Megan Thee Stallion Brings the Heat to San Francisco
Written and photos by Mary Perez
Graphic by Rebekah Witt
For some people, Sunday nights are a time of rest before busy workweeks. But for the attendees of Megan Thee Stallion’s “Hot Girl Summer” Tour, there’s no such thing as a calm evening when Meg is around. The H-Town Hottie hit San Francisco’s Chase Center on June 23, as fans packed the arena for a sold-out show. They posed in front of the giant “Hot Girl Summer” display in front of the venue, hyping up one another. Inside the arena, Chase offered a special “Savage” cocktail for the evening, containing tequila, Ancho Reyes, mango, and grapefruit. Fans were decked out in a wide variety of outfits, whether it be cosplays, their hottest outfits, or even just something comfortable; so long as you could shake ass, you were dressed appropriately for the show.
The energy was high, even before anyone took the stage. The DJ was spinning some of the biggest hits for rap enthusiasts, including fan-favorite Kendrick Lamar's “Not Like Us.” The show began with an exciting performance by Memphis native GloRilla, a rising star in the rap world. Playing some of her biggest hits, including “Yeah Glo!” and “F.N.F. (Let’s Go),” she lit up the stage with her playful and empowering lyricism, accompanied by her electrifying backup dancers. Fans cheered as the dancers showed off their incredible skills throughout the set, and Glo even ended up sharing how much she loved the SF crowd—talk about a real honor. If you weren’t aware of her music beforehand, you walked away with at least one of her lines stuck in your head.
The night was far from over, and the crowd was getting more excited for Megan to hit the stage. As we counted down the minutes, “Not Like Us” was funnily enough the last song to play before it was time for THEE performance. The lights turned dark, and the crowd roared with excitement, screams becoming nearly deafening as the stage opened and Megan’s silhouette appeared. Opening with “HISS,” she weaved through a lively set of new and old hits, showcasing her masterful rap skills and “Megan knees” in eye-catching choreography. It wouldn’t be a Megan Thee Stallion concert without some twerking, and boy, was there a lot of it. From Meg to her backup dancers to even fans, everyone was shaking ass to the rap superstar’s thrilling songs.
Making her way through a strikingly powerful discography, she pulled songs from all stages of her career, from singles off her upcoming album to throwbacks for her Day 1s. Donning several dazzling outfits throughout the night, she proved why she’s one of the hottest in the game, rapping about her accomplishments, hardships, and self-love. The three-time Grammy winner was fierce in her deliveries, and even when she wasn’t in the spotlight, the show kept everyone’s attention with its colorful graphics, thrilling pyrotechnics, and spirited choreography. Her catchy hooks shaped the 26-song setlist into an exhilarating run of rhymes, including “Kitty Kat,” “Hot Girl,” and “What’s New.” Playing tracks from 2018’s Tina Snow, such as “Freak Nasty” and Cognac Queen,” up to her 2024 single “BOA”, the Houston native ignited the stage with her intoxicating presence, mesmerizing fans with her dance moves and clever rhyme schemes.
One thing that truly stood out from this performance was Megan’s love for her fans and the reciprocation she received all night. She constantly interacted with eager concertgoers, picking up flowers and making hearts with one another’s hands. It felt far more intimate than most arena shows because she took the time to read fan signs and connect with her crowd, even letting some fans speak in the mic. From “Bay Area Hotties Love You” to “Dentist by Day, Hottie by Night” to “Hot Gay Summer,” the Bay did not come to play. She even took a moment to recognize a flag that read “A Petite Black Woman Who Will Sign an NDA” and read aloud a sign that read “Both of My Boyfriends Are Captain Hook,” a nod to her 2020 hit.
A special part of the night is when she invites certain fans to come onstage and party with the Stallion herself. One by one, ecstatic fans made their way up the magical stairs and joined Meg on the stage, some showing off their impressive twerking abilities while others filmed themselves, convinced they were dreaming. After all, how many people can say their favorite artist handpicked them from a crowd to come onstage? Security struggled to hold some fans back, watching as they twerked their way to the front as Meg hyped them up.
As the show neared its end, GloRilla joined Meg to perform their hit, “Wanna Be,” each showing love to one another as the crowd cheered along. Even then, the crowd continued to send Meg their love, showering her with compliments and gifts. Capping off the show, she performed her hit tracks “Body” and “Savage,” dancing along to the empowering songs and basking in the crowd’s enthusiasm. It was the perfect way to end the show.
I’ve seen Megan once before, and she was even better than the first time. Her ability to rap her rapid-fire verses while appearing effortlessly stunning is impressive, and she stays incredibly grounded after her rise to fame. She serves face and unapologetically savage bars, and nobody can stand in her way. Be sure to check out her new album this Friday, June 28!