Album Review: Megan Thee Stallion’s 'Suga' Falls Short of Sweet

Dropped two months before its intended release date, Megan Thee Stallion’s Suga may have done better to wait.

Written by Samantha Paradiso

Last week, a Harris County judge granted Megan Thee Stallion a temporary restraining order against her record label 1501 Certified Entertainment (you read that right) in order to release her new EP Suga. Prior to the TRO, Meg spoke about the situation via Instagram Live, stating that the label is keeping her from releasing new music. On March 6, against her label’s wishes, the Houston native released her EP. But upon listening to it, it seems the rush to push her music out may have been all for naught.

Probably in part due to her current legal situation, Suga is by far one of Megan’s shortest works. Comprising nine tracks that span 25 minutes, the EP feels more like a disorganized afterthought than a deliberate release. “Ain’t Equal” starts off strong, matching the Fever singer’s typical energy as she challenges her haters. The song’s fast paced rhythm and Meg’s clean flow set the stage for a hype record — but then there’s the rest of the EP.

Photo courtesy of 1501 Certified Entertainment

“Savage” had potential to be a banger but never amounts to anything more than a dull, monotonous beat with lackluster verses. The track’s slow, drowsy feel is infused with an immense amount of adlibs, probably to distract listeners from its simple lyrics and arrangement. Her collaboration with Kehlani on “Hit My Phone” breaks out of her usual sound to venture into a pop and R&B feel. In comparison to the rest of the EP, however, this track disrupts the work’s overarching sound — and quite frankly sounds like a distant cousin of Bruno Mars’ “24K Magic.” Her second to last track, “Crying in the Car,” resembles a Yeezy track, through its use of heavily synthesized vocals and layering of a church choir in the background. Yet, this track also falls short of its aspirations with its failed attempts at sincerity only delving as far as the repeated, “All of them nights that I cried in the car / All them tears turned into ice on my arms.”

“Captain Hook” is one of the more redeeming tracks on the EP, similar to that of “Sex Talk” and “Running Up Freestyle” on her 2019 release Fever. Playing upon the song’s title, “Captain Hook” integrates sharpening and clanging knives into its beat, allowing for an interesting sound reminiscent of Rico Nasty’s “Big Titties.” With fun and clever lyrics like, “I need a Mr. Clean, make that p---y beam / Okay, I just might need a baker, make that p---y cream,” Megan carries that same energy fans fell in love with last (Hot Girl) summer. Around the same caliber, the EP’s only single, “B.I.T.C.H.,” may be the highlight of the entire work. Sampling 2Pac’s 1996 “I’d Rather Be Ya N—--,” Meg plays upon the OG’s wording and makes it her own power anthem. The track’s lyrics allude to a lover who has gaslit the artist, but with the lyrics “I'd rather be a B-I-T-C-H / 'Cause that's what you gon' call me when I'm trippin' anyway,” the song’s message is easily translated to the double standards women in rap face.

In “Savage”’s outro, Meg raps, “N----s say I taste like sugar, but ain't shit sweet,” not only referring to the EP’s title but also inadvertently describing the work as a whole. Independently, the songs are alright, but would have fared better as singles. As a whole, Suga is inconsistent, uninspiring, and just that — a sweet attempt at a record. Though it’s hard to say what this EP would have sounded like had the Houston rapper not felt pressured to release it under her current legal battle, one thing is for certain: fans and critics alike will be waiting for more music to match the caliber of the “Hot Girl Summer” rapper’s previous work.

REVIEWSAfterglow ATXMarch 9, 2020