Music

Just days after the New York Knicks were eliminated from the Eastern Conference Semifinals by the Indiana Pacers, the mood in Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night (May 21) was instantly transformed. Once heavy with gloom and despair, the air became charged with anticipation. The World’s Most Famous Arena not only hosted a double-shot of raps and twerk-filled stunts by Megan Thee Stallion‘s Hot Girl Summer Tour, but also celebrated a warm homecoming for some of the city’s brightest stars, including Cardi B and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie. 

The anticipation was palpable as fans streamed in, eager to rally behind The Captain of the Hotties. They adorned themselves with cowboy hats, skin-tight shorts, and T-shirts emblazoned with Megan’s name, a testament to their fervent support. By 8:10, the party kicked off with CMG’s GloRilla, who was clearly ready to go. Though she was billed as Meg’s opener, Big Glo had the charisma of a headliner, oozing with swagger. The extra pep in her step was felt by The Garden crowd as they reveled in her hard-hitting performance of “Lick Or Sum.”

With an army of dancers in tow, they looked to match Glo’s bulldog energy with hard stomps and twerks strong enough to reverberate through the stage set. Glo dug deep into her catalog and performed songs such as “Bop,” “All Dere,” and “In My Mode.” She even had time to joke with the crowd while dealing with a minor wardrobe malfunction. “I’m not gonna try to cause an earthquake with all this ass,” she quipped. 

Before steamrolling through her Hot 100 hits “Tomorrow” and “Yeah Glo,” Glo brought out A Boogie, who she said was initially set to perform three songs but was left to only do one because of his tardiness. Despite the lateness, fans cheered Boogie, who dove deep in his bag to perform his 2017 track “Jungle.” Quickly after, Boogie passed the baton back to Glo, who revved up the energy level when she dived into “FNF (Let’s Go).” Glo relished the NYC atmosphere with a toothy grin as fans standing at the edge of the staircase used the rail to support their twerking theatrics. 

Following Glo’s impressive outing, it was Meg’s turn. Considering the Hot Girl Summer Tour is her first headlining trek, Meg savored the moment and proved exacttly why she’s an arena-caliber superstar. Dressed in a bright red outfit, Meg’s fiery intentions were clear from the jump as she was ready to party. From the onset, Meg sought to create separation between her and her adversaries as she performed her Hot 100 chart-topper “HISS.” Rapping every bar with vigor and intent, Meg applied pressure, looking to see if fans could match her swagger. And when she wasn’t in attack mode, she tested her stamina, flaunting her flexibility and elite twerk abilities. The self-proclaimed “Megan Knees” were on display, most notably during throwback anthems like “Freak Nasty” and “Kitty Kat.” And when she finally got a breather, she took in the crowd’s electric energy, exclaiming: “This my first tour, y’all.” 

Megan also had brilliant spots during certain songs. When she performed “Gift And a Curse,” she reiterated her stance on abortion laws, rapping, “My mother–king body, my choice,” with her fist in the air. The three-act set hosted many nostalgic moments for day-one fans as Meg revisited songs including “Big Ol Freak,” “Girls in the Hood,” and more. She even quizzed fans by rapping a capella to see if they could rap alongside her. Later, she placed a pseudo-Instagram Live filter on the big screen to gauge who had the best twerking moves, regardless of gender.

The show reached its apex when Megan brought out Bronx native Cardi B to perform “Bongos” and their 2020 Hot 100 chart-topper “WAP.” The crowd roared as the chemistry between Meg and Cardi was undeniable. Despite Cardi struggling to catch the beat due to sound delays, the crowd didn’t care, as they enjoyed watching two rap superstars in their prime adore each other. The lovefest didn’t stop there. Once Cardi unleashed her classic verse from “Tomorrow 2,” GloRilla returned on stage, creating a moment between all three female MCs. The thunderous crowd marveled at the camaraderie, especially after much of the year consisted of lyrical warfare in hip-hop. It was refreshing and a much-needed moment after months of contention in the genre. 

After bulldozing through the song, Cardi sat back and watched Megan and GloRilla perform “Wanna Be.” Following the performance, Glo teased a surprise, which Meg later pulled out of her: an upcoming remix of “Wanna Be” featuring Cardi. Meg thanked Cardi and Glo while acknowledging the importance of banding together as women in hip-hop before returning back to her solo mission of conquering The Garden. 

Following “Stalli Freestyle” and “Cash Sh-t,” Meg encouraged everyone of all sizes and shapes to embrace their “Body” as she feverishly rapped her signature 2020 hit. The proverbial cherry on top came when she closed the show with her Grammy-winning single “Savage.” 

After conquering The Garden as a first-time headliner, Meg’s showmanship shouldn’t be questioned. She embodies the value of playing the long game and why, sometimes, good things come to those who wait.