out of it

if I don't get it out of my system. Well, you've got to practice.

“You have to practice your way through all kinds of feelings.”

You've got to build the muscle. Just like you learned. I thought that I'm not talking about it or trying to fix it right away. Was the answer.

But you had to go through it enough to realize, "Yeah, you're going to have to develop some muscle, some tools. Two deal with these times." And the only way you develop them is to do it. But it takes some time.

And the fact that you are at the age you are, and you're learning that now. It took a lot to get here, though. But you had no light. You think 12 years old girl.

Oh, okay. You're 12 and a half. But I feel like I've experienced like so much though. I don't know. I've went through a lot of different emotions over the years.

Yeah. And still even talking about being happy sometimes, make me emotional. Yeah. Because I definitely used to be like,

"Okay, you've got to be strong. You've got to be tough." I must be going through all these things because I'm supposed to be some kind of example of how to be tough and how to be strong.

So I never wanted to cry or like feel anything.

I can not stop thinking about the Obama Presidential Center opening. It was so fun to be back in Chicago with everyone. What was your favorite moment from the weekend?

“Oh, I think it was just watching the city enjoy the campus.”

You know, to use park space that hadn't been accessible. Never. It was just beautiful to see families playing in the playground and dancing to music in the courtyard and just enjoying the sunshine and feeling the sense of hope there I say.

There you say. It was so cool seeing the higher ground family out there. Yeah. Everyone was all over the south side, hitting high park, walking the lake front.

And I even heard some folks went to genos. He tried deep distance. That's the best place to get it. Yes. Since everyone was buzzing about the city,

what are your top five must-do's for someone visiting Chicago? Oh, I've got this.

First of all, coming to the south side and seeing the Obama Presidential Center.

That's number one. Of course. Because even if you don't have tickets, the campus is wide open. The park space is beautiful.

“You can see 90% of what you need to see without it ticket.”

And then hopping over to our shared campus mate, the Museum of Science and Industry, one of the best museums on the planet. We used to take our kids there all the time. There's so many.

You could spend the day in just those two campuses. So I think that's day one. Next, I'd say on a nice clear day during your visit, take an architectural boat boat tour. It's like the most beautiful way to see the city

from the river into the lake. You see all the landmarks, the historic landmarks, all the beautiful sites. It's a great way to experience the city. And then I think you've got to hang out

in Millennial Park around Buckingham Mountain. Because it's a beautiful park. You're on the lakefront. You see the Chicago skyline in an interesting way. So those are some of my must-do's along with eating anywhere.

The food in Chicago. You've got to get an Italian beef. You've got to get your deep dish pizza. Gotta get some rib tips. Gotta get some ribs.

Gotta get some ribs. But I could go on. Yeah. Chicago is my favorite city on the planet. It is one of the most beautiful cities.

Well planned easy to experience and very welcoming. Boy, I'd agree with all of that. Whenever there's a big event from a sporting event to let's say a Presidential Center opening. It attracts a ton of travelers.

So if you've got an extra room, a guest house, or you're heading out of town yourself, listing your space on Airbnb can be a great way to earn some extra income. During the opening weekend for the Obama Presidential Center,

we were able to meet people who had traveled all over the country to be there. Plus, there's something fun about helping someone experience your hometown. So the next time a big event is coming to your city,

consider listing your space on Airbnb.

from that trip. For sure.

For rock, my husband, you know, he tries to demonstrate

that sadness. We both do. You know, when we, you know, I mean, I'm just like you, anything can make me break. You know, words I say out of my mouth,

I have to get ready for it, right? And what we learned is like, man, we've got to be the model of those emotions. Yeah. You know, we've got to be like,

you can be the President of the United States, be a strong, smart man, and feels the sadness. Yeah. And let it show.

“Could you just saw something tragic happen, you know?”

And I think, you know, I want you to, I want you to understand that those of you are modeling, you know, you are giving more young women, young black women, young, you know, all kinds of people,

the permission doesn't have to be strong all the time. You know? It's like strong like shows up in so many different ways. Because it's not about being like tough or like just so weak. It's not about like what you look like.

I think it's about like being like brave enough to keep going. Yeah. Brave enough to be like, I don't want to do this. Yeah.

Just brave enough to feel how you feel. Yeah. And have your boundaries. Yes. You could say no.

Yes. Saying yes to everything don't make you strong, I had to learn it too. Because I used to be like, yeah, What you want me to do sure I'm there. What can I do?

How can I make everybody happy? And then you learn that when you say no life goes on. Yeah. I think if I said no, I'd be like, I just pointed everybody.

Yes. And it won't happen.

“And they just move to the next lip person on on this.”

Be like, okay. Yeah, great. Couldn't go. Will still, you know. And that's strength, too.

Yeah. You know, those depth boundaries setting. Girl, that's a. That's a power. Yeah.

That's power. So, well, that's, that's cool. That's good. I'm happy for you. I'm happy that you're getting there.

And you're going to always be working to get there.

You know? Definitely. I am. It's like every day thing. It's an everyday thing forever and ever.

And that's a good thing. Because you started journaling like that. I just started but like consistently doing it. I'm like, okay. I feel better to write it down.

Even if it sounds ridiculous.

“Like I'll go back and look at what I wrote sometime.”

And I'd be like, what was going on? I'd like it. Right? What is this? What is this?

What I was like, I can't believe I felt like that two weeks ago. And then this is where I am today. And even looking at what I wrote six months ago. Oh, my God. Hello.

We made it. We made it. We made it. We made it. Just making it.

Not just making it, but thriving. Yes. I mean, you are just doing things. You were doing all the things. You know, and showing up in a beautiful way.

You know, you are so welcome. That makes me feel very tired. You should. You should. We were talking about Craig and I about just childhood.

You know, we go there a lot here. Because it's like, that's the side of us oftentimes that makes us who we are. You know, and I started thinking that familiarity that I feel with you. I don't know whether it's that Houston Chicago thing. You know that.

That kind of that kind of the southernness of our upbringing. You know, it just. So I'm we were both curious about like what was what was Houston. Yeah. What was baby Megan like.

You know, what was Houston like what was the neighborhood like what was your bedroom. Like what was, you know, I just want to. I want to picture all that. Okay. Working on start.

Okay. So I'm from the south side of Houston.

And for probably like the first seven, eight years in my life, my dad wasn't jail.

And it was me, my mom, my grandma and my great grandma. So I was raising around like all women. And me and my mom lived with my grandmother at first. And then we moved out. I got a apartment in my dad got out of jail. So then now it's just me, my mom and my dad all the time.

And my dad is like, my best team, my mom and my best team with me and my daddy were like. How old were you then when we got when he got out? Like seven. So it was I had to really adjust to what was going on because I've been the build on my mom all the time. Yeah.

And then that was the man in here. I like you. But like my mom. Which means I can't leave it. Everybody.

And what made you and your dad be besties. Um, I don't even know to be honest. Like, I don't know when it clicked in my head that he was not against me. And he took my sleeping spot.

So it would be me and my dad at home. Um, and once I started spending more time with him and we started figuring out. Okay, we got a lot of COVID. I was his little shadows. Like I wanted to do everything like my dad.

I wanted to be just like him. I looked just like my daddy. Um, he was just so cool. And he just taught me so much self-worth and such a young age. Like, even if I didn't know what he was talking about. Like, now that I'm older, I'm like, okay, I could see what my daddy was coming from with that. But he was just giving me so much advice and so much like just speaking so much life meant to me from so young.

Um, I just carry it with me as an adult. Yeah. And then my dad passed away when I was 14. So then now she's me and my mom again. And then now it was really me and my mom and my great grandmother and my grandma.

And I'm going back and forth between my grandma's house and my mom's house. And my two grandma's were like another set of parents. And my great grandma was just like the best lady in the neighborhood.

“Did everybody, did you, did your grandparents live in a house?”

And in a house? Yeah. Yeah. My school was like right next to my grandma's house.

And like a lot of my classmates would come because I never walked to school before.

My mom would always take me to school when my grandma was taking me to school. So, um, once my mom had to start dropping me off at my grandmother's house. So she can go to work and I could go to school. I went to the school when my grandmother taught it. Yeah.

Oh, you grandmother's a teacher. Yeah. Yeah. So like a bunch of kids from school would come like pick me up from my great grandma house and walk with me to school. It was such a great experience.

Like living in like like the neighborhood. Mm-hmm. Everybody in the neighborhood love my great grandma. We call it big mama. Um, she used to just be giving money out, giving candy out, like just giving loving advice out.

Like you couldn't pass by my grandmother's door without giving you something. Um, so I think I learned like a lot of my kindness and like generosity for my great grandma. And she just always taught me like, my grandma was not rich. Like we didn't have a lot. I thought I was a princess.

I thought I was the princess of the neighborhood. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Uh. Uh. Because they just, they took care of me so much and they made me feel so good. I didn't realize what we didn't have. I only knew what I had and I knew I was so thankful for it.

Yeah.

Like her biggest thing that she always wanted me to do was go to school.

Um, she wanted me to go to college. So I did. Mm-hmm. And I thought I was going to be at nurse. Um, anybody was supposed to be at nurse.

Everybody was supposed to be at nurse. That's right. Um, so I started going to PV. Um, AMU. And I was like, okay, I'm at be at nurse because my grandma said I should be at nurse.

I did not even want to be at nurse. I just wanted to go to school because my grandma wanted me to go to school. What would you always this personality? Were you always talking? Yes.

Running my mouth. When I get into trouble, let's go. Let's talk. Right.

“But when did you know you wanted to be a performer?”

Oh. Uh. Let my grandma tell it. It was probably like five. Uh, but me, like my mom was a rapper.

Right.

Um, so then I was very interested in growing up in the house where everybody's an entrepreneur.

My mom definitely had a nine to five, but like when she came home, she was my my my mom's a rapper. Yeah. And I'm watching her right songs. I'm going to the studio with her. So I kind of just assumed I was going to do that too.

What you do? Oh. Like, I didn't know that. It's a family business. Yeah.

I was like, okay. Yeah. I do this too. Um, so I would like take her CDs like because back then, it would be like all the instruments would be on CDs. Um, so I was still her CDs and I was still right.

She'd be like, have you seen my CD? And I'd be like, I don't know what you're talking about. Right. So I would be writing every day after school. Did you have your own bedroom and your grandparents house?

Oh, no, no, no, not in my grandma. What? Why would I even say that? Yes, I did. Because I was like, I bet you're not going to grow.

Yeah. And my many hours definitely had my own room. Uh-huh. And my many loved a good project. So we definitely would like, it was like we was decorating every day.

Like we. It was never ending. I'm pretty sure at the room. Now she's still doing stuff to it. What was your, what was your theme?

What was your, what was your theme? What was your theme? What was your theme? She had a parent. A parent, a rainbow, like, per.

And like, it's too much going on in there. But it was like a little girl's dream room. Yeah. But my room at my granny house was definitely better than the room at my house. Uh-huh.

Because your mother probably was like, you're not putting all that stuff in my house. My mama just was like, you're going to your granny house anyway. She was going over there with that. But Nancy definitely loved a project. Um, so she just let me.

Well, I don't know if you all have big lots in Chicago. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. We'll be at big lives.

Walmart, don't treat all kinds of stuff. Anything I see that look like it. Go in my room. Nanny in the for me. Oh, is your favorite thing in your room.

I had like a pink satin. Comforter. Oh, yes. Yes. And I would go in my room every day.

Just like slides. Yes. Like, I'm just, I know I'm home from school. I'm excited. I'm just sliding.

Yes. And I just feel like I remember the smell of these like feathery pink pillows I had.

“Like, you know what the plastic on feather smell like?”

That's, that's what I remember about my room the most.

Yes.

And you were writing songs at like six or seven or more or some more like 10 or 12.

Yeah. Maybe when I started around 10 or 12, I would take her CDs and do that. Like, I had my own like little Barbie. I don't even know what to call it. Um, there was a thing that Barbie had at the time.

And it played instruments for some reason. I guess that. Yeah. I actually, it was a popular toy. It was just like random songs on this little Barbie speaker.

And I started writing songs over the Barbie instrumentals. And then I was like, yeah, I do this. I can do this. I see my mom do it every day. Um, and then when I turned like 10 and that, in that vein,

I definitely started being making. I wouldn't stare at it. But I knew I was going to be something. Yeah. And then eventually, I didn't tell my mom I could reference it.

I was like 18. Wow. Because I wanted to curse. Well. And I just didn't feel like she was going to be ready to hear me cursing.

It's like, but it's a part of who I'm going to be.

So you don't need to know about this.

You don't need to know her yet.

“So how did you practice or do that without her knowing?”

Um, I think that. So when I was in a ninth grade, that's when I changed all my social media to the stadium. So I'm a Facebook and on Instagram. ninth grade.

ninth grade. I think you like 14. Yeah. So I was the same already. So I was like pretty, pretty popular.

You know, and nobody knew I could wrap. They just thought I was cool, you know. But when I got the college, that's when I was like, OK, I'm a rapper. I do this. Yeah.

And I started freestyle in that school. And then I was like, I got to tell my mom because I really want to. And she said on the internet because I said, they're doing on my Instagram. But I don't think my mom was even on Instagram at the time. But I was like, she's going to see it probably.

So I need to just tell her that I'm cursing. And what was that conversation like? I was like, mama got some news for you. I want to wrap. And she was like, really?

And I was like, yeah. And I was like, well, don't want me. Let's start. But I'm cursing. And she was like, what's your saying?

And I was going hard. I was like, OK, mama for a don't be mad. Yeah. Because I was talking crazy. Um, like mama had me grow up listening to P.M.C.

Bum B. So you grew up. It's like just don't get. Don't be confused about what is came from you. Um, so when I left her here when I was wrapped.

“But I was wrapping about she was like, who is this?”

Like, where did you learn how to talk like that? Mind you. Right. She is the rapper. And she's also cursing.

But we definitely were not talking about the same thing. Um. I definitely was probably her own teen. Yeah. And once she figured out, I could wrap like we both would like get in the car

whenever we were going places and we'll be free styling the car together. Wow. And I just wanted to be better than her at rapping. So I was like, that was my competition. My mom was my competition.

But she was also like my biggest supporter. I just wanted to make her proud. And I wanted her to know. I'm serious about this and I really can do it. And I'm really good at it.

And I want her to know I'm serious. So I started trying to go to the studio by myself. And um. That wasn't that wasn't really working out that way. I was getting places.

I was doing things. Right. But when I told my mom and she knew I started going to the studio by myself. She was like, girl, you are young woman. Trying to be a studio by yourself.

I'm taking you to the studio. And I'm going to be your manager. If this is really what you want to do. And then ever since then, it's just been. It was just as to.

“Now what's your mom hesitant about you going to the studio on your own because of the environment?”

Or what was she worried about? Um. Now being who I am and seeing what can go on in the studio. Yeah. I know that she definitely was like you are not going anywhere.

19. Yeah. 18 in the studio with a bunch of guys by yourself. Mm-hmm. I'm coming.

Yeah. Yeah.

And at first, I would go through the studio.

And it's me and my mom and I'm like, I'm a guy. She's cramping my style. My mom is in the studio. Everybody's trying to sit down straight. Nobody's doing regular studio thing.

Uh-huh. But I was fine with that. Yeah. My mom is up here. Nobody better mess with me.

Yeah. We came here to do our work. Mm-hmm. And I'm gone. Yeah.

But I try to keep that same etiquette too. Even now, when I go through the studio, I know exactly what I'm about to say. Even if I sometimes go in that, I freestyle. And I spend more time in there. But learning from my mom, she would probably have six songs written.

Because studio time calls money. Yeah. Yeah. Using her time, why? But she didn't come here to play.

She's not messing around. She's not relaxing. Right. She was a professional. Yes.

So I still do the same thing. So she taught you how to be a professional. Yeah. And even though I can relax in the studio at this point, it's just been in me so long to go through the studio and get my work done.

Yeah. And we'll get out. Well, this is what we talk about the process. Mm-hmm. Like a lot of people want the fame without the hard work that goes into it.

I mean, honestly, it's a little bit easier to do that though now.

“You can go viral on Instagram and have a terrible song.”

Yeah. But do you really like that? So you don't last that way, do you? Um, sometimes. And sometimes not.

Like, just the internet has made it really easy to be famous. Yeah. Good or bad. Mm-hmm. So I think when people, I think you can tell the difference between people who really love what they do and people who just want to be famous.

Yeah. And like, I feel like I fall on the side of, I really love what I do. This back to school season, spend less on your kids with Amazon. You know, one thing nobody prepares you for when you have kids is how quickly they go through school supplies. I cannot imagine when I was growing up going through backpacks as quickly as my kids do nowadays.

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“Did you have to learn how to be in and out of your different personas?”

I mean, I just think about, you were one kid at your granny's house and then you were another kid, you know, when you went home. You know, was, were you doing that throughout life, like were you one kid in school, were you another when you were a rapper? I mean, were you even advocating like that? Did you know that was going on? I think unintentionally, like I'm the kind of person who shows up for everybody in the way that they need.

Yeah. And then my grandma needed a baby. So I'm letting her baby me over here. As school, I'm this kind of friend.

“As an artist, I'm this kind of artist. Like I feel like I'm just able to get in pockets of what I feel like people need for me.”

And I've been doing it for a long time. Is that exhausting? Sometimes, yes. So what do you need for you? I don't know. I'm still figuring that out. I don't know. That's a really good question. I'm still working through that. Like some days, I wake up, the one thing I know that I like to do is make music.

Yeah. That's my favorite thing. I don't want to change that. Everything else I'm still figuring out. And then an old guy like me, be a hottie. Okay. Everyone. The way the question is bad. Yeah. Of course.

How do yous can be how boys, how girls, how everybody, how people. Like a hottie is just a hot person and a person that like makes it. That's all you gotta do. Just like we have to do the hot him up. You don't think he had, you know, I told him he had to take off his t-shirt and button that down. I'm a bunch. I'm not buttoned.

Right. I would say he already had button. He knew what it's like to tell me he was on today. Hot boy. Hot man. Hot boy. Oh, Aaron, my youngest would be loving this. Yes. We're parents. He's just going in the high school. Yes.

So this is business Megan because you had the brilliance of trademarking. Yes. Hot girl. Hot girl. That's like, we tell us about that idea and how in your young, young life, did you kind of go, wait a minute. This is my thing.

So sometimes I feel like in just being awesome and black. You know, we do so many things that are cool and just so impactful on the culture. We set started a lot of trends. Just we just are trend centers, you know.

So I feel like when I first started saying hot girl summer and everybody's like, yes.

Like, I love that. I want that. I, how do I be a part of this? How do I get in? It was just already so big. It just started being everywhere. Like, I will see high girl grill a hot, hot, this summer hot. That I'd be like, wait a minute. Excuse me.

How long? Now Chipotle. This is definitely my thing. So if you want to be an extension of hot anything, just make it stay.

“So y'all just remember that every time you got to come ask me to use it.”

Yeah. You know, look up. I feel like it's just important to have a handle on your name, your brand, your likeness. And luckily, I just have such an amazing management. Like, they see things before I see it sometimes.

And just being with rock nation, like, I feel like they are just. They just have helped me be so business minded. They have let me know the world is bigger than what I thought it was.

I could be a lot of things I never even thought of being.

So just maybe since 2019, just being a part of the culture and being a part of rock nation, like my business mind has just expanded so much. And just shout out to Desiree Perez, because that's the woman who definitely, like, took me in and started helping me and got to me through being making a stallion in these past years. And you own all your own music and all that stuff. That's awesome.

That's awesome. That's awesome. And, you know, I'm just new to this whole show business stuff.

“But can you talk a little bit about how you accomplished that feat?”

Uh, yeah. So when I first ever, like, entered the music industry. And started getting signed to any kind of label or doing label deals or meetings and all the things that was just me and my mom. And all I knew was, I wanted to help my mom pay her bills. I didn't want my mom to struggle.

So in my mind, I was like, oh my gosh, I have to hurry up and sign something. So I could help me and my mom, like, we got to get out of this department. So I think like every, what I'm going to say, I'm not going to say every, I'm not going to speak to everybody. But I think for a lot of young artists, I could speak to wanting to have something. Because you, you come from just being broke.

And you want to help everybody you can help. Um, I think that's the position I was in. I didn't sign like such a great deal. And I was so miserable every since then. Like I definitely had some good times.

Um, but like the bigger you get as an artist, like the more your name means, the more your likeness means, the more your music means.

Yeah.

“Um, and sometimes it could be these faces where you don't even feel like making music.”

Like it feels like you, for me, it felt like I was doing it all for nothing.

Yeah. Somebody talking to me crazy. Somebody tell me what I can and can't put out. Um, somebody trying to control my artistry. I just was not having fun.

Like I was like, if this is what music is turning into, I don't want to do it. So luckily, I was able to, you know, get out of this deal. And every since then, I was like, I don't ever want to be in a position where I feel like somebody has their foot or my neck. I don't ever want to be in a position where I feel like somebody can openly disrespect me and be like, yeah, go get on their stage. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Put out this music. Oh, actually, no, you can't put out music. I mean, everyone wanted to be in a position where I feel like somebody owned me.

Um, so everything that I've done, like going forward has been high girl productions, my own label in partnership with somebody else.

When I think about that a lot, when I see more female entertainers embracing themselves and their power, and I always wonder knowing the industry.

It's like, well, is that is that the saying or is that actually happening? You know, you know what I mean? Like, are we, are we in charge or are we in charge?

“Right, because I think about videos that are, you know, sexually explicit, I was like, well, who's, who's ideal is that?”

Yeah. Who, are you, is one thing if it's the artist's idea? Yeah. But then I'm like, are there times when it isn't? And I know you've pushed through that, but, you know, what do you see in the industry when it comes to, you know, female empowerment?

You know, it's like, are we in power? Or, you know, or, that would you suppose to say? Is that what we suppose to say? I feel like it's tricky, because for me, I've always been really expressive.

Okay, like I've always known exactly what I wanted.

Yeah. So any situation I walked into, like I might not have had all of the knowledge that I have now, but I definitely put my foot down about who I was and who, what I wanted to look like and who I want to be in. What my message is, I feel like I was always pretty clear about that. So I didn't walk into any situation where anybody had to build the person I was. Like, already came here, make it a study.

So it's not going to happen. It's trying or what? Like, this is what it is. This is what I am, right? And I feel like maybe in some instances, with a lot of artists, not just girls, not just women.

Some artists don't know who they are or what message they're trying to convey or how they want to be seen or perceived. They just know that they can do music or they have this talent or this skill and all they know is they have that. And when you're really young doing it, it takes a while for you to find yourself. But luckily, I was able to have my mom at the time and and my grandmother's and just just be and brought up the way I was already knew who I was when I came in the industry. I have already knowledge I have now, but I already knew who I was.

So I think it's easy to get in a situation when you're trying to figure out who you are as an artist. And you start listening to what everybody at the table has to say. You start listening to what the internet has to say. And you let other people build your personality. So you're going to go through a few phases.

You're going to go through a few things that you maybe look back on and be like, "Why did I do that?"

“But that's so not me, but I feel like sometimes you have to give like some of some artists grace because they're trying to figure it out.”

But unfortunately, they're doing it in everybody's face. That's right. I didn't go through that as like an artist. I went through that as a person. When my mom passed away, I immediately still was having to be making a stallion.

And so I'm literally trying to figure out how to grieve, how to perform, how to go through everything I'm going through. And still doing it in front of everybody. So I think a lot of artists are going through finding themselves in front of a lot of people. And they don't, you know, we don't get to get the grace as a public figure. As somebody in their normal life.

You know, like you, you're not on camera 24/7. Nobody's checking your social media 24/7 to see what you're doing. Of course you bump in your head and nobody knows about it. But you can pretend to be perfect because we don't know what's going on. But when you are a person, that's in the public.

Whatever you do, it's a magnifying glass over the top of it. So I just feel like sometimes we've got to give people a little grace because they figure it out too. For sure. How have you managed it? I mean, how are you learning to manage it?

What, what are some real clear dudes and don't? Let me just tell you one thing, I learned. I just can't take it in. You know, it's like, I have social media. I've got followers on all that stuff, but I don't have it on my phone.

Okay. I have to get there. Yeah.

“So I definitely had to realize, okay, what is triggering me?”

What upset me?

What's making me feel sad?

Yeah. And how can I control my own emotions? I can't control other people's emotions. I can control what they say. I definitely had to start coming to the realization.

If somebody has chosen not to like you, there's nothing you're going to be able to do or say to make them like you. Like, every day I would think dang, everybody hates me. Okay. What can I do to make it better? Like, what can I say?

Like, how can I be? What can I address? What? What can I do to make people like me? And then it just started really clicking over time.

Like, it no matter what you do. Like, you could look your best. You could feel your best. You could deliver your best speech. You could deliver your best song.

Do your best performance. If somebody doesn't like you, there's just not going to like you. And they might not even per se, not like you. But if people want to, and then people want to, and then they're going to talk regardless. People are going to have their opinion.

There's nothing you could do about it. But you want to know what I can't control. And I have me in my phone. I don't have to see it. Like, I don't have Twitter.

I don't have Instagram on my phone. The two apps I have on my phone is Pinterest and TikTok. And I have a lot of puzzle apps on my phone. I'll miss you. Game is all up the game.

Like, I have a game. That's the game. That's the game of all my phone. And my whole TikTok algorithm is like aliens and French cheese, French Bulldogs. And I have videos.

I don't even have TikTok. People will send me something. Yeah.

And then I can see it for a second.

Yes. And that's about enough because if I really like it.

“Then I would be, that's what I'd be doing all day.”

I feel like I get a lot of money. The big videos from TikTok. See, I'm glad I don't have that. I've got to keep TikTok. Sometimes I'll go down the rabbit hole and be like, "Greg it off this."

But luckily, TikTok is one of the apps where your algorithm is so curated to you. Yeah. Like, I just see what I want to eat. It's the joy. Yeah.

If you go look for something bad, then it's going to be wonderful. It's great there. I had to learn it too. I was like, "Why am I seeing this, right there?" Get this off my foot.

Well, it's a good message for the hotties out there. It's like, you know, because you've learned the lessons. Yeah. And that's, you don't have to be make the stallion or Michelle Obama. It's true.

It's the same thing as true for all young people trying to find themselves and relying too much on what their phone says. Yeah. You know, it's like, it's, it's got to be a part of being a hot girl. It's like, let it go.

Put it down. Don't take it in. You know? It's not real. It's not true.

It's not a clear reflection of anything other than what somebody happened to be going through when they said something horrible. Oh, my God. You know, and you can't psychoanalyze everybody and everything. So it's like this easier say than them.

It is easier said than dumb, which is why we have to keep saying it. You know, because it is true. You found it even though it's easier said than done. You found that by doing it. Yeah.

You've earned back more of your sanity. Yes. I know. I do. You know.

And they still say crazy stuff about me. You know? You wouldn't know. Crazy. So like from the outside looking in.

When I see, both of us can probably relate to this.

“I see so much positive Michelle Obama content because that's what I'm looking for.”

Like that's what I want to see. My algorithm is curated to say positive things about Michelle Obama. Like I love that Michelle Obama's a tall queen. I love everything that she does in the in the health space. She be dressed.

I'll see with Michelle Obama at all today. Like, you know, these are these. Like these are the things that I see like positive things.

But then for some reason when it's you yourself seeing things is always something.

Yeah. Like I never see bad things. Like you need to be like a trickle here now. But like, oh, this is hate. Just hate.

And like if you hate Michelle Obama. Yeah. Like. But when it's the same thing. But people tell me that too.

And I was like, what do you mean? I'm seeing it all the time. That's right. That's right. A lot of makers tell you hate.

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Final pricing depends upon program selection. Can you be outside of a bubble yet? Yeah. I mean, is your life bubble fight? Yes.

So what are some of your escapes speaking as a bubble level community member? Bubble community? How are you breaking out of your bubble? You know what? Recently, I've tried to start going back out publicly more again.

It was a point in life. I didn't want to do anything. I didn't want to go anywhere. I don't want to be filmed. I don't want to be filmed.

Get in coffee. I don't want to be filmed. Talking to people. Just by going outside.

“And I would be like a vampire in my room in a dark all the time until I had to go do until I had to go be social.”

But like I feel like my glam team, like a lot of them are my best friend is my hair stylist. So like even as, yeah, killing. Even as simple as going to dinner with Kellon or like Ferris T. Ferris is like, like a brother at this point. And well, maybe take all my dogs out on the walk or something. I just just simple things like.

So I'm starting to do the simple things again. Because I definitely was in my hair for a long time. I was not in the good space. I didn't want to do anything. I didn't want to talk to nobody until I had to just turn into making steady.

But now I'm doing more making things. How does that feel? I feel better. But I feel a little less heavy. Yeah.

Like everything is not so serious all the time. I was like, I'm not using my 24 hours. It's as fun as I could be. Let's go to Iceland or something. Just wake up and do whatever.

Like I can do this. Yes. So why am I being boring? Right. I'm looking at people trying to talk and I'm like, I can do this.

Go out there. Go eat. And that's the thing you have to learn. Like becoming famous. You know, who teaches you that?

There's no class. There's no class format. There's no class on even to expect that that's going to happen to you. Right. You know, everybody's all picture and the convertible going down since that bullvard.

And you got your music on when you famous, you can't do that. No. You don't even want to ride in a car. It's like I just started driving.

I just for the first time drove in a car with my daughters by by ourselves.

That was my their mother's day gift for me and I could cry. Right. Because they don't live in a bubble as you've seen. And one of the reasons they did. Yeah.

And they will. They don't want it. They don't want parts of it. So they are doing what you're doing. You just got to push through.

Yeah. You know, you just got to do some. You got to do the things. And then you'll get practice at it. But for my mother's day gift.

I was in LA. And we were going to go to Palm Springs. So they surprised me and arranged for me to ride in the car with them. Yes. So Sasha drove Malia was in the back.

“How did you feel about being a mom in the passenger seat?”

It was good.

I mean, Sasha was a good drive. I'd never driven with her because we didn't.

We couldn't drive with them. Yeah. But we were in, why I still can't. I think we are driven. We are, we are secured in a motorcade.

Right. So I, they didn't learn how to drive for me. They learned how to drive from their agents. Right. Okay.

So they, they were, they were taught well. But I never experienced that. So that like freedom. We drove from LA to Palm Springs. We went to in and out burger the drive through.

Yeah. Up at the people in the drop, it was like crazy. There's no. You went believe they didn't even know. Because it was like, they weren't expecting it.

I had on the hat. Sasha order. We went and got McDonald's french fries. Yes. We said we didn't.

You didn't have in and out french fries. No. No. Because I hadn't had McDonald's french fries in a while. So they were like, well, let's go to.

First of all, you got to eat in and out french fries out the fryer. Right. You know. About how I'm beginning the car is the piece of paper. And then I got to be even bright then.

But there you go. But that was like, I'm 62 years old. My kids. Yes, child. Oh, come on.

But that's like starting to put some normal back to it. It's just like a simple car right. Yeah. That's like joy. That's gratitude.

That's happiness. So tell us about Megan at three. I'm still working on my title right now. It's a persona that I feel like everybody has been acting like. Oh, I want Tina Snowback.

I want we need Tina Snow. I don't think she ever just actually left.

I don't think she was never just not there.

“But I think given her a proper role out of proper title.”

A reintroduction to to hotties that may not have been with me since 2017, 2018. I think that this is like going to be a new experience for them. I think I'm just reintroducing my alter ego Tina Snow. Like Tina is grown now, babe. Like she has been through lots of lots of life since y'all heard from her last.

And I have so many collaborations that I feel like the hotties have been asking me for like from niche collaborations. Like just like personal interests amongst me and the hotties. Yeah. Collaborations that overdue collaborations that have shocked the people. Like really gagged lies.

Okay. Just I feel like act three is going to be one of my favorite projects I ever put out.

I feel like it was a portion of life where I was so super busy. I still got to be making a stadium.

“But I can't be making a stadium without no music.”

So I was in a rush to do everything else. Like then I got to hurry up and record these songs. And I'm trying to figure out parts of time where I can squeeze in recording. But for act three, I went home. And I was like nobody bothered me.

I got to finish my album. I want good music. I want me to push. I can't keep on going out here when I'm used to go. And it's like, okay, you know what, leave around now. Let's not put anything on the schedule.

So this has been like the most organized and the most calm I've been making music in a while. But let me just say you were on Broadway. Yeah. I'm definitely writing this into Broadway. That's a little crazy.

Yeah. That's a little crazy. But then I did live Broadway. And then they left me alone again. I was like so much when I'm like, I am committed myself to,

at least going to two Broadway shows every year. I do it at least once a quarter. I'm going to go. I went just to, I missed you. And I would, if I could have got myself together,

I would have gone to see you specifically.

But maybe we were just such an amazing experience.

Meeting all of those people. Like I feel like I made so many really, really good friends. Two shows, that's a day. A day, two times a week. That's crazy.

And you get one day off, which is Monday. Yeah. I'm like y'all are superheroes. Mm-hmm. And I feel like I'm like, oh my gosh, I have to have this kind of work.

“I think like those people are up there, bus and they butt every day.”

Every night twice a day. Real real talent. We doing this for real. Yeah. I was like, I'll see you in a few hours.

Well, it was like your first opening night. I mean, I was like, I do a lot of stuff. I speak all that. But I look at borrowers like, how do you, how do you do it? What does that feel like?

I mean, very nervous because I can be making this day. I can be making Pete all day long. I was neither one of those people. And I was like, you, who am I? What you want me to say?

Yeah. Like, I was like, I don't know if I'm going to be able to do this. Yeah. But I'm going to do it. But I'm scared.

Yeah. I was just like, please just remember the lines. And if you mess up, just please keep talking to these people. Y'all, pick me up, help me. If I say so wrong, you knew what I meant.

But we, the show was smooth all the way through. I didn't mess up any of my lines. Thank God. The hotnies will be in the crowd. And they will be laughing at the most crazy times.

And I'll be like, 16 is dying. Like, this is not funny. [ Laughter ] And the hotnies will be up there. Like, really clowning.

They definitely made the experience so much better. Because they feel like I was performing in front of a bunch of my friends every night. Much of my friends, my friends. Yeah. And a lot of people did come to see me.

So like, I don't know. I felt very, I felt comfortable immediately. And then like the people who were a part of production. They need, I want to hire them to come over here. They just did.

Oh, my tour. Yeah. Yeah.

I had never felt so carried through everything.

Like running backstage before I had to run on station times. I feel like, okay, this is my line. Like, we'll be, me and the production man is back there. Running the line. Like, I don't know, back on station.

I'm like, how you know my lines? [ Laughter ] Shout out to Jason. Jason, I miss you. They didn't go.

But he would be in the back like, okay, what you want to say? What should I say? Right. But like, it'll be literally right before I have to go right back on stage. I don't know.

Everybody there was just so nice. And they definitely made me realize, okay, I need to step it up. Would you do it again? I would do it again. My eye.

Because I want that Tony. Yeah. Okay. Okay. That's on my list of things I need.

“And that's what you were doing when you were taking it easy.”

Yeah. Was my point. Yeah. That was my taking it easy. [ Laughter ]

But I don't even know why I thought that was going to be easy. Yeah. I encourage everybody to go to New York or wherever your nearest theater is. And I don't care what it is. You need to go watch.

That's some real power. Forever is on that stage. Because there's so many talented people.

People we never heard of.

Yes, and they're working so hard. And they're so good at what they do. Yes. It's such an experience. So I highly encourage people to go.

Congratulations. Thank you for taking that risk. Yes. I was so nervous. I had never done anything like that before.

But now I'm like, yeah, what else do I want me to do? That's what I was about to say. You did it. You put your cape on. Yes.

They have your face. I think it. I said, oh my gosh, didn't want to be the singer. The lyrics. I was like, oh my gosh, didn't want to be the singer in the lyrics.

I was like, oh my gosh, didn't want to be the singer in the lyrics. I was like, oh my gosh, didn't want to be the singer in the lyrics. I was like, oh my gosh, didn't want to be the singer in the lyrics. I was like, oh my gosh, didn't want to be the singer in the lyrics. I was like, oh my gosh, didn't want to be the singer in the lyrics.

I was like, oh my gosh, didn't want to be the singer in the lyrics. I was like, oh my gosh, didn't want to be the singer in the lyrics. I was like, oh my gosh, I was like, oh my gosh, didn't want to be the singer in the lyrics.

I was like, oh my gosh, didn't want to be the singer in the lyrics.

I was like, oh my gosh, didn't want to be the singer in the lyrics. I was like, oh my gosh, I was like, oh my gosh, didn't want to be the singer in the lyrics. Oh man, so iconic, I was like, I got me up here with pink. It was like, it was a killer opening. Yeah, and you held it down, girl.

Thank you. You held it down. Is there another bucket list thing? I'm really wanting to take my artistry bigger. Like, I don't only want to do music.

I do want to get into acting. That's just something I really want to pursue right now.

“Like, I'm trying to figure out what space do I fit in, where do I do next?”

Like, so you know, Quincy fits my girl. And I'm definitely like a student of hers. Yeah. And luckily, I'm also a friend of hers now.

And I always got to get her flowers because she is just so inspirational.

Yes. And I'm like, okay, Quincy, this is my route. This is my, this is who I'm modeling this after. Well, you know, Megan, we try and offer some advice to our listeners. Okay.

By, um, at letting our listeners ask a question. Okay. So we have a question for you. But me? Yes.

Okay. From Gigi, who's in California. Okay, Gigi. Hi, Mrs. Obama and Craig, my name is Gigi. I'm 35 years old and have been working out on and off for 10 years.

Lately, I've noticed changes in my body where it's a bit harder to lose weight than it used to be. I'm very proud of what my body has accomplished over these years, but I can't help feeling frustrated with these changes. Your dedication of fitness has been so inspiring.

“What are some realistic approaches for maintaining your fitness motivation, especially on days when you don't want to?”

How do you maintain your health as you get older? Well, uh, Gigi. Mm-hmm. It's like, well, in Gigi and everybody, it's like, I tried to all my young people. So if you start to see this because you're still 12, um, but 12 and a half, maybe.

Yes. But every decade, at least for a woman, I found that they just got harder. You know, you're just hormonal changes. So it's like, each decade, who, what your health sort of baseline is, changes. You know, and what it takes to maintain it changes.

Like, when I was in my 20s, I could eat what I wanted, not work out. Do whatever I wanted and maybe I'd gain two pounds, right? Hit 30 and it's just like, oh, that. Okay. Well, why won't these two pounds just go away like they did, right?

And then talk about 40, you know, or don't mention having a baby in what that does. So as women, we are just evolving. Yeah, constantly. And we're just better like one though. To get in better like wine.

Well, we have to be mindful of it, right? That's, that's the sort of the beginning. So it's like, Gigi, you're not crazy. It does change. And it's, it's part of our journey.

And so for me, I've, I've had to kind of first understand my baseline.

So to who, who, what, what am I when I healthy? Yeah. You know, you know, is that, is that physical strength? Is that, you know, is that weight? Is that how my clothes fit, you know, understanding what, how do I feel?

Am I sleeping well? Am I feeling tired? Do I feel grumpy? All of that. And I think as a woman, and I think everybody, but as a woman,

we got to get in touch with those baseline feelings. So that means we have to be quiet enough and give ourselves time to kind of figure that out. You know, because it's like, if we don't know what, when we're right, then how do we know when we're off? Yeah.

So I guess my point is, Gigi's process started now. And that's what I do. It's just like, it's just a part of my, my world. You've just started getting, you just started getting full. How would you describe your, I feel like journey.

But the way that I went on my fitness journey wasn't like, I had a, a real body go. Like I got into fitness for my mental health. So I think, like, when I, when I see people, when I see women online, and men comparing their bodies to people they see online, just things that are pretty unrealistic, things,

having these fitness goals for the wrong reasons. Like I definitely, if anybody asks me about working out, I say, well, okay,

“you have to figure out what your goal is and why that's your goal.”

Like if you want to have this shape because you want people to think you're attractive, like that's probably why you're not being consistent in the gym. That's probably why you're not happy with your body because you're not doing it for yourself.

when, and this is unrealistic to do that because first of all somebody's always going to have something to say.

“You could work out as much as you want to.”

You're not going to look like the person who is your body goes because that's their body. You don't know what they put themselves through to look the way that they look. Everybody body down response to the same diet. Everybody's bodies don't respond to the same exercises. Everybody's body is different.

So if you work it out and you have like these goals, just so other people can think that you're attractive. I guess like it's just never going to work out because you're going to be upset. We don't see a result right away. Like working out is like discipline over your mood. Like I go to the gym even when I don't want to.

I'm going to the gym when I'm sad. I'm going to the gym when I'm mad. I need to run. I need to lift something up. I need to punch something.

I'm going to the gym so in my mind I can feel better. And then eventually when I started seeing the change in my body, I was like, I'm going to go away. And I feel good. So now I'm working out with purpose.

Like I was going because I was just trying to get lost in something else besides whatever thoughts I was having at that moment. Vampire layer. You know, I got out of my layer and I went to the gym. Then came out of the layer.

“And then I did started seeing changes and improvements in my body.”

And I didn't know what my goal was at first.

I didn't know what I wanted to look like. I just wanted to get my body moving in my mind moving. I just wanted to be distracted. Kind of like when you're driving, you are. You can come to zone out a little bit because you are only focused on the road.

Yeah. So when you're in the gym, I feel like it's the same thing. Like I'm only focused on what I can control in this moment right now. Like I'm only thinking about these weights. I'm only thinking about finishing this right.

I'm only thinking about getting through this Pilates class. This hurts. I'm only thinking about. And then eventually you get into swing and you get into mood. And you go home and you like, right, I don't get all this work.

I'm not about to mess this up. That's right. I could have a little bit more discipline because I'm starting to like what I see. I'm starting to like how I feel. And even if it's like a slow burn.

Like it's you're not that's the best burn. Right. The slower the transition, the longer and more resilient it will be. And that's the other thing. It's like quick results don't last.

So you want, you know, you want to be if you're trying to lose weight. You want to lose a pound. You know, or to be kind to yourself. Because when you get frustrated, you give up. You don't see something fast enough.

You give up. Yeah. You fall off one day. You don't want to get back on. Like it's just, it's, it's not a race.

Yes. It's definitely a long. Yes. It's a marathon. Well, I agree with both of you.

And the one thing that I would share with Gigi because Gigi saying that she's frustrated with the lack of results. And sometimes that frustration can lead to a kind of depression. Because you like not getting the results. So you like I'm not doing this.

“And the only, the only thing that I would add to what both of you said,”

which so eloquently, is that I have found that having a workout partner. Somebody you go with, make it a community. And then when you do get frustrated, you've got a team around you that says, "All right, you've got to keep going." Yeah.

For me, it's, you know, I've got a family full of people who are like, "All right, let's go for a walk. Let's go do this. When you don't feel like doing something, I think it's really important when you've made it a part of your process.

When you've made a working out part of your process. And in order to keep it going, it can't be a, it can't be a soul endeavor. It can be at times, but in the long run. The people are, some people are good at that. Some people are good.

But it's not natural for humans to not be social, even when they're working out. Yeah. I can't add too much more to that. Because I grew up as an athlete.

So I was trained at a young age to, "All right, I got to get some exercise." And no matter what happens during the day, I got to get up out of this chair and go for a walk or, you know, take the kids to the gym and rebound form. If I'm just doing that.

Pilottings has definitely been there for me. Yeah, I've been doing a lot of Pilottings. Yeah. I still, the referral or do you do in a class? I take a class.

Yeah.

And I didn't, I didn't think Pilottings was a real thing at first.

I thought it was a mess. I thought all these ladies was just snatched and just in yoga pants. I don't know. I was like, "Girl, well, tell me how you got those abs.

Like maybe I understand you. I just couldn't do it." Just by doing that one little move. No, I was like, "You six months ago, and you, yeah." But now you got abs.

And my friend was like, "Pilottings." I was like, "No way." Like, "No way, y'all little ladies isn't here."

And that's where I go into Pilottings.

I was like, "Oh, yeah. It does." It does. It's a weapon, man. It is.

So now I'm like a regular at Pilottings and I do see a difference in my body.

“But I'm somebody who has to be stimulated.”

If I'm gonna take a class, like, I need to be moving. I need you to be yelling. I need music. Like, I need intensity. And I feel like the Pilottings class I take is very intense.

Yeah. They're messing around in there. Yeah. It's like, "They want to leave for the door." No, okay.

But actually, I don't know what solid core is. And I'm just now getting tips to this new Pilottings. And I'm like, "Okay, so I need to go to New York." And I need to go for solid core. It's a former kind of class.

But it's more intense. A lot of courses. A lot of courses. Sounds serious. They do, you know, it's like, you're on the mega-former.

And you, like, let's say you hold a plank, but you're gonna hold it for three minutes. Oh, every minute. And then they're gonna have you crunch in from the holding position. And small little movements.

I'm gonna try it. You're sweating your butt off. And, you know, like, my Pilottings class is really intense. They're all intense. Yeah.

That's why it's like they're different. But solid core sounds like military. It's kind of, I think it also depends on who the instructor is and how they run it, you know.

When I was doing, I was first lady.

And it was when the founder of it started in DC. And she was, it was a military kind of situation. Yeah. Like stuff like that.

“You know, that's why I was like, "You might want to try that."”

I already asked my people in New York. I found me a solid core clear. But I'm tick-tocked. I see so many girls talking about solid core. And I'm like, "Okay.

I can do that." Yeah. And everybody's all ended up that. And what are you trying to forward? Is this something that we don't know about this going on?

No. But I'd never know. You gotta stay ready so you don't have to get ready. And I feel like the little lady got us in solid core. Whatever's coming up.

They ready. So I need to join our ladies.

Well, they got a ton of them around here in DC.

I know you're not going to be here for a while. But right after this, I'm going, "Okay. I'm leaving." Okay. You can protect me from those aliens.

I'm going to, I might need to. Yeah. Like, don't play. I know. I know.

“Because, you know, y'all know about them.”

I heard Mr. Obama say something about the baby. But I'm not even going to try to clarify what he was saying. And I'm at, though. See, I don't want to thought about it. We have really enjoyed having that.

Oh, y'all, that ain't kicking me out. It's like the minute we get to the-- We didn't have to get to the justice journey. Oh, and the brother just cut it off. Yeah.

Cut it off. And Craig's name. We have to go. A break. So that's the hottest there's into aliens like me.

We are not alone. Have you seen disclosure day? The moon. Not yet. And I enjoyed that.

Every movie day. Well, I'm a horror movie girl. Okay. So that's one thing I do. I take myself to the movies a lot.

Okay. I love the movie. You go to the theater. I go to the theater. Okay.

And I'll be in the theater. You can go to the theater. You can go anywhere. Kind of. Okay.

It's dark in there. You know, if you ask the poor picture in the movies, you've grown. Yeah. Well, you know.

You are grown. That's like boundary setting. You're fashion. - That's right, it's like, don't do that. - It's like, don't do that. - But you like disclosure day.

It's not completely horror, but it's side by. It's gonna-- - I'm excited about it. - It's gonna tickle that alien funny bone. - It's my favorite thing to do. - And Barack went to one of the filming. - He went to the filming? - Yeah, he went to one day on the scene.

- I bet he does the meat, y'all said. - I just make sure that was accurate. - He said, "Yeah, that's right, guy. You just feel burned. You got there right. I knew it, guy. - This back to school season, spend less on your kids with Amazon.

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