by Megan Thee Stallion
Released August 12, 2022 via 300 Entertainment / 1501 Certified
Reviewed August 23, 2022
Top tracks (based on community voting)
Pressurelicious (46%), Plan B (39%), Scary (39%)
Megan Thee Stallion firmly entrenched herself with the release of her first studio album, Good News, in 2020. Unlike many, I really enjoyed it, but it was clear that Good News was meant to be a stepping stone for Megan to further improve her music. And she did. One thing that’s overshadowed by her popularity is the fact that Megan can rap her ass off. On Traumazine, she’s sharpened her pen game in more ways than one, spitting sharper verses with a ferocity and aggressiveness that adds another layer to her already-remarkable style. In addition to that, she branches out into different musical styles and shows vulnerability, while still maintaining the Hot Girl essence that made her past projects memorable. However, Traumazine’s biggest flaw comes in its less-than-stellar collabs with great artists that just aren’t in her lane (Future, Dua Lipa). She shines most when she is with artists who already make music that’s somewhat similar to hers (Key Glock, Pooh Shiesty, Latto). With Traumazine, Megan truly establishes herself as one of the more unique and consistent artists of the new school, and manages to keep improving her craft. – Alan (8.2/10)
Embroiled in a legal battle with Tory Lanez for the past two years—one that has drove a lot of unnecessary hate toward her—and in conflict with her current label, it is no surprise that Megan Thee Stallion’s sophomore album sees the “Houston Hottie'' bringing a lot of different energies. Now, Traumazine is by no means a reinvention of Thee Stallion, but it offers glimpses at sides of Megan we haven’t seen much of. Tracks like “Anxiety” and “Flip Flop,” which appear next to each other, see her grappling with self-doubt and trust issues, which adds a new element to her typically braggadocious persona. And alongside the following two tracks, “Consistency” and “Star” (plus “Red Wine”), there’s a good chunk of Traumazine that steers in the direction of a smooth fusion between R&B, pop, and G-Funk. These tracks may not be the best of the bunch, but it’s nonetheless exciting to see Megan try for something new when her existing style has yet to get old; the bouncy, Houston-to-the-core trap beats permeate the majority of Traumazine, and aside from the aforementioned detours, Megan Thee Stallion still sounds as confident as ever. Boasting about her success, looks, and ability as a rapper, she puts it as good as anyone: “how many more ways can I say that I’m the baddest bitch?” – Dominick (7.7/10)
No one is safe. Meg didn’t come up in this game being a nice and cautious artists. She’s carved her role as one of the most confident rappers in the game. Traumazine skips no beats as the album employs an aggressive demeanor from start to finish. She tellin’ y’all that she is her. She’s gonna dominate the charts, the club, and the hearts. I wanna draw attention to her ability to put together consistently energizing hooks. Every song has the potential to be the next hot girl anthem. Oddly enough her consistent formula does not come across as repetitive which is impressive. The only track I didn’t enjoy was “Her,” but given the clear excitement around house music, I’m not too mad about it. At the end of the day it still had that Meg feel. I respect Meg’s in your face and unapologetic persona on every verse. She really dropped “I feel like Biggie, who shot you? But everybody knows who shot me bitch.” Self awareness in the right hands can take careers to the next level, and her poetry was on demon energy. I think Meg’s performance on Traumazine was impressive and the album is an enjoyable listen. – Daniel (7.2/10)
Dominick: 7.7/10 | DeVán: 7.5/10 | Pax: 7.5/10 | Daniel: 7.2/10
Cam: 7/10 | Henny: 7/10 | Pablo: 7/10 | Jacques: 6/10 | Jared: 6/10
