Megan Thee Stallion Makes History As The First Rapper On The Cover Of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue
Megan The Stallion is serving up body-ody-ody on the cover of the 2021 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue! Setting the internet ablaze in a tan Fashion Nova bikini, the "WAP" rapper wowed fans with the sultry cover photo that secures her title as the first female rapper on the cover of the magazine's swimsuit issue.
In celebration of the big milestone, Megan posted the cover on her Instagram, along with a caption that read: "REAL SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SWIMSUIT EDITION COVER MODEL SH*T!!! Thee first female rapper on the cover of @si_swimsuit. I want to thank all the strong women in my life who inspired me to love my body and live my best hot girl life. It means the world to me to be on this cover. DREAM COME TRUE!!”
Below, take a look at behind-the-scenes footage showing the originator of the “Hot Girl Summer” movement snapping a few bikini-clad photos on the beach.
"She's unstoppable, at the top of her game, and now adding Sports Illustrated Swim Cover Model to her resume," Sports Illustrated captioned the BTS Instagram video.
Megan joins tennis star Naomi Osaka and actress Leyna Bloom, who are both shining bright as this year's cover models. Bloom breaks barriers at the first openly transgender woman to cover the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
"If there's one thing that our cover models have in common, it's that they don't have one thing in common," shares Sports Illustrated Swimsuit editor-in-chief MJ Day. "They look different, have different upbringings, have different passions and inspirations. But each is a reminder that beauty comes in many forms."
Keep scrolling to take a look at the ladies’ eye-catching magazine covers, along with why Sports Illustrated made it a point to celebrate these barrier breakers in bikinis!
Megan The Stallion- Rapper
“Megan Thee Stallion doesn’t stay in one lane. In fact, she encourages everyone to be in multiple, and this is what we love about her. She captured the world’s attention with her music and style, but what caught our attention was her unfiltered approach to the way she makes you think,” Day explains.
“She uses her platform to push boundaries, dissect societal norms and encourage humans to think about the backward way our society continues to operate. Megan is a vessel for change, and we are honored to have her on our 2021 cover.”
Naomi Osaka- Tennis Champ
"What drew us to Naomi was her passion, strength and power geared toward consistently breaking barriers when it comes to equality, social justice and mental health," says Day. "She is wholeheartedly dedicated to achieving the impossible and has succeeded time and again. We are so honored to have one of the fiercest female trailblazers in history as one of our 2021 covers."
Leyna Bloom- Actress/Model
"Leyna is legendary in the world of activism, strikingly gorgeous, and has an undeniable sense of self that shines through the minute she walks on set," says Day. "Her story represents one grounded in resilience, and we couldn't be more thrilled to help her tell it. Her presence as the first trans woman of color to be in our issue is a result of her lifetime dedication to forging her own path."
She adds, "Among the many things we've learned over the past 18 months is how much we value being a part of a community and how much we miss that interaction when it's taken away. This issue represents the culmination of our powerful community coming together during these trying times to make history."
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It's the celebration of melanin for us! Keep shining, Queens!
