IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson - Embrace Your Inner Hottie with Megan Thee Stallion

Episode Date: August 12, 2026

This week, three-time Grammy Award-winning recording artist, philanthropist and entrepreneur Megan Thee Stallion joins the show! Fresh off a plane from Fiji, Megan shares more about the behind-the-scenes of her appearance on Love Island, her new music, and goes deep with Michelle and Craig on her Houston childhood and the people that formed her. Plus, she shares her surprising theory on aliens.Have a question you want answered? Write to us at imopod.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Can an old guy like me be a hottie? Okay. The way the question was asked. Like, just the way. The way we questions was asked. Yes. Of course. Like, hotties can be hot boys, hot girls, how everybody, hot people.

Like, a hoddy is just a hot person and a person that like making it say. This episode of IMO is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. How are you? I am good. I'm doing really good. I'm feeling hot girl summary, but we'll get to that later. What's going on with? Can you be a guy, hottie?

Well, we'll find out, but I don't know. We got to find this out. But that means you really got to be hot. I know. I might not qualify. You got to have a little like you'd have to have that t-shirt off and three buttons down. I'm definitely not hot. But what's you been up to, Craigie?

So, you know, we just came back from the opening of the OPC, the Obama Presidential Center. Yes, yes, this may not air until later, but yeah, we just did that. That was a wonderful experience. It was, you know, it was just really full circle for us to be able to open up that. It's not even just a presidential. Center. It's a campus. And seeing it activate it for the first time, users in it, the community using it opened on Juneteenth. So there was just a lot of love and good feeling. I mean, it was really, it really, whew, it did a number on my high, right, right down the street from all

of it. Yeah. So that was really nice. But while I was there in Chicago, in Chicago, of course, In between all the things we were doing? All the things we were doing. I stayed at an Airbnb and I did an Airbnb experience that I wanted to share with you. Oh, so now, remind me, the Airbnb experiences, are these in addition to you can sign up, do you have to be in an Airbnb? So what I'm finding out is if you stay at an Airbnb, you can choose an experience, but you don't have to stay at an Airbnb in order to do an Airbnb experience. experience. So that's really neat to know because I didn't know that until I started getting involved with it.

But this one was really a cool experience. What did you do? We got to design our own sneaker. And I have mine right here. Oh, my goodness. So this started out as a all-white Air Force one. And then you colored it in like a kindergartner. It does.

I know it looks like a five-year-old did the. It's like you were never the artistic one. I was not. Everybody in our family is artistic except me. I know. But what do these colors remind you of? IMO. These are the IMO colors.

Did you figure that out all by yourself? I did. I did this. So my creativity. So with the orange, did you pick the orange? I picked this orange to go with the orange in our logo. But the shoe came with the orange. I'll get to that part.

Excuse me. No. The shoe did not come with this leather on the back there. I added that leather. And I was going to stencil in IMO, but we ran out of time. Well, that's the main part. Can you take it back? Can you get that done? This is a work in progress. I think I'm going to add some more color to this, but I found the laces, which are the color of the dot over the eye and IMO. And if you notice, I got these little eyelets on the laces. But it was really fun. It's a great effort. It was really fun, really therapeutic and I look forward to my next. Are you going to wear those? As soon as I finish them, I'm going to wear them.

I was really pleased with Hersh. I was really proud of myself. Really proud of myself. Well, that sounds fun. Maybe one day when I go back to the center, we can do that. That'd be a fun. That would be. That would be a fun group activity. That would be a good family activity. It would be. Yeah, yeah. See whose shoe would be better. Better would be mine. Yes. Now we can get down to business. Now that we have fully. explored your kindergarten shoe, we can do what we came here to do. I'm so

excited for our guest today. I love this woman. She, like, we only met once, but she left a deep impression on me because of her energy, her spirit,

you know, her, you know, just, there's a maturity and grace about her that I just don't think a lot people can see from her persona, but it is there. She's smart as a whip, and I can't wait to talk to her more. You know, we just met her briefly. I just met her briefly.

You've known her, and what I would say is that she reminds me of someone who would be in our family. You know, immediately very warm, very welcoming, and just a sweetie. So let me give her a proper introduction. So hailing from Houston, Megan the stallion is a three-time Grammy-winning recording artist, philanthropist and entrepreneur. Over the course of her career, she has earned three Billboard Hot 100 number one hits and has been honored multiple times for her advocacy efforts, which we're going to get into as well. Megan made history in 2022 as the first black woman to appear on the cover of Forbes

prestigious under 30 issue. So it is our pleasure to introduce Megan the Stallion. Welcome to our M.A. Hi. How are you? Thank y'all for having me.

Yes. What an intro. What did you do? Yeah. That's good. That's you. That's you, girl. That's you.

Have you gotten used to just being fabulous and known as being fabulous? Does that ever become the norm? I feel like you just never get used to it, you know? Like, you know, you wake up in the morning and you're like, I think I look good today. And then people get to see you and they're like, yeah, you look good. And it's like, okay, yeah, I ate that. Yeah, yeah. Yes.

It's just a little eat. You know, I ate that. You remind me of Sasha, my youngest. Yeah. I love that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

You and Sasha have similar SaaS levels, you know. I feel like I hung out with Sasha after my Saturday night live performance. Probably so. And I was like, hello. Because they just show up. They're the secret service. You're my girl. It's like, oh, excuse us.

Yes, but I definitely wrapped her around and made my security be all around. I was like, hold on, y'all, we got the president, daughter in here. And she just is all up in it. Yes. But there's, it's, uh, your, your energy is just, it just, it's so familiar. It's, yay. I love that. I feel the same way.

It's like family. You know. So thanks for being here. But you are fresh, girl, you are fresh off of Fiji. Fiji. Yes, Love Island. Okay. Love Island.

Just, just watched it. Craig. I don't. He doesn't. I don't know what you're talking about. You don't know what we're talking about. No, I do. I do.

No, he doesn't. He doesn't. Well, let me tell you, when they were telling me that you were on Love Island, I said, oh, that's the show where all the bachelors and bachelorets who lost go on the island. No. No. What is that? Traders? He doesn't know.

Like I said, he doesn't know. But Traders is a good show, too. I love traders. I want to be on Traders. You would be great on Traders. I know, but I keep saying, I think if I went on Traders, they would immediately vote me off because they would think I'm the traitor. Well, see. No, I think you know how to play it.

I think you know how to play it. I feel like when you have a big personality, people just automatically assume it's you. They just took Porsche out. Poor Porsche. I mean, she just really wasn't. Are we on a different show now? We're on a different show.

Okay, you have to catch up with traitors and love. You know, I keep telling me, we are doing a podcast. We talk about pop culture. And this dude is, you know, he's at the gym with his little boys. He's making shoes. He just doesn't. Did you like my shoes? I did like your show.

I did. I was blue. It's my favorite color. When I saw the blue, it was blue. It was blue. It was blue. It was cute. Thank you. Did you see it up close? I saw it from back there. Okay. I was like, this looks very nice. See how much. I was very hard thing. I was very proud of my shoes. Your shoes is wonderful. But back to Love Island, what was what was it like? What was the vibe of the villa? Because this was your second season? This is my My second time doing it. What is that like? I feel like every time Love Island brings me on, it is just to bring the positive vibes inside the villa. Because when I got there, it was very tense.

It sure was. Yes. But when I came, everybody was having a good time. I came in and spoke to all the ladies first. I made TikToks with them. We just talked for a little while. And then I went to go see the boys. And I ain't staying there that long.

Now, Megan, how many people are on Love Island? I couldn't tell you. It's a bunch of people. It's a bunch of people. They come and go. They come and go. So, you know, they start out with like maybe a group of 10, 12. And then they couple up.

And then some of them don't. And then they bring in new people. So it's always... 10 each or 10 total? Like six girls. Yeah. Six girls, six guys. It's very interesting.

Yeah. Very, I love keeping up with it. Something about watching people's love life unfold on TV. It's just. It's a sociological study. The men in my life, my husband, my brother, they just don't understand reality TV and the love of it. But I was like, it is like a sport. It's like my fix.

Yeah, yeah. Because you are always analyzing, well, what would I do in that situation? And I'm, why did you do that? Right. You know, that reminded me at the time that, you know, it's very like live playhouse. Like, this is a scenario that I probably would never be in. But I like putting myself in their shoes. I know.

I keep saying, oh, my God. Why don't y'all do this? I don't get that. Why did you say that? Did you forget you on TV? Yes. It's like, don't you know, there's cameras everywhere. But I feel like at the end of the day, when you're famous or you're putting yourself in a position to be seen by so many, whether you're artists, whether you are the first lady, just anything like that.

Like, everybody's watching you. Everybody has their eyes on you all the time. And you just have to remember these people are humans. Yeah. And I feel like sometimes we forget that about people that we're watching on TV. people we see in magazines. It is amazing. And I feel like we got to remember to have a little compassion because they're still

just humans. For sure. And they're young humans at that. You know, making regular mistakes that we all make. But they're just on camera. That's all. To be honest, a lot of ladies and men make these same mistakes. Same mistakes, right? But these people are just on national TV doing that. Exactly. That just seems so cringy.

And no. That is not the word we use. It's crazy. It's entertaining. And it's life. You know, it is, it's like people at their best and worst. I mean, yeah, I don't want to see people at their worst. You get to see people learn lessons.

And find love. I love love. I do too. Yes. So when I see people thriving and doing good, like. It brings a tear to your eye no matter what. I'm like, oh my gosh, y'all really like each other. You know, like the letter exchange.

Like will, they will, they? I was tearing up when they wrote their letters to each other, which is why you get so mad when it's like, what's going on? I thought you were like that. Like what happened to the letters just yesterday? This literally happened yesterday. You just wrote this letter. You know? And then you were just done.

But anyway, how do you do it all? Thank you. How do you feel? How are you feeling in yourself, in life? You know, you just flew in here from Fiji, looking fabulous. You must be exhausted. I am so tired, but like when Michelle Obama get on their phone and say, get up here, that's what you do. You go.

But I'm so excited to be here, so I definitely was like, I have to come sit down. And now I'm your cousin. I feel so grateful to be here. You are. That's why I want to know my cousin, how you doing? That flight from Fiji was like 11 hours. Yeah. And then I came straight here.

But like I said, I'm really grateful. being me is It's a roller coaster Yeah Like some days I feel like Yes Like Mm-hmm

Hell yeah We're on top It's like I'm doing it Yes But then some days I feel like Oh my gosh

I need to go get under my bed Like I don't want to see anybody I don't want anybody To see me I'm so tired I'm tired of people Talking about me I'm just tired

Yeah But then I have to Take a step back Sometimes And realize I'm very blessed So even though I have Like a lot of good days

I mean, I can't have the good without the bad. But what I've been learning lately is how to like express more gratitude. And just like instead of praying all the time about can I have, can I have? Like I start praying and saying like, oh my gosh, I'm so thankful. I'm glad I have this. Like I'm just practicing having more gratitude. And when you have a bad day, how do you handle that? What do you do when you have a bad day?

How do you get yourself back to being a good day? I used to feel like when I have a bad day, I have to do something to fix it. Like maybe I need to call my therapist and I need to tell her everything that's going on right right now. And you need to tell me something that's going to fix it right now. I need you, what's wrong with me? Help. Make this go away. Make this go away. Make it feel better.

And then I used to think like, okay, well, I just can't think about it because I have things to do. And which I do. Like, I can't be under the bed all day. I got to go perform. I have to go do an interview. I have to go to things for my foundation. I always have something to do. So I can never like just wallow in how I feel.

But that's how I used to feel. Then I started realizing, okay, I need to take these couple of days to myself. I need to have this week to myself. Because then I started learning like there's nothing anybody's going to be able to say to me that's going to fix it in 10 minutes. There's nothing I'm going to be able to do to hurry up and put a Band-Aid over how I feel right now. So I've learned to just feel what I'm feeling and just feel it. If it's pain, if it's sadness, I have to express it.

I might get under my bed to cry. I don't know, but I have to feel it. That's right. Because I'm never going to be able to come out of it if I don't get it out of my system. Well, you've got to practice. You have to practice your way through all kinds of feelings, right? You've got to build the muscle, just like you learned. Like, I thought, you know, not talking about it or trying to fix it right away was the answer.

But you had to go through it enough to realize, yeah, you're going to have to develop some muscles, some tools to deal with these times. And the only way you develop them is to do it. You know, but it takes some time, you know. And the fact that you are the age you are and you're learning that now. It took a lot to get here, though. But you had no lot. You 12 years old, girl. Oh, please. You're 12 and a half. I feel like I've experienced like so much, though. I don't know, like, I've went through a lot of different emotions over the years. Yeah. And still even talking about being happy sometimes make me emotional.

Yeah. Because I definitely used to like, be like, okay, you got to be strong, got to be tough. I must be going through all these things because I'm supposed to be some kind of example of how to be tough and how to be strong. So I never wanted to cry or like feel anything. I cannot stop thinking about the Obama Presidential Center opening. It was so fun to be back in Chicago with everyone. What was your favorite moment from the weekend? I think it was just watching the city enjoy the campus, you know,

to use park space that hadn't been accessible ever. Right. It was just beautiful to see families playing in the playground and dancing to music. music in the courtyard and just enjoying the sunshine and feeling this sense of hope, dare you say? Dare you say? It was so cool seeing the higher ground family out there. Everyone was all over the south side, hitting Hyde Park, walking the lakefront.

And I even heard some folks went to Gino's east and tried deep dish pizza. That's the best place to get it. Yes. Since everyone was buzzing about the city, what are you? your top five must-does for someone visiting Chicago? I've got this. First of all, coming to the South Side and seeing the Obama Presidential Center, that's number one. Of course. Because even if you don't have tickets, the campus is wide open, the park space is beautiful, you can see 90% of what you need to see without a ticket. And then hopping over to our shared campus mate, the Museum of Science

and Industry, one of the best museums on the planet. We used to take our kids there all the time. There's so many, you could spend the day in just those two campuses. So I think that's day one. Next, I'd say on a nice clear day during your visit, take an architectural boat tour. Love it. It's like the most beautiful way to see the city from the river into the lake. You see all the landmarks, the historic landmarks, all the beautiful sites.

It's a great way to experience the city. And then I think you got to hang out in millennial park around Buckingham Fountain. Because it's a beautiful park. You're on the lakefront. You see the Chicago skyline in an interesting way. So those are some of my must-does, along with eating anywhere. The food in Chicago, you got to get an Italian beef. You got to get your deep dish pizza.

Got to get some rib tips. Got to get some ribs. Got to get some ribs. But I could go on. Chicago is my favorite city on the planet. It is one of the most beautiful cities, well-planned, easy to experience, and very welcoming. Boy, I'd agree with all of that. Whenever there's a big event from a sporting event to, let's say, a presidential center opening, it attracts a ton of travelers.

So if you've got an extra room, a guest house, or you're heading out of town yourself, listing your space on Airbnb can be a great way to earn some extra income. During the opening weekend for the Obama Presidential Center, we were able to meet people who had traveled from all over the country to be there. Plus, there's something fun about helping someone experience your hometown. So the next time a big event is coming to your city, consider listing your space on Airbnb. Your home could be part of someone's favorite memory from that trip.

for sure. Barack, my husband, you know, he tries to demonstrate that sadness. We both do. You know, when we, you know, I mean, I'm just like you. Anything can make me break, right?

You know, words I say out of my mouth, I have to get ready for it, right? And what we've learned is like, man, we've got to be the model of those emotions. Yeah. You know, we've got to be like, you can be the president of the United States,

be a strong, smart man, and feel the sadness and let it show because you just saw something tragic happen, you know? And I think, you know, I want you to, I want you to understand that those, you are modeling, you know, you are giving more young women, young black women, young, you know, all kinds of people, the permission

that not have to be strong all the time, you know. I feel like strong shows up in so many different ways. It's not about being, like, tough or, like, just stoic. It's not about, like, what you look like. I think it's about, like, being, like, brave enough to keep going. Yep. Brave enough to be like, I don't want to do this. Yep.

Just brave enough to feel how you feel and have your boundaries. Yes. You could say no. Yes. Saying yes to everything, don't make you strong. I had to learn that, too, because I used to be like, yeah, what you want me to do? Sure, I'm there. What can I do? How can I make everybody happy?

And then you learn that when you say no, life goes on. Yeah. It's like, if I said no, I'd be like, I disappointed everybody. Yes. And it won't happen. And they just moved to the next person on the list. Be like, okay. Yeah, great.

Couldn't go. We'll still, you know. And that's strength too. Yeah. You know, that boundary setting, girl, that's a, who. I'm learning all the things. That's a power. Yeah.

That's power. So, well, that's, that's cool. That's good. I'm happy for you. you. I'm happy that you're getting there. And you're going to always be working to get there, you know? Definitely. I am. It's an everyday thing. It's an everyday thing forever and ever, and that's a good thing. Because you started journaling. Like, not that I just started, but like, consistently doing it. I'm like, okay, I feel better to write it down, even if it sounds

ridiculous. Like, I'll go back and look at what I wrote sometime and I'll be like, girl, what was going on? Like, what is this for you? What is this? What? It's this. But I was like, dang, I can't believe I felt like that two weeks ago. And then this is where I am today. And even looking at what I wrote six months ago, I'm like, hello? Really? We made it. We made it. You're still here. We made it.

Congratulations. And not just making it but thriving. Yes. I mean, you are just killing it. You were doing all the things, you know, and showing up in a beautiful way. You are so welcome. That makes me feel very nice. You should.

You should. We were talking about. Craig and I about just childhood. You know, we go there a lot here. Because it's like, that's the side of us oftentimes that makes us who we are, you know. And I started thinking the familiarity that I feel with you, I don't know whether it's that Houston, Chicago thing. You know, I think so. That kind of, that kind of, the southernness of our upbringing, you know.

It just, so I'm, we were. both curious about, like, what was Houston? Yeah. What was baby, Megan, like, you know, what was Houston like? What was the neighborhood like? What was your bedroom like? What was, you know, I just want to, I want to picture all that. Okay, where can I start? Okay, so I'm from the south side of Houston. And for probably like the first seven, eight years of my life, my dad was in jail. and it was me, my mom, my grandma, and my great-grandma. So I was raised around, like, all women. And me and my mom lived with my grandmother at first, and then we moved out.

We got an apartment, and then my dad got out of jail. So then that was just me, my mom, and my dad all the time. And my dad is like, my bestie. My mom is my bestie. But me and my daddy were like... How old were you then when he got out? Like seven. Uh-huh.

So I had to really adjust to what was going on because I sleep in the bed. by mama all the time. Yeah, really. And then now it's the man in here. I like you, but. But, like, this is my mama. But you mean I can't sleep with the bad. But what's going on?

And what made you and your dad be besties? I don't even know, to be honest. Like, I don't know when it clicked in my head that he was not against me because he took my sleeping spot. But once, because my mom went to work all day long, so it would be me and my dad at home. And once I started spending more. more time with him and we start figuring out, okay, we got a lot of common. I was his little shadow. Like, I wanted to do everything like my daddy. I wanted to be just like him. I looked just

like my daddy. He was just so cool and he just taught me so much self-worth at such a young age. Like, even if I didn't know what he was talking about, like, now that I'm older, I'm like, okay, I can see what my daddy was coming from with that. But he was just giving me so much advice and so much, like, just speaking so much life into me from so young. I just carry it with me as an adult. And then my dad passed away when I was 14. So then now it's just me and my mom again. And then now it's really me, my mom and my great-grandmother and my grandma. And I'm going back and forth between my grandma's house and my mom's house. And my two grandmas were like another set of parents. And my great-grandma was just like the best lady

in the neighborhood. Did everybody, did your grandparents live in a house? In a house, yeah. Yeah, yeah. My school was like right next to my grandma house. And like a lot of my classmates would come because I never walked to school before. My mama would always take me to school or my grandma would take me to school. So once my mama had to start dropping me off at my grandmother's house so she can go to work and I could go to school. I went to the school my grandmother taught at. Oh, your grandmother's a teacher.

Yes. So like a bunch of the kids from school would come, like pick me up from my great-grandma house and walk with me to school. It was such a great experience. It's like living in like the neighborhood. Everybody in the neighborhood love my great-grandma. We call it Big Mama. She used to just be giving money out, giving candy out, like just giving love and advice out. Like you couldn't pass by my grandmother's door without her giving you something.

So I think I learned like a lot of my kindness and like generosity for my great-grandma. And she just always taught me like my grandma was not rich. Like we didn't have a lot. But I thought I was a princess. I thought I was the princess of the neighborhood. I didn't know we was poor. Right. Because they just, they took care of me so much and they made me feel so good.

I didn't realize what we didn't have. I only knew what I had and I knew I was so thankful for it. Like, her biggest thing that she always wanted me to do was go to school. She wanted me to go to college. So I did. And I thought I was going to be a nurse. Well, everybody was supposed to be a nurse. Everybody was supposed to be a nurse.

That's right. So I started going to PV, AMU, and I was like, okay, I'm going to be a nurse because my grandma said I should be a nurse. I didn't even want to be a nurse I just wanted to go to school because my grandma wanted me to go to school. Were you always this personality? Were you always talking? Yes.

Running my mouth. When I get in trouble at school, it's for talking. But when did you know you wanted to be a performer? Oh. Let my grandma tell it it was probably like five. But me, like my mom was a rapper. Right. And that was very interesting.

Growing up in a house where everybody's an entrepreneur. My mama definitely had a 9 to 5, but like when she came home, she was my mom and my mom was a rapper. And I'm watching her write songs. I'm going to the studio with her. So I kind of just assumed I was going to do that too. What you do?

It was a possibility. Like I didn't know that. It's a family business. Yeah, I was like, okay, yeah, I do this too. So I would like take her CDs like because back then it would be like all the instruments would be on CDs. So I was still her CDs and I would start writing. She'd be like, have you seen my CD? And I'd be like, no.

I don't know what you're talking about. Right. So I would be writing every day after school. Did you have your own bedroom in your grandparents' house? Oh, no, no, no. Not in my grandma. Why would I even say that? Yes, I did.

Because I was like, I bet you're a little spoiled self did. And my nanny house, I definitely had my own room. And my nanny loved a good project. So we definitely were like, it was like we was decorating that room every day. Like, we, it was never ending. I'm pretty sure at the room now she's still doing stuff to it. What was your theme? What was your, what were you trying to, what was your edge?

Just pink, cheetah print, zebra print, rainbow, like, fur. It was too much going on in there. But it was like a little girl's dream room. Yeah. But my room at my granny house was definitely better than the room at my house. Because your mother probably was like, you're not putting all that stuff in my house. My mama just was like, you're going to your granny house anyway. So you just go ahead over there with that.

But nanny, she definitely loved a project. So she just let me, well, I don't know if y'all have big lots in Chicago. Yeah. Okay, yeah. We'll be at Big Lodge, Walmart, Dollar Tree, all kinds of stuff. Anything I see that look like it could go in my room, Nanny getting it for me. What was your favorite thing in your room? I had like a pink satin comforter.

Oh, yes. Yes, and I would go in my room every day and just like slides. Yes. Like, I'm just, I know I'm home from school. I'm excited. I'm just sliding in the room. Yes. And I just feel like I remember the smell of these, like, feathery pink pillows I had.

Like, you know, with the plastic on feathers smell like? Yes, that's what I remember about my room. room the most. So you took your mom's CDs Yes. And you were writing songs at like six or seven or more as it more like 10 or 12?

Yeah, maybe when I started around 10 or 12 I would take her CDs and do that. Like I had my own like little Barbie I don't even know what to call it. There was a thing that Barbie had at the time and it played instrumentals for some reason. I miss that. Yeah, but I don't think it was a popular toy.

It was just like random songs on like this little Barbie speaker, and I started writing songs over the Barbie instrumentals. And then I was like, yeah, I do this. I can do this. I see my mama do it every day. And then when I turn like 10 in that vein, I definitely started

being Megan. I wasn't a stallion yet. But I knew I was going to be something. Really? Yeah. And then eventually, I didn't tell my mama I could rap until I was like 18. Wow. Because I wanted the curse. And I just didn't feel like she was going to be ready to hear me cursing. And it's a part of who I'm going to be.

So you don't need to know about this side. You don't need to know her yet. So how did you practice or do that without her knowing? I think that. So when I was in the ninth grade, that's when I changed all my social media to the stallion. So on Facebook and on Instagram. Ninth grade. Ninth grade?

I think you're like. 14. 14? Yeah. So I was the stallion already. Okay. So I was like pretty, pretty positive. You know, and nobody knew I could rap.

They just thought I was cool, you know? But when I got to college, that's when I was like, okay, I'm a rapper. I do this. And I started freestyling at school. And then I was like, hey, I got to tell my mom because I really want to, and she see it on the Internet because it's definitely on my Instagram. But I don't think my mom was even on Instagram at the time. But I was like, she's going to see it probably.

So I need to just tell her that I'm cursing. And what was that conversation like? I was like, Mama, I got some news for you. I want to rap. And she was like, really? And I was like, yeah. And I was like, well, don't whip me. Let's start there.

But I'm cursing. And she was like, what you're saying? And I was going hard. And I was like, okay, Mama, for real, don't be mad. Yeah. Because I was. I was talking crazy. Like, my mama had me grow up listening to P.M.C., Bun, B, 3-6 Mafia.

Like, just don't get, don't be confused about where this came from. You, like, so when I let her hear what I was rapping, what I was rapping about, she was like, who is this? Like, where did you learn how to talk like that? Mind you. Right. She is the rapper and she's also cursing. But we definitely were not talking about the same thing. I definitely was probably her on 10.

Yeah, yeah. And once she figured out I could rap, like, we both would, like, get in the car whenever we were going places and we'll be freestiling the car together. Yes, and I just wanted to be better than her at rapping. So that was my competition. My mom was my competition. But she was also, like, my biggest supporter. I just wanted to make her proud. And I wanted her to know I'm serious about this and I really can do it.

And I'm really good at it. So I'm, and I want her to know I'm serious. So I started trying to go to the studio by myself. And that wasn't really working out that well. So what? I was getting places. I was doing things. Right, right.

But when I told my mom and she knew I started going to the studio by myself. She was like, girl, you are a young woman trying to be the studio by yourself. I'm taking you to the studio and I'm going to be your manager if this is really what you want to do. And then, it's just been, it was just us too. Now, was your mom hesitant about you going to the studio on your own because of the environment or what was she worried about? Now being who I am and seeing what can go on in the studio. I know that she definitely was like, you are not going anywhere, 19, 18, in the studio with a bunch of guys by yourself, I'm coming. Yeah.

Yeah. And at first time I would go to the studio, and it's me and my mom, I'm like, oh, my gosh, she's cramping my style. My mom is in the studio, everybody's trying to sit up straight. Like, nobody's doing regular studio things. But I was fine with that. I was like, my mom is up here, nobody better mess with me. We came here to do our work, and I'm gone. Yeah.

But I try to keep that same etiquette, too, even now. go to the studio, I know exactly what I'm about to say. Even if I, sometimes I go in there and I freestyle and I spend more time in there. But learning from my mom, she would probably have six songs written because studio time costs money. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So she's using her time wisely. She didn't come here to play.

She's not messing around. She's not relaxing. She's not hanging out. Right, right. She was a professional. Yes. Yes. So I still do the same thing in the studio.

So she taught you how to be a professional. Yeah. And even though I can relax in the studio at this point, it's just been in me so long to go to the studio and get my work done. Yeah. And get out. Well, this is what we talk about, the process. Like, a lot of people want the fame without the hard work that goes into it, right?

I mean, honestly, it's a little bit easier to do that, though, now. You can go viral on Instagram and have a terrible song. Yeah. And just boom, famous. But do you really last, though? You don't last that way, do you? Sometimes, and sometimes not. Like, just the internet has made it really easy.

to be famous. Yeah. Good or bad. So I think when people, I think you can tell the difference between people who really love what they do and people who just want to be famous. Yeah. And like, I feel like I fall on the side of I really love what I do.

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Were you doing that throughout life? Like, were you one kid in school? Were you another when you were a rapper? I mean, were you even bifurcating like that? Did you know that was going on? I think unintentionally, like, I'm the kind of person who shows up for everybody in the way that they need. Yeah. So I think maybe my mom and dad needed me to show up this kind of way at home.

Yeah. And then my grandma needed a baby. So I'm letting her baby me over here. At school, I'm this kind of friend. As an artist, I'm this kind of artist. Like, I feel like I just am able to, like, get in pockets of what I feel like people need for me. And I've been doing that for a long time. Is that exhausting?

Sometimes, yes. Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. So what do you need for you? I don't know. I'm still figuring that out.

Yeah. I don't know. That's a really good question. I'm still working through that. Yeah. Like, some days I wake up in, the one thing I know that I like to do, is make music. Yeah.

That's my favorite thing. I can't, I don't want to change that. Yeah. Everything else I'm still figuring out. Can an old guy like me be a hottie? Okay. Everybody. The way the question was asked.

Like, just the room. I'm like, I'm not going to be. Yeah. Of course. Like, hotties can be hot boys, hot girls, how everybody, hot people. Like, a hoddy is just a hot person. And a person that, like,

like Megan's say. That's all you got to do, just like me. What would we have to do to hot him up, though? You don't think he had? You know, I told him he could take off his t-shirt and button that down a little bit show. The button is not buttoned. Right. He already unbuttoned. He knew what type of time he was on today? Hot boy. Hot boy. Hot man. Hot boy. Oh, Aaron, my youngest would be loving this. Yes. Where's Aaron? He's just going into high school. Yes. So this is business, Megan, because you had the brilliance of trademarking. Yes.

Hot girl summer. That was like, tell us about that idea and how in your young life did you kind of go, wait a minute. This is my thing. So sometimes I feel like in just being awesome and black, you know, we do so many things that are cool and just so impactful on the cold. We started a lot of trends. We just are trendsetters, you know? So I feel like when I first started saying Hot Girl Summer, and everybody was like, yes, like, I love that, I want that.

How do I be a part of this? How do I get in? It was just already so big. It just started being everywhere. Like, I would see Hot Girl Grill or Hot this summer, Hot that. And I'll be like, wait a minute. Excuse me. Hold on.

Now, Chipotle. This is definitely my thing. So if you want to be an extension of hot anything, it's making it stagion. So y'all just going to remember that every time you got to come ask me to use it. You know who to call. I feel like it's just important to have a handle on your name, your brand, your likeness. And luckily, I just have such amazing management. Like they see things before I see it sometimes.

And just being with Rock Nation, I feel like they are just, they just have helped me be so business-minded. They have let me know the world is bigger than what I thought it was. I could be a lot of things I'd never even thought of being. So just maybe since 2019, just being a part of the culture and being a part of Rock Nation, like my business mind has just expanded so much. And just shout out to Desiree Perez, because that's the woman who definitely took me in and started helping me guided me through being making a stallion in these past years.

And you own all your own music and all in that stuff. That's such a blessing. And, you know, I'm just new to this whole show business stuff, but can you talk a little bit about how you accomplish that feat? Yeah. So when I first ever, like, entered the music industry and started getting signed to any kind of label or doing label deals and meetings and all the things,

it was just me and my mom. And all I knew was I wanted to help my mom to pay her bills. I didn't want my mom to struggle. So in my mind, I was like, oh, my gosh, I have to hurry up and sign something so I could help me and my mom. Like, we got to get out this department. So I think like every, well, I'm not going to say every. I'm not going to speak for everybody. But I think for a lot of young artists, I could speak to wanting to have something.

Because you're coming from just being brought. broke. And you want to help everybody you can help. I think that's the position I was in. I didn't sign like such a great deal. And I was so miserable ever since then. Like I definitely have some good times. But like the bigger you get as an artist, like the more your name means, the more your likeness means, the more your music means. And it's hard having somebody basically own you. And sometimes it could be these phases where you don't even feel like making music. Like it feels like for me, for me, it felt like I was doing it all for nothing. Somebody talking to me crazy. Somebody telling me what I can and can't put out. Somebody trying to control my artistry. I just was not having fun. I was like, if this is what music is turning into, I don't want to do it.

So luckily, I was able to, you know, get out of this deal. And ever since then, I was like, I don't ever want to be in a position where I feel like somebody has their foot on my neck. I don't ever want to be in a position where I feel like somebody can openly disrespect me and be like, yeah, go get on their stage after this. Or, yeah, put out this music. Actually, no, you can't put out music. I never wanted to be in a position where I felt like somebody owned me. So everything that I've done going forward has been high girl productions, my own label, in partnership with somebody else. When I think about that a lot, when I see more female entertainers embracing themselves and their power.

And I always wonder, knowing the industry, it's like, well, is that the same? or is that actually happening? You know? You know what I mean? Like, are we in charge? Oh. Or are we in charge? Right.

Because I think about videos that are, you know, sexually explicit. I was like, well, whose idea was that? Yeah. Are you, is one thing if it's the artist idea. Yeah. But then I'm like, are there times when it isn't? And I know you've pushed through that. But, you know, what do you see in the industry when it comes to, you know,

female empowerment, you know? It's like, are we empower? You know, or is that what you're supposed to say? Is that what we're supposed to say? I feel like it's tricky because for me, I've always been really expressive, okay? Like, I've always known exactly what I wanted. So any situation I walked into, like I might not have had all of the knowledge that I have now, but I definitely would put my foot down about who I was

and what I wanted to look like and who I want to be and what my message is. I feel like I was always pretty clear about that, so I didn't walk into any situation where anybody had to build the person I was. Like, I already came here and making a stallion. So is y'all going to hop on this train or what? This is what it is.

This is who I am. Right. And I feel like maybe in some instances with a lot of artists, not just girls, not just women, some artists don't know who they are or what message they're trying to convey or how they want to be seen or perceived.

They just know that they can do music or they have this talent or this skill and all they know is they have that. And when you're really young doing it, it takes a while for you to find yourself. But luckily, I was able to have my mom at the time and my grandmothers and just being brought up the way I was, I already knew who I was when I came

in the industry. I ain't have all the knowledge I have now, but I already knew who I was. So I think it's easy to get in a situation when you're trying to figure out who you are as an artist, and you start listening to what everybody at the table has to say, you start listening to what the internet has to say, and you let other people build your personality. So you're going to go through a few phases. You're going to go through a few things that you maybe look back on and be like, now, why did I do that? And that was so not me. But I feel like sometimes you have to give like some of some artist's grace because they're trying to figure it out

but unfortunately they're doing it at everybody face I feel like I didn't go through that as like an artist I went through that as a person like when my mom passed away I immediately still was having to be Megan Estabian

and so I'm literally trying to figure out how to grieve, how to perform how to go through everything I'm going through and still do it in front of everybody so I think a lot of artists are going through finding themselves

in front of a lot of people. And we don't get to get the grace as a public figure as somebody in their normal life would be, you know, like, you're not on camera 24-7, nobody's checking your social media 24-7 to see what you're doing. Of course you bumping your head

and nobody knows about it. You can pretend to be perfect because we don't know what's going on. But when you are a person that's in the public, ah, whatever you do, that's a magnifying glass over the top of it. So I just feel like sometimes we've got to give people a little grace, because they're figuring it out too.

For sure. How have you managed it? I mean, how are you learning to manage it? What are some real clear doze and do? Let me just tell you one thing I learn. I just can't take it in, you know? It's like I have social media, I've got followers, all that sort of stuff, but I don't have it on my phone. Same.

Okay. I had to get there. Yeah. So I definitely had to realize, okay, what is triggering me? what upsets me, what's making me feel sad, and how can I control my own emotions? I can't control other people's emotions. I can't control what they say.

I definitely had to start coming to the realization if somebody has chosen not to like you, there's nothing you're going to be able to do or say to make them like you. Like, every day I would think, dang, everybody hates me. Okay, what can I do to make it better? What can I say? Like, how can I be?

How can I dress? What can I do to make people like me? And then it just start really clicking over time, I'm like, it don't matter what you do. Like, you could look your best, you could feel your best, you could deliver your best speech, you can deliver your best song, your best performance. If somebody doesn't like you, they're just not going to like you. And they might not even, per se, not like you.

But if people on the internet are going to talk regardless, people are going to have their opinion, there's nothing you can do about it. But you want to know what I can't control? Not having it on my phone. I don't have to see it. Like, I don't have Twitter. I don't have Instagram on my phone. The two apps I have on my phone is Pinterest and TikTok.

And I have a lot of puzzle apps on my phone. Oh, me too. Games. I love the games. I love the games. I love the games. You can think of on my phone. And my whole TikTok algorithm is like aliens and Frenchies, French bulldogs,

cat videos. I don't even have TikTok. People will send me something. Yeah. And then I can see it for a second. Yes. And that's about enough. Because if I really like it, then I would be, that's what I'd be doing all

day. I feel like I get a lot of my food videos from TikTok. See, I'm glad I don't have that. I got to keep TikTok. And sometimes I'll go down and rap and holl and be like, girl, get off this. But luckily, TikTok is one of the apps where your algorithm is so curated to you. Yeah. That is safe. I just see what I want to see. Right. It's the joy. Yeah. If you go look for something bad, then it's going to pop up on the algorithm. I had to learn that too. I was like, why am I seeing this? Get this off my phone. Well, it's a good message for the hoties out there. It's like, you know, because you've learned. the lessons.

Yeah. And you don't have to be Meg, the stallion or Michelle Obama. It's true. It's the same thing as true for all young people trying to find themselves and relying too much on what their phone says. Yeah. You know, it's like it's got to be a part of being a high girl. It's like, let it go, put it down.

Don't take it in. You know, it's not real. It's not true. It's not a clear reflection of anything other than what somebody happened to be going through when they said something horrible. Oh my gosh. You know, and you can't psychoanalyze everybody and everything. I feel like it's easier said than done.

It is easier said than done, which is why we have to keep saying it. Yeah. You know, because it is true. You found it, even though it's easier said than done, you found that by doing it, you've earned back more of your sanity. Yes. I know, I do, you know, and they still say crazy stuff about me, you know? You wouldn't know what's crazy?

So, like, from the outside looking in, when I see, both of us can probably relate to this. I see so much positive Michelle Obama content because that's what I'm looking for. Like, that's what I want to see. My algorithm is curated to say positive things about Michelle Obama. Like, I love that Michelle Obama is a tall queen. I love everything that she does in the health space. She'd be dressed to have y'all see what Michelle Obama had on to date. you know, these are the things that I see, like, positive things.

But then for some reason, when it's you, yourself, seeing things, it's always something horrible. Like, I never see bad things. Like, it'll be like a trickle here now. I'd be like, oh, this is hate, this is hating. Like, if you hate no Michelle Obama, like, you're not okay. It's the same thing. But people tell me that too, and I'd be like, what do you mean? I'm seeing it all the time.

That's right. That's right. It's a lot of mega style you hate. And then my manager would be like, girl, well, it's the same. It's not. The part of the Internet are you own. I have quite a few creative entrepreneurial friends, and all of them rave about Shopify for online selling. Shopify is the platform that lets you build and grow your business while actually owning your storefront, your customers, and your brand.

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When that day comes, we'll definitely be using Shopify. If you want to know how good it feels to have a business of your own, go to shopify.com slash IMO and see what Shopify can help you accomplish. Some clothes look good on the hanger and some become what you actually grab each time you leave the house. August always gets me thinking about that. Before fall hits, I want to make sure I've got the right pieces in the rotation. That's why I shop at Quince. They specialize in effortless, high-quality essentials that are built to last.

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insurance and some pay as little as $0 depending on their plan. Visit growtherapy.com slash IMO today to get started. That's growtherapy.com slash IMO. Growtherapy.com slash IMO. Availability and coverage vary by state and insurance plan. Sometimes losing weight or really making any meaningful health or lifestyle changes can feel a bit like writing a book. The first few chapters come easy because you're excited. But somewhere in the middle, motivation fades. Life gets busy and finishing becomes a real challenge. That's one of the reasons I think Noom is so interesting. It's a health and wellness app that combines GLP1 medication, with behavioral support to help people lose weight and keep it off.

With Noom, medication can be delivered to your door in as little as seven days. But Noon doesn't just focus on the medication. It also gives you psychology-based tools, daily lessons, food logging, and coaching to help you make healthier choices. You all know how powerful I think coaching can be. The Noom GLP1 program starts at $39 and is delivered to your door in as little as days. Start your GLP1 journey today at Noon.com. That's N-O-O-O-M.com. Noon, lose for keeps. Initial one-month subscription from $39 plus tax and $99 plus tax per month thereafter. Cost of medication not included. Final pricing depends upon program selection. Can you be outside of a bubble yet?

I mean, is your life bubbled? Yes. So what are some of your escapes speaking as a bubbled up person? As another bubble community member. It's another bubble community. How are you breaking out of your bubble? You know what? Like recently I've tried to start like going back out like publicly more again.

Like even if it's as simple as going to dinner. Yeah. It was a point in life. I didn't want to do anything. I didn't want to go anywhere. I don't want to be filmed eating. I don't want to be filmed getting coffee. I don't want to be filmed talking to people.

Like, just by, I'm not going outside. And I would be like a vampire in my room in the dark all the time until I had to go do, until I had to go be social. Right. But, like, I feel like my glam team, like a lot of them are, my best friend is my hairstylist. So, like, even as, yeah. Killing. Even as simple as going to dinner with Kellan or like Theris, T. Farris is like a brother at this point.

And we'll maybe take all my dogs out on the walk or something. Like just simple things. Like, so I'm starting to do the simple things again. Yeah. Because I definitely was in my head for a long time. I was not in the good space. I didn't want to do anything. I didn't want to be seen.

I didn't want to talk to nobody until I had to just turn into Megan's day. But now I'm doing more Megan things. How does that feel? I feel better. Like, I feel. a little less heavy. Yeah. Like, everything is not so serious all the time.

I was like, I'm not using my 24 hours, like, as fun as I could be. Let's go to Iceland or something. Like, yeah, I just wake up and do whatever. Like, I can do this. Yes. So why am I being boring? Right. I'm looking at people travel on TikTok and I'm like, I can do this.

Go out there. Go eat. And that's a thing you have to learn. Like, becoming famous, you know, who teaches you that? There's no class. There's no class on that. There's no class on even to expect that that's going to happen to you. Right.

You know, everybody's all picturing the convertible, going down Sunset Boulevard, and you got your music on. When you're famous, you can't do that. No. You don't even want to ride in a car. It's like, I just started driving. I just, for the first time, drove in a car with my daughters by ourselves. What? That was their Mother's Day gift for me, and I could cry, right?

Because they don't live in a bubble as you've seen. And one of the reasons is like they did. Yeah. And they will, they don't want it. Like, they don't want parts of it. So they are doing what you're doing. You just got to push through. Yeah.

You know, you just got to do some, you got to do the things. And then you'll get practice at it. But for my Mother's Day gift, I was in L.A. And we were going to go to Palm Springs. So they surprised me and arranged for me to ride in the car with them. Yes. So Sasha drove. Malia was in the back.

And how did you feel about being a mom in the passenger seat? It was good. I mean, Sasha was a good driver. I had never driven with her because we couldn't drive with them when we were in the way. I still can't. I mean, we are driven. We are secured in a motorcade, right? So they didn't learn how to drive for me.

They learned how to drive from their agents, right? Okay. So they were taught well. But I had never experienced that. So that, like, freedom, we drove from L.A. to Palm Springs. We went to In-N-Out Burger, the drive-thru. Yeah. I bet the people in the drop-through was like, girl, you didn't know.

You wouldn't believe. They didn't even know. Because it was like they weren't expecting it. I had on the hat. Sasha ordered. We went and got McDonald's french fries. Yes. We stopped out.

You didn't have In-N-Out french fries? No, because I hadn't had McDonald's French fries in a while. So they were like, well, let's go to. First of all, you got to eat in-and-out french fries out the friar. Right. You know. By the time I get in the car, it's a piece of paper. And it not got to be eating right then.

There you go. But that was like, I'm 62 years old. My kids are, yes, child. Oh, come on. But that's like starting to put some normal back into it. It's just like a simple car ride. Yeah. That's like joy.

That's gratitude. That's happiness. So tell us about Megan Act 3. I'm still working on my title right now. It's, it's, oh. persona that I feel like everybody has been acting like, oh, I want Tina Snow back. I want, we need Tina Snow. I don't think she ever just actually left. I don't think she was never just not there. But I think giving her a proper rollout, a proper title, a reintroduction to

hotties that may not have been with me since 2017, 2018. I think that this is like going to be a new experience for them. I think I'm just reintroducing my. alter ego, Tina Snow. Like, Tina is grown now, babe. Like, she has been through lots of, lots of life since y'all heard from her last. And I have so many collaborations that I feel like the Hotties have been asking me for, like from niche collaborations, like, just like personal interests amongst me and the Hotties. Collaborations that's overdue.

Collaborations that are shocked to people, like, really gag the lives. Okay. Just, I feel like Act 3 is going to be. one of my favorite projects I ever put out because I definitely took my time with this one. I feel like it was a portion of life where I was so super busy. I still got to be making a stallion,

but I can't be making the stadium without no music. So I was in a rush to do everything. I was like, dang, I got to hurry up and record these songs, and I'm trying to figure out parts of time where I can squeeze in recording. But for Act 3, I went home, and I was like, nobody bothered me. I got to finish my album.

Y'all want good music? Y'all want me to push. I can't keep on going out here with no music y'all. And it was like, okay, you know what, leave her alone. Let's not put anything on the schedule. So this has been like the most organized and the most calm I've been making music in a while. But let me just say, you were on Broadway. Yeah.

I was definitely writing music during Broadway. You know what? Yeah. That's a little crazy. It's like they left me alone, but then I did live Broadway. And then they left me alone again. Broadway was like so much fun. I'm like, I am committing myself to at least going to two Broadway shows every year.

I do it at least once a quarter. I'm going to go. I went just a past. I missed you. And I would have, if I could have got myself together, I would have gone to see you specifically. But maybe we- The Moulin Rouge was just such an amazing experience.

Meeting all of those people, like I feel like I made so many really, really good friends. Two shows a day. That's crazy. Two times a week. That's crazy. And you get one day off, which is Monday. Yeah. I'm like, y'all are superheroes.

And I feel like I'm like, oh my gosh, I have to have this kind of work ethic. Like, those people are up there busting their butt every day, every night, twice a day. Real, real live talent. We're doing this for real. Yeah, yeah. I'll be like, I'll see you in a few hours. What was it like your opening night? I mean, was like I always, like I do a lot of stuff.

I speak, all that. But I look at bar, I was like, how do you do it? What does that feel like? I was very nervous because I can be Megan to stay in. I could be Megan Pete all day long. I was neither one of those people. And I was like, who am I? What you want me to say?

Like, I was like, I don't know if I'm going to be able to do this. But I'm going to do it, but I'm scared. Yeah. So my first night, I was just like, please just remember the lines. And if you mess up, just please keep talking to these people. Y'all pick me up, help me. If I say something wrong, you knew what I meant. But the show was smooth all the way through.

I didn't mess up any of my lines. Thank God. The hotties would be in the crowd, and they would be laughing at the most craziest times. And I'll be like, Seteen is dying. Like, this is not funny. Sassine has 30 minutes. And the hoddies would be up there, like, really clowning.

So I feel like they definitely made the experience, like, so much better. because it felt like I was performing in front of a bunch of my friends every night, a bunch of my friends and my cousins was like, and a lot of people did come to see me. So, like, I don't know, I felt very, I felt comfortable immediately. And then, like, the people who were a part of production, they need, I want to hire them to come over here. They just do it.

On my tour. Yeah, yeah. I had never felt so carried through everything. Like, running backstage, before I had to run on stage sometimes, I'd be like, okay, this is my line. Like, we'll be, me and the production man is back there running the line. before I got to go back on stage. And I'm like, how you know my lines?

Shout out to Jason. Jason, I miss you. Way to go, Jason. But he would be in the back like, okay, girl, what you want to say? What should I say? Right. But, like, and it'll be literally right before I have to go right back on stage. I don't know.

Everybody there was just so nice, and they definitely made me realize, okay, I need to step it up. Would you do it again? I would do it again. Wow. Because I want, I want that Tony. Yeah, okay, okay. That's on my list of things I need. And that's what you were doing when you were taking it easy.

Yeah. Was my point. Yeah. That was my taking it easy. But I don't even know why I thought that was going to be easy. Yeah. I encourage everybody to go to New York or wherever your nearest theater is. And I don't care what it is.

You need to go watch whoever is on that stage because there's so many talented people. People we never heard of. Yes. And they're working so hard. And they're so good at what they do. Yes. It's such an experience. So I highly encourage people to go.

Congratulations. Thank you for taking that risk. Yes, I was so nervous. I had never done anything like that before. But now I'm like, yeah, what else y'all want me to do? That's what I was about to say. You put your cape on. Yes. They had me up there singing. I said, oh my gosh, then they wanted me to sing chandelier. I was looking at everybody like, who about to sing this? But y'all think I can sing? And it was like, you can sing. I was like, I love I'm, I can do a lot of things. If I put my mind to it, I could do it. But I let's see how it sounds. And I was able to put my own spin on it, and I think it was very entertaining.

And, you know, I thought about what my mom was saying. She would be like, you better get out there, get up there. You better get on that stage. Yes. Don't go out there. Don't go out there to embarrass me. So I was thinking like, dang, how could I make this be Megan? Like, it's Zedler, but how can I make it Megan?

And I just had fun every night. The Tony opening. Yes. I mean, the opening number. Oh, man. So iconic. I was like, y'all got me up here with pink. It was a killer opening.

Yes. And you held it down, girl. Thank you. You held it down. Is there another bucket list thing? I'm really like wanting to take my artistry bigger. Like I don't only want to do music. I do want to get into acting.

I do, that's just something I really want to pursue right now. Like I'm trying to figure out what space do I fit in. What do I do next? So, you know, Queenie C-Fiz is my girl. And I'm definitely like a student of hers. And luckily I'm also a friend of hers now. And I always got to give her her flowers because she is just so inspirational. Yes.

And I'm like, okay, Queen Latifah, this is my route. This is who I'm modeling this after. Well, you know, Megan, we try and offer some advice to our listeners. Okay. By letting our listeners ask a question. Okay. So we have a question for you. For me?

Yes. Okay. From Gigi, who's in California. Okay, Gigi. Hi, Mrs. Obama and Craig. My name is Gigi. I'm 35 years old and have been working out on and off for 10 years. Lately, I've noticed changes in my body where it's a bit harder to lose weight than it used to be.

I'm very proud of what my body has accomplished over these years, but I can't help feeling frustrated with these changes. Your dedication to fitness has been so inspiring. What are some realistic approach? for maintaining your fitness motivation, especially on days when you don't want to. How do you maintain your health as you get older? Well, Gigi. It's like, well, and Gigi and everybody. It's like I tried to all my young people. I don't know if you started to see this because you're still 12. But 12 and a half maybe. Yes. But every decade, at least for a woman, I found that it just got harder. You know, you're just hormonal changes. So it's like each decade, what your health sort of baseline is changes, you know, and what it takes to maintain it changes.

Like when I was in my 20s, I could eat what I wanted, not work out, do whatever I wanted, and maybe I'd gain two pounds, right? Right. Hit 30 and it's just like, oh, dad. Okay. Well, why won't these two pounds just go away like they did, right? And then talk about 40, you know, don't mention having a baby and what that does. So as women, we are just evolving.

Yeah, constantly. Constantly. Getting better like wine, though. Getting better like wine, but we have to be mindful of it, right? That's the sort of the beginning. So it's like, Gigi, you're not crazy. It does change. And it's part of our journey.

And so for me, I've had to kind of first. understand my baseline, sort of who, who, what am I when I'm healthy? Yeah. What does that mean? You know, you know, is that, is that physical strength? Is that, you know, is that weight? Is that how my clothes fit, you know, understanding what, how do I feel? Am I sleeping well? Am I feeling tired? Do I feel grumpy? All of that. And I think as a woman, I think everybody, but as a woman, we got to get in touch with those baseline feelings. So that means we have to be quiet enough and give ourselves time to kind of figure that out. You know, because it's like if we don't know when we're right, then how do we know when we're off? Yeah. So I guess my point is Gigi's process started now. And that's what I do.

It's just like, it's just a part of my world. You've just started getting, or have you just started getting fully, how would you describe your fitness journey? But the way that I went on my fitness journey wasn't like I had a real body goal. Like I got into fitness for my mental health. So I think like when I see people, when I see women online and men comparing their bodies to people they see online, just things that are pretty unrealistic, things. having these fitness goals for the wrong reasons. Like I definitely, if anybody asked me about working out, I say, well, okay, you have to figure out what your goal is

and why that's your goal. Like, if you want to have this shape because you want people to think you're attractive, like that's probably why you're not being consistent in the gym. That's probably why you're not happy with your body because you're not doing it for yourself. You're doing it because you want people to like you or give you an approval.

And it's unrealistic to do that because, first of all, somebody's always going to have something to say. You could work out as much as you want to. You're not going to look like the person who is your body goals because that's their body. You don't know what they put themselves through to look the way that they look. Everybody body don't respond to the same diet. Everybody's bodies don't respond to the same exercises. Everybody's body is different.

So if you're working out and you have like these goals just so other people can think that you're attractive, I guess, like, it's just never going to work out because you're going to be upset when you don't see a result right away. Like, working out is, like, discipline over your mood. Like, I go to the gym even when I don't want to. I'm going to the gym when I'm sad. I'm going to the gym when I'm mad. I need to run.

I need to lift something up. I need to punch something. I'm going to the gym so in my mind I can feel better. And then eventually, when I started seeing the change in my body, I was like, oh, my God, wait. Wait, I see. And I feel good. So now I'm working out with purpose.

Like I was going because I was just trying to get lost in something else besides whatever thoughts I was having at that moment. You know, I got out of my layer and I went to the gym. That became my other layer. And then I did start seeing changes and improvements in my body. And I didn't know what my goal was at first. I didn't know what I wanted to look like. I just wanted to get my body moving and my mind moving. I just wanted to be distracted.

Kind of like when you're driving, you are, you can kind of zone out a little bit because you are only focused on the road. Yeah. So when you're in the gym, I feel like it's the same thing. Like, I'm only focused on what I can control in this moment right now. Like, I'm only thinking about these weights. I'm only thinking about finishing this run. I'm only thinking about getting through this Pilates class. This hurts.

Like, this is the only thing I'm thinking about. And then eventually you get in the swing and you get in the mood. And then you go home and you're like, I don't did all this work. I'm not about to mess this up. Yeah, that's right. I can have a little bit more discipline because I'm starting to like what I see. I'm starting to like how I feel. And even if it's like a slow burn, like it's, you're not going to.

Well, that's the best burn, right? The slower, the transition, the longer and more sustained it will be. You know, that's the other thing. It's like quick results don't last. So you want, you know, you want to be, if you're trying to lose weight, you want to lose a pound, you know, or to. You need to be kind to yourself and kind to your body. because when you get frustrated, you give up. You don't see something fast enough.

You give up. You fall off one day. You don't want to get back on. Like, it's just, it's not a race. That's right. It's definitely a long, yes, it's a marathon. I was like, what's the word I'm looking for? I agree with both of you.

And the one thing that I would share with Gigi, because Gigi's saying that she's frustrated with the lack of results. And sometimes that frustration can lead to us, kind of depression because you're like not getting the results so you're like, I'm not doing this. And the only thing that I would add to what both of you have said, which so eloquently, is that I have found that having a workout partner, somebody you go with, make it a community, and then when you do get frustrated, you've got a team around you that says, all right, you've got to keep going. Yeah.

You know, for me, it's, you know, I've got a family full of people who are like, all right, let's go for a walk, let's go do this, when you don't feel like doing something, I think it's really important when you've made it a part of your process, when you've made a working out part of your process in order to keep it going, it can't be a soul endeavor. Yeah. It can be at times, but in the long run. Some people are good at that. Some people are good, but it's not natural for humans to not be social even when they're working out. So I can't add too much more to that because I grew up as an athlete. So I was trained at a young age to, all right, I got to get some exercise. And no matter what happens during the day, I got to get up out of this chair and go for a walk or, you know, take the kids to the gym and rebound for them if I'm just doing that. Pilates has definitely been that for me.

Yeah, I've been doing a lot of Pilates now. Yeah. Do you do solo or do you do in a class? I take a class, yeah. And I didn't think Pilates was a real thing at first. It's a thing. I thought it was a myth. I thought all these ladies was just snatched and just in yoga pants.

I don't know. I was like, girl, tell me how you got those abs. Like, make me understand. Because I just saw you. You couldn't be just by doing that one little move. No, I saw you six months ago and you, yeah. But now you got an abs. And my friend was like, Pilates, I was like, no way.

Like, no way y'all little ladies isn't here strictly doing Pilates and now y'all ripped up. And I started going to Pilates, I was like, oh, it hurt. It does. It does. It is a whooping mean. It is. So now I'm, like, a regular at Pilates and I do see a difference in my body. But I'm somebody who has to be stimulated.

If I'm going to take a class, like, I need to be moving. I need you to be yelling. I need music. Like, I need intensity. And I feel like the Pilates class I take. It's very intense. Yeah. They ain't messing around in there.

Yeah. They want to leave a resort. No. Okay. But actually, I don't know what solid core is. I'm just now getting hip to this new Pilates and I'm like, okay, so I need to go to New York and I need to go to solid court. It's a reformer kind of class, but it's more intense. Solid core sounds serious.

They do, you know, it's like you're on the megaformer and you, like, let's say you hold a plank, but you're going to hold it for three minutes. Oh, baby. And then they're going to have you crunch in from the holding position and small little movements. I'm going to try it. You're sweating your butt off. I think my Pilates class is really intense. They're all intense.

Yeah. That's why it's like they're different types of it. But Solid Core sounds like military. It could be. I think it also depends on who the instructor is and how they run it. You know, when I was doing it, I was First Lady, and it was when the founder of it started it in D.C. and she was, it was a military kind of situation. Well, yeah, I like stuff like that, though.

That's why I was like, you might want to try that. I already asked my people in New York, can y'all find me a solid core class? But I'm on TikTok, I see so many girls talking about solid core, and I'm like, okay, I can do that. Yeah, yeah, you might be into that. And everybody's always asking, Megan, what are you training for it? Is this something that we don't know about this going on? No. No, like, but you never know.

You got to stay ready so you don't have to get ready. And I feel like the little late. And I feel like the little lady's got us in Solid Corps, whatever's coming up, they're ready. So I need to join. They are ready. They are ready. Well, they got a ton of them around here in D.C. I know you're not going to be here for a while.

But right after this, I'm going. Okay. I'm leaving. Okay. You can protect me from those aliens. I'm going to, I might need to. Yeah. Like, don't play.

I know. I know. Because, you know, y'all know about them. I heard Mr. Obama to say, about the alien. Well, I'm not even going to try to clarify what he was saying. And on that note. So y'all don't want to talk about it.

We have really enjoyed having you. Oh, y'all, now they're kicking me out. It's like the minute we get to the National Security Secrets. Oh, and the brother just cut it off. Yeah. Just cut it off. And Craig's name, we had to go. Array.

So that's, the high. hoties that's into aliens like me. We are not alone. Have you seen Disclosure Day? Not yet. You will enjoy that. Every movie that, well, I'm a horror movie girl. Okay.

So that's one thing I do. I take myself to the movies a lot. Okay, that's good. I love the movies. You go to the theater? I go to the theater. Okay. And I'll be in there, baby.

If you can go to the theater, you can go anywhere. Okay. It's dark in there. You know, if you ask me for a picture in the movies, You wrong. Well, you know. You are wrong. That's like boundary setting.

Just boundaries setting. That's right. It's like, don't do this. They said no cell phones in. It's like, don't do that. Don't do that. Don't do that. But you like Disclosure Day.

It's not completely horror, but it's sci-fi. It's going to- I'm excited about it. It's going to tickle that alien funny bone. This is my favorite thing to talk about. And Barack went to one of the filming. He went to the filming? Yeah, he went to one day on the scene.

I bet he is. I mean, unset. He had to come just make sure that I was accurate. He said, yeah, that's right. All right. Mr. Spielberg, you got that right.

I knew it, guys. I'm Emmergreed, host of Aspire with Emigreed, the podcast where I sit down with people who don't just dream big, they build big. If you love Michelle and Craig on IMO, just wait until you hear their episode on my show. Michelle told me about the moment at 26, when she lost her father and her best friend in the same year.

It made her walk away from her corporate law career to figure out her why. That's the kind of conversation you get on Aspire. We talk about mindset, ambition and doing the work that actually moves the needle. So if you're ready to raise your standards and take charge of the life you're building, Aspire is where you start. Follow and listen to Aspire with me, Emma Greed, available wherever you get your podcasts.