By Vincent L. Hall
They keep sayin’ I should get help
But I don’t even know what I need
They keep sayin’ speak your truth
And at the same time, say they don’t believe!
Megan The Stallion is officially one of mine. Now I have four daughters. Megan continues to flash the level of intelligence, insight, and intrigue that I love to see in entertainers.
“Anxiety,” one of her newest drops, hits home with those who understand what Gen Z’ers live through. Underneath the surface, this generation is burdened with thoughts of inadequacy and confusion. They don’t use the victim card, but they feel the world’s weight on their shoulders.
Megan Jovon Ruth Pete is a native Texan according to the thumbnail bio in IMDb.
“Megan Thee Stallion was born in San Antonio, Texas, and raised in Houston. The seductive femcee was a full-time college student and a choreographed dancer and model. She graduated this year, from Texas Southern University!
Under her mother’s management company, Pretty Time Entertainment Management, she gained notoriety after meeting super producer TA and releasing her first single, “Like a Stallion,” in April 2016.
After dropping several hot verses on a few Texas Cyphers, her verse on ‘The Houston Cypher’ over Drake’s 4PM in Calabasas placed her as a top trending topic in Houston on Twitter. Soon after, she released her mixtape ‘Rich Ratchet’ and then her first EP “Make It Hot” soon followed.”
You would think Megan had it all. But as you listen to Anxiety, you sense that success is not synonymous with peace and tranquility. Like all of us, Gen Z must deal with fears, insecurities, and “Bad days!”
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Bad bitches have bad days too
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, bounce back
How a bad bitch always do!
Everybody has bad days, but our own bad days seem the worst. An article published by “Health Match” this past September carried a somber headline. “The Gen Z Mental Health wave – what is causing the surge?” Look at the litany of concerns.
Gen Z’ers are more likely than previous generations to report mental health concerns, be aware of racial inequality, be racially and ethnically diverse, and be immigrants’ children. They are also more socially progressive (comfortable using gender-neutral pronouns and support same-sex marriage). “
The “norms” we accepted were not complex or far-reaching. Our worlds were Black and White. Their worlds are global and much more demanding. Gen Z’ers take social responsibility seriously, and COVID heightened their anxieties exponentially.
“The American Psychological Association (APA) reports that 90% of Gen Z experienced psychological or physical symptoms due to stress in the last year. At the same time, 70% of Gen Z say that Anxiety and depression are significant problems among their peers.
Even 30% of parents surveyed felt that their child was experiencing negative effects on their emotional or mental health due to social distancing and school closures.
Additionally, McKinsey Insights notes that 25% of Gen Z report experiencing emotional distress—nearly double the levels reported by older generations During the pandemic, those between 20–24 years old showed the biggest leaps in anxiety.”
The takeaway Megan provides is as simple as it is perplexing. All she wants to hear is that she will be OK.
Check on your Gen Z family and try to see life as they do.
Talk and text them regularly. And please, quit interjecting all of your self-righteous biases and Bull$h!t!
If I could write a letter to Heaven
I would tell my mama that I shoulda been listenin’
And I would tell her sorry that I really been wildin’
And ask her to forgive me, ’cause I really been tryin’!
Megan’s mother died of brain cancer in 2019, but she left her some advice; “Don’t Stop!” Megan ends this missive with equal portions of misery, reality and hope.
All I really wanna hear is, “It’ll be okay”
Bounce back ’cause a bad bitch can have bad days!
Quit Playin’ like our 15-25’s don’t have apprehensions. Talk to your children, but don’t lie. Gen Z’ers have anxiety but are honest and can detect a lie before it leaves your lips!
Love you Megan, and It really is gon be OK!
Vincent L. Hall is an author, activist, and an award-winning columnist.
