Rap is officially back on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and it's all thanks to Megan Thee Stallion.
The rapper’s new single “Lover Girl” made its debut at No. 8 for the November 8 Hot 100 chart, ending a two-week period where no rap songs appeared on the top 40. As previously reported, this drought was the first such occurrence since February 3, 1990.
According to Billboard, “Lover Girl” is the first rap song, as defined by Billboard as a song deemed eligible for ranking on their Hot Rap Songs listing, to reach the chart's top 40 since Kendrick Lamar and SZA's 'Luther."
The songs charting position is thanks to 8.5 million official U.S. streams, 1.5 million in radio airplay audience, and 5,000 sold in the week ending October 30, according to data from Luminate.
This also marks Megan Thee Stallion's 21st top 40 entry on the Hot 100. She most recently appeared in the region on the September 21, 2024 chart with "Neva Play" featuring RM of BTS, which debuted at No. 36, and "Wanna Be" with GloRilla, which hit No. 40 after peaking at No. 11.
Megan previously sent three songs to the top of the chart, including “Savage Remix” featuring Beyoncé and “WAP” with Cardi B in 2020, and “Hiss” in 2024.
Other rap tracks, including NBA YoungBoy's "Shot Callin" and BigXthaPlug's "Hell at Night," have both slipped on the chart, while Gunna's "wgft" and Cardi B's "Safe" featuring Kehlani are showing slight upward movement.