Five lessons from Megan Thee Stallion’s ‘Hot Girl Summer’ video

It’s September, which means summer has officially come to a close. But before your autumn blues set in, Megan Thee Stallion is here to remind you that a Hot Girl Summer is for life, not just for August.

Yesterday, the rapper dropped the much-anticipated visual for her single “Hot Girl Summer”, featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign. The video is a hedonistic dream which sees Megan joined by – you guessed it – hot girls at “the hottest pool party of the summer”. Directed by Munachi Osegbu, the visual includes cameos by comedian Jaimesha Thomas, Rico Nasty, Ari Lennox, and Dreezy.

Megan’s ubiquitous catchphrase went viral in July, with the Texas rapper since attempting to trademark the phrase. In her own words, ‘Hot Girl Summer’ refers to anyone who is “unapologetically them, having a good ass time. You know, just a bad bitch”. She also asserts the phrase transcends gender or identity.

As we approach Hot Girl Autumn – not Christian Girl Autumn, thanks – here’s some lessons from the scorching video on how to keep your hotness all year round.

KEEP YOUR KNEES STRONG

Even if you didn’t know her for “Hot Girl Summer” – although, how wouldn’t you? – you’d know Megan Thee Stallion for her knees. The rapper is renowned for her signature twerk and stamina-aggravating squat ability – moves especially envied by comedian Jaimesha Thomas, who recreates her viral skit at the beginning of the visual, whining: “Megan, my knees not strong like yours”. 

So, how do you keep your knees strong? “Drink a lot of water,” Megan told Paper earlier this month. “Drink some orange juice. Eat your vegetables. Drive a boat.” Now you’ve heard it from Meg’s own mouth, there’s no excuse. I want to see hot girls twerking on public buses! Hot girls twerking in hats and scarves! Hot girls driving boats!

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH HOT GIRLS

Megan Thee Stallion has got this down with her “Hot Girl Summer” video, which is obvs drowning in hot girls (see above for special mentions). In order to keep hot girls with you everywhere you go, you need to be – as Megan says – “the life of the party”, surround yourself with people who hype you TF up, and who are self-declared bad bitches. Lizzo, WYS?

REMEMBER: WHAT WOULD MEGAN DO?

Thomas’ skit at the opening of the video – which sees her practicing her Hot Girl Summer attitude in the mirror – asks: “What would Megan do?” In order to maintain your hot girl energy, this is the mantra you need to carry with you at all times. Boss being a dick? What would Megan do? About to be ghosted? What would Megan do? Worried about Brexit and the detrimental damage to our democracy? What! Would! Megan! Do!

DRESS TO IMPRESS

Look good, feel good. Whether that’s baggy trousers and a sweatshirt – it is September TBF – or a neon yellow zebra print bikini, start Hot Girl Autumn as you mean to go on. When you run out of looks from Megan’s video (it will take a while), you can always garner inspiration from these cult movie characters who unknowingly channelled Hot Girl Summer energy before it was even invented.   

GRIND SEASON NEVER ENDS

As summer draws to a close, it’s not just you returning to reality. Megan Thee Stallion is back at Texas Southern University completing her bachelor’s degree in health administration, proving she’s working all of us under the table. The rapper has told reporters it’s time for “Hot Nerd Fall”, which sprung into action last week as Megan shared a video of herself doing homework before heading to her after party. Guess there’s nothing to do now but wait for the “Hot Girl Semester” video – and, you know, study.