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Suga (EP)

Suga is the third extended play by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion. It was released on March 6, 2020, by 1501 Certified Entertainment and 300 Entertainment.[1] It features guest appearances from Kehlani and Gunna.[2] The project's release was preceded by legal troubles between the rapper and the label, following a contract renegotiation attempt, which led to the filing of a temporary restraining order towards the label.[3] Megan had initially intended for it to be her debut studio album,[4][5] but instead released it as an EP as a result.[6][7]

Suga
EP by
Megan Thee Stallion
ReleasedMarch 6, 2020 (2020-03-06)
Recorded2019
Genre
Length24:33
Label
  • 1501 Certified
  • 300
Producer
Megan Thee Stallion chronology
Fever
(2019) 		Suga
(2020) 		Good News
(2020)
Singles from Suga
  1. "B.I.T.C.H."
    Released: January 24, 2020
  2. "Captain Hook"
    Released: March 10, 2020
  3. "Savage"
    Released: April 7, 2020

The EP features the single "B.I.T.C.H.", released on January 24, 2020, that charted at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100.[8] The album's second single, "Captain Hook", was released on March 10, 2020, and charted at number 74 in the US.[9] The third and final single "Savage", was sent to top 40 radio formats on April 7, 2020, and has since become Megan Thee Stallion's first chart-topper in the United States, aided by a Beyoncé remix.[10][11]

Background

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Following the success of Megan's debut mixtape, Fever, and the Platinum-certified songs "Hot Girl Summer" featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla Sign and "Cash Shit" featuring DaBaby, in 2019, after her NPR Tiny Desk Concert, Megan revealed her debut studio album was in the works and set for release in 2020.[12] She also revealed the album would introduce a new alter-ego named Suga, who is "besties" with her Tina Snow alter-ego.[13]

The lead single, "B.I.T.C.H." was released on January 24, 2020. The song was met with positive reviews and it charted at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100.[8] Megan performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to promote it.[14]

Following the single's release, Megan revealed more details of the EP, in an interview on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 show. She revealed the EP would be titled Suga, and that it would feature collaborations with Kehlani and SZA, and production credits by Juicy J and Pharrell Williams.[15]

In February 2020, Megan covered Rolling Stone, along with Normani and SZA, and revealed in an interview she was eyeing the release of the project to May (the month of her mother, Holly Thomas', birthday. Both Megan's mother and grandmother passed away in March 2019).[16][17]

In the beginning of March, Megan and her Roc Nation management filed a lawsuit and temporary restraining order towards her label, 1501 Entertainment, claiming the label signed her to an unfair contract and refused to renegotiate. The label would take "the vast majority" of her earnings (60% from her recording income, 30% from touring, 30% from merchandising). Following the renegotiation attempts, the label forbid her from releasing new music, which led to the lawsuit and the judge siding with Megan and Roc Nation, allowing her to release a project on March 6, 2020.[18]

Megan announced the release and tracklist of her new project, Suga, on her social media on March 4, 2020, two days prior to its release.[19] The set was believed to be her debut studio album, as previewed, but in a change of plans, Megan confirmed in an interview on Ebro in the Morning, that it was just an EP with "the songs that I really, really liked", affirming that her debut studio album is still under production.[1] Eight months later, her debut studio album Good News was released on November 20, 2020.

Singles and promotion

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The EP's lead single, "B.I.T.C.H.", was released on January 24, 2020.[20] It is described as a song where Megan "confronts an inept boyfriend who's ignoring her feelings" and received praise from Pitchfork due to the fact that "her trademark confidence complements the slinky retro beat".[21] The song samples Bootsy's Rubber Band' "I'd Rather Be With You" (1976) and Tupac Shakur's "Ratha Be Ya Nigga" (1996).[22] The song debuted and peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number 9 on the Rolling Stone 100, with 12.5 million streams on its first tracking week.[23] The single was promoted with a performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where Megan sings and raps, dressed in a red belted body suit, alongside two backup dancers on a fog-filled stage.[14] An accompanying video for the song was released on March 6, 2020, along with the EP's release. The music video, directed by Eif Rivera, introduces the alter-ego Suga, who rides in a Rolls-Royce with Tina Snow (Megan's other alter-ego), walks her dogs in a leopard suit and twerks in a Jacuzzi.[24]

"Captain Hook" was released on March 10, 2020, alongside a music video as the EP's second single.[9] Megan started a dance challenge to promote the song prior to the video's release.[25] The song debuted and peaked at number 74 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song "Savage" went viral on the app TikTok due to users starting a dance challenge to the song.[26] At the recommendation of the head of music partnerships at TikTok, the record label shifted focus from "Captain Hook" to "Savage" and the song was later released as the EP's third single.[27]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.2/10[36]
Metacritic77/100[28]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [29]
Consequence of SoundB[30]
Exclaim!7/10[31]
The Line of Best Fit9/10[32]
Pitchfork7/10[33]
Rolling Stone     [34]
Tom Hull – on the WebA−[35]

At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, Suga received an average score of 77, based on nine reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[28] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.2 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[36]

Variety wrote that Megan "is mixing the cold hard steel of hip-hop power, with the teasing romanticism of mod R&B — and it looks great on her."[37] The Line of Best Fit rated the set 9 out of 10 and praised the "nostalgia, melancholy and faith, counterbalancing Megan's overall ethos of optimistic self-empowerment".[32] Pitchfork scored the EP 7 out of 10, with Mankaprr Conteh saying that "Megan occasionally struggles to package new truths about her social status in the whip-smart ways she did her old ones", but "at only 24 minutes long, Suga avoids the bloating that plagued Fever, and a good-not-great song like "Rich" is over too quickly to complain much".[33] Conteh concluded, "Suga may not be remembered as a keystone in Megan Thee Stallion's catalog, but it's a fine portrait of an artist embracing her full self as her world changes drastically." Rolling Stone gave the EP 4 out of 5 stars, and stated "On Suga she sounds warm and vulnerable, unsure how to carry on without her mama to guide her, but determined to do her proud. And she makes herself clear: she's no one's property."[34] Vulture also praised the "sex-positive bangers that tap into the same vein of Megan highlights" but wrote that "ending the project weaker than it started makes Suga feel like a half-step toward the evolution Megan had planned".[38]

Concluding the review for AllMusic, Fred Thomas stated that "Suga finds Megan Thee Stallion experiencing the growing pains of success. The songs reflect this in their lyrical content, overall shift in tonality, and even in the small steps they take towards more commercial sounds."[29]

In June 2020, the album was included on Billboard and Complex's lists of the best albums of 2020 "so far", ranking at number 41 on the latter list.[39][40]

Commercial performance

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Suga debuted at number 10 on the US Billboard 200 with 41,000 album-equivalent units, becoming Megan Thee Stallion's second US top-10 album. Of that sum, 36,000 came from streaming-equivalent units, and 5,000 from pure sales.[41] Later, due to the success of "Savage" and the remix with Beyoncé, the album reached a new peak of number seven, with 39,000 units moved for the chart dated May 16, 2020.[42]

Track listing

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Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Ain't Equal"
Helluva2:24
2."Savage"
J. White Did It2:35
3."Captain Hook"
LilJuMadeDaBeat2:56
4."Hit My Phone" (featuring Kehlani)
2:30
5."B.I.T.C.H."
Helluva3:03
6."Rich"
  • Pete
  • Tommy Brown
  • TBHitz
  • Xavi
  • Frank King
  • Payday
1:35
7."Stop Playing" (featuring Gunna)
The Neptunes2:54
8."Crying in the Car"
The Neptunes3:12
9."What I Need"
3:20
Total length:24:33
ChopNotSlop Remix[43]
No.TitleLength
1."Suga" (Intro)1:33
2."Savage"3:40
3."B.I.T.C.H."5:00
4."Captain Hook"3:14
5."What I Need"4:15
6."Interlude"0:34
7."Stop Playing" (featuring Gunna)3:40
8."Crying in the Car"3:00
9."Rich"2:28
10."Hit My Phone" (featuring Kehlani)2:48
11."Ain't Equal"2:38
Total length:32:55

Notes

  • ^[v] signifies a vocal producer.
  • All tracks on Suga (ChopNotSlop Remix) are subtitled "ChopNotSlop remix" and credited to Megan Thee Stallion and OG Ron C.

Sample credits

  • "B.I.T.C.H." incorporates lyrics from "Ratha Be Ya Nigga" (1996) performed by Tupac Shakur, written by Tupac Shakur and Douglass Rasheed.[44]

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[52] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Stream Megan Thee Stallion's 'Suga' EP". Rap-Up. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
  2. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion Introduces "Suga" Ft. Kehlani & Gunna". HotNewHipHop. 6 March 2020. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
  3. ^ Holmes, Charles (2020-03-05). "Why Megan Thee Stallion Sued Her Own Label". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
  4. ^ Daly, Rhian (March 4, 2020). "Megan Thee Stallion confirms details of debut album 'Suga'". NME. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  5. ^ Tesema, Feleg (November 2019). "Megan Thee Stallion Announces Debut Album & New Persona, "Suga"". Highsnobiety. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  6. ^ "Stream Megan Thee Stallion's 'Suga' EP". Rap-Up. March 5, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  7. ^ Holmes, Charles (March 3, 2020). "Why Megan Thee Stallion Sued Her Own Label". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  8. ^ a b McIntyre, Hugh. "Demi Lovato, Camila Cabello, Meek Mill And Megan Thee Stallion: 5 Important Moves On This Week's Hot 100". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-03-04.
  9. ^ a b Sinha, Charu (March 10, 2020). "Megan Thee Stallion Calls the Shots in 'Captain Hook' Music Video". Vulture. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  10. ^ "Top 40/M Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  11. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion & Beyonce's "Savage" No. 1 on Hot 100". Billboard. 2020-05-26. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  12. ^ Kelley, Caitlin. "Megan Thee Stallion Announces Plans To Drop Her Debut Album In 2020". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-03-07.
  13. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion Announces Debut Album & New Persona, "Suga"". www.highsnobiety.com. Retrieved 2020-03-07.
  14. ^ a b Shaffer, Claire (2020-02-14). "Megan Thee Stallion Heats Up 'Tonight Show' Stage With 'B.I.T.C.H.'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2020-03-07.
  15. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion Reveals Features On the New 'Suga' Debut Album". OnSMASH. Retrieved 2020-03-07.
  16. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion's Mother Passes Away From Brain Cancer". HipHopDX. 2019-03-25. Retrieved 2020-03-07.
  17. ^ Holmes, Charles (2020-02-27). "How Megan Thee Stallion Weathered the Hottest Summer". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2020-03-07.
  18. ^ Leight, Elias (2020-03-03). "Megan Thee Stallion Sues 1501 Entertainment Label". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2020-03-07.
  19. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion's Debut Album 'Suga' Drops Tomorrow". www.highsnobiety.com. Retrieved 2020-03-07.
  20. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion Declares Her Independence With Her Classic-Sampling 'B.I.T.C.H.'". UPROXX. 2020-01-24. Retrieved 2020-03-07.
  21. ^ "B.I.T.C.H." by Megan Thee Stallion Review, retrieved 2020-03-07
  22. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion Samples A 2Pac Classic On Her New Song "B.I.T.C.H."". Genius. Retrieved 2020-03-07.
  23. ^ "Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2020-03-07.
  24. ^ Powell, Jon (2020-03-06). "Megan Thee Stallion delivers "B.I.T.C.H." music video". Revolt. Retrieved 2020-03-07.
  25. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion Initiates "Captain Hook" Dance Challenge". HotNewHipHop. 10 March 2020. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
  26. ^ Fu, Eddie; Abad, Russel; Hill, Tia (March 20, 2020). "Megan Thee Stallion's "Savage" Looks Poised To Be Her Next Hit Thanks To This Viral TikTok Challenge". Genius. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  27. ^ Jennings, Rebecca (May 11, 2021). "The real story behind TikTok". Vox. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  28. ^ a b "Suga by Megan Thee Stallion". Metacritic. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  29. ^ a b Fred, Thomas (2020-03-06). "Suga - Megan Thee Stallion | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  30. ^ McDuffie, Candace (2020-03-10). "Megan Thee Stallion Hones Her Craft on the Suga EP". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  31. ^ Ankrah, Veracia. "Megan Thee Stallion Suga". Exclaim!. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  32. ^ a b Mahalingam, Udit. "Megan Thee Stallion is battle ready on SUGA". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  33. ^ a b Conteh, Mankaprr (March 11, 2020). "Megan Thee Stallion: Suga Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  34. ^ a b Sheffield, Rob (2020-03-09). "Megan Thee Stallion is at Her Peak on 'Suga'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
  35. ^ Hull, Tom (March 16, 2020). "Music Week". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  36. ^ a b "Suga by Megan Thee Stallion reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  37. ^ Amorosi, A. D. (2020-03-06). "Megan Thee Stallion's 'Suga': Album Review". Variety. Retrieved 2020-03-07.
  38. ^ Jenkins, Craig (2020-03-06). "Why Shouldn't Megan Thee Stallion Take What's Hers?". Vulture. Retrieved 2020-03-07.
  39. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2020 (So Far)". Billboard. June 9, 2020. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  40. ^ "The Best Albums of 2020 (So Far)". Complex. 16 June 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  41. ^ Caulfield, Keith (March 15, 2020). "Lil Uzi Vert's 'Eternal Atake' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart With Biggest Streaming Week Since 2018". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  42. ^ a b Caulfield, Keith (May 10, 2020). "Kenny Chesney Lands Ninth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'Here and Now'". Billboard. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  43. ^ "Suga (ChopNotSlop Remix)". Tidal.
  44. ^ "Listen to Megan Thee Stallion's new Tupac-sampling single "B.I.T.C.H"". The Fader. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
  45. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  46. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Megan Thee Stallion – Suga" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  47. ^ Nestor, Siim (April 14, 2020). "Eesti Tipp-40 Muusikas: Sel nädalal paugutab Trad.Attack!". Eesti Ekspress (in Estonian). Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  48. ^ "Top Albums (Week 15, 2020)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  49. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  50. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  51. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  52. ^ "American album certifications – Megan Thee Stallion – Suga". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
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