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Behind every great artist lies a line of influences, shaping their journey and contributing to their unique voice. For Megan Thee Stallion, her biggest influence is arguably the iconic Pimp C. While Megan stands at the forefront of a sonic revolution in today’s mainstream rap scene, she recognizes those who came before her. Throughout her career, the rapper has cited Pimp C as her inspiration on multiple occasions.

Pimp C, and by extension, UGK, is a cornerstone of Texas’s rap legacy. Although the rapper is no longer with us, his wife is an avid supporter of Megan Thee Stallion. Chinara Butler, Pimp C’s wife, has notably sided with Megan throughout her beef with Nicki Minaj. Her support for Megan mirrors Megan’s support and respect for Pimp C.

Hot 107.9 Interview

It’s a given if Megan Thee Stallion is asked about her influences, she will certainly mention Pimp C. She has been doing so since the beginning of her career, and she’ll probably never stop. The “Hiss” rapper is always full of praise for the late icon. In an interview on Hot 107.9 in 2019, she explained why her alter ego is named Tina Snow, similar to Pimp C’s Tony Snow alias. “I go by Tina Snow because Pimp C is one of my favorite rappers. So, like, in my music, I want to make people feel how Pimp C make me feel,” she said.

Broadcast Houston Interview

Soon after she got signed to 1501 Certified Entertainment in 2018, Megan began appearing in multiple interviews. One such interview was with Broadcast Houston in September 2018. During the interview, Megan Thee Stallion admitted to listening to Pimp C while growing up. She also referred to the late MC as her “number one favorite rapper.” Furthermore, explaining her Tina Snow alias, she said, “Pimp C make me feel confident, you know, real cocky, like, just real swagged out. So like, I want people to feel like that when they listen to me.”

Interview With Moriah Marie

Another interview from 2018, Megan’s sit-down with Moriah Marie was uploaded to YouTube on July 19, 2018. The interview was shot in the free moments while Megan prepared for a photo shoot. Like many people back then, Moriah Marie wondered who Tina Snow was, and she proceeded to ask the rapper about her famous alter ego. “Tony Snow was one of Pimp C’s many aliases. Pimp C is my favorite rapper, he just make me feel so cool and so laidback… I get into my act when I’m listening to Pimp C, so I turned myself into Tina Snow, like his opposite,” she said.

XXL Interview

During an April 2019 interview with XXL, one of the questions the “Savage” rapper was asked was who she grew up listening to. Without hesitation, Megan Thee Stallion immediately cited Pimp C. “A lot of UGK,” she said, mentioning Pimp C’s former Hip Hop group with Bun B. “Pimp C is my favorite rapper,” she continued, making sure it was clear just how much of a fan she was. Furthermore, while talking about her writing process, Megan Thee Stallion said she regularly asks herself “would this be Pimp C approved?”

Rolling Stone Interview

In an interview with Rolling Stone in 2020, Megan was asked about the first time she listened to UGK. According to the rapper, UGK had been playing since she was a baby. However, her earliest memory of listening to the Hip Hop duo was when she was in second grade. “Listening to Pimp C and understanding what he was saying, I was like ‘wow, like, this would sound real cool if a girl was saying it,’” she told Rolling Stone. “From there, I started thinking, ‘I’mma rap like this when I get older,’ and I do,” she concluded.

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