This is the year of Thee Stallion! “Thot S**t” rapper Megan Thee Stallion was recently honored as Glamour Magazine’s Woman of the Year. 

On Monday, the long-running magazine honored the 26-year-old emcee from Houston. Through tears, Megan thanked her deceased great-grandmother and mom. The rapper spoke to other recipients and onlookers at the Rainbow Room in New York City, saying, “I am truly humbled to be in such incredible company,” Megan began. “I really want to thank my mom,” she said, pausing as tears streamed down her face. “I want to thank my mom because she taught me how to be the woman that I am.”

“She was my best friend, my manager, she was my everything, and I know she’s proud of me today,” she continued. 

Holly Thomas, her mother, passed away from brain cancer in 2019, and her great-grandmother died two weeks later.

Megan also expressed that the elder matriarch was proud of her but wanted her to earn her degree.

“She was like, ‘Megan, I don’t give a damn how many songs you write as long as you get that degree,’ Megan shared with the audience. 

“So, I said, ‘You know what, I don’t give a damn how many songs I write, I’m going to stay in school because I know my mom and my big momma are watching me, and that’s what they would want me to do.’”

The “Savage” rap star continued her tribute to the women who defined her. She also expressed that she feels their presence “every day.”

“They filled me with self-love and determination,” she explained. “Because of them, I never felt unworthy of my success and my womanhood. Because of them, I’ve learned to be competitive with myself, and that other women don’t need to lose for me to win.”

While honoring her ancestors and maternal line, Megan didn’t forget to salute herself for staying on the right path. 

“I win a lot of awards as Megan Thee Stallion, but tonight I choose to accept this award as Megan Pete. A soon-to-be college graduate from Houston, a woman who has built a successful career in a male-dominated industry, who has earned her respect from people that couldn’t look beyond my public persona,” she reflected.

Megan, who was presented the award by one-half of the pioneer female rap duo Salt-n-Pepa, was also celebrated by Pepa– who sang her praises. 

“Look at Megan,” Pepa said. “Take her in. She is Thee Stallion. Beautiful, bold…fearless. I love everything that she’s doing. For me, coming up as Salt-N-Pepa, everything was a struggle. There were so few women in the game back in the day. We helped open doors, yes we did. But Megan kicked the door down, pulled up a seat at the table, ordered a big dinner, and poured Hottie Sauce all over the damn thing.” 

The rapper’s dedication to her education and her craft is indisputable. From her making history on the cover of Sports Illustrated to numerous endorsements with Coach and Popeyes Chicken, the 26-year-old is living proof that tenacity pays off. 

Megan is scheduled to graduate on December 11 from Texas Southern University.