Drake and Kendrick don’t have the monopoly on rap beefs in 2024. Back in January, Megan Thee Stallion and Nicki Minaj went back and forth with some pretty nasty stuff, but the whole thing fizzled out before things could go nuclear. (Some people also credit Megan with kickstarting the Drake/Kendrick feud.) Today, Megan returns with “BOA,” another snake-themed track in the vein of her recent singles “HISS”—which debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100—and “Cobra.” It’s not exactly a diss track, as the venom flies in all directions, but it does seem to mention the ongoing hostilities between Megan and Nicki.
Over a backing track from producer LilJuMadeDaBeat that samples Gwen Stefani’s 2004 single “What You Waiting For?”, Megan is her usual supremely confident self. She opens the song with some lines about her toughness and sex appeal, plus a quick reference to a recent beef that seems to have gone cold.
I be showin' my ass, they mad, huh? (Yeah, yeah)
Bitches is bitter, they thought it was sweet (Thought it was sweet)
All of a sudden they vegan, they don’t want beef
Talkin' outta veeners, I’m knockin' out teeth (Baow, baow, baow, baow)
At the end of the verse, Megan laughs off haters who talk trash about her online.
Hoes do all of that typin'
But never once did I get pressed (Never once did I get pressed)
It’s obvious bitches obsessed
Which leads into the chorus, wherein Megan makes fun of rivals who spend all their time on social media.
Doin' shit for TikTok (Yeah), bitch, I’m really hip-hop (Ah, ah) (Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock)
They all know my shit hot, ain’t listen when your shit drop (Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock) (Ah, ah, ah)
At the start of the second verse, a characteristically sex- and cash-positive Megan again flaunts her body and wealth. She’s unapologetic about the way she cycles through dudes like handbags.
Boy, I’m a player, not a savior
Niggas and purses, I got every flavor (Got every flavor)
Take a picture, I pose for the haters
Showin' my ass like adult entertainers (Yeah)
From the back, he can tell I’m from Texas (Baow)
Yellow diamonds in my necklace (In my necklace)
The final lines may be aimed at Nicki, who’s fond of calling other rappers her “sons.”
All that fuckin' talkin', but let’s see who really make a move (Make a move)
Post a picture, bitches call me “Mother,” now who’s sonning who?
The title of “BOA” is partially inspired by the character of Boa Hancock in the anime series One Piece, and in the outlandishly violent music video, Megan pays homage to a bunch of old-school video games.
You can read all the lyrics to “BOA” on Genius now.
