On Monday evening, Megan Thee Stallion shared her very first makeup tutorial. The “WAP” rapper gave us the deets on how she achieved her gorgeous look for her very first Revlon shoot after being announced as the new global ambassador for the brand.
“I’m going to teach y’all some tricks y’all didn’t even think of,” she said in the video after warning viewers that her makeup application tactics might be a bit unorthodox.
“As long as you can blend, makeup is your friend,” she continued as she indeed showed us some tricks. She also proceeded to give herself pep talks throughout the video, which she considers a necessary part of the makeup process.
“I hope this was as good for you as it was for me,” she joked at one point in the video.
And it was. In the beginning Megan said that she was a bit nervous, which can be expected for anyone’s first time publicly engaging in such an intimate process. But she was animated and fun, which made the tutorial enjoyable to watch.
It’s clear that she has the skills for this. If she ever decides to step away from music, she can add makeup artist or beauty influencer to her list of other possible career paths.
Article continues after video.
The OverExplainer: Hot Girl Summer
The OverExplainer, Danielle Young, breaks down exactly what a Hot Girl Summer means.
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If you’ve ever been to ESSENCE Hollywood House, you know it’s more than just a series of panels—it’s a gathering of visionaries. A space where Black creatives and leaders come together to share stories, strategies, and solutions. This year’s conversation, Let’s Talk About LA: Preserving Our City, presented by AT&T, was no different.
The discussion brought together three voices, each deeply invested in shaping LA’s future: D. Smoke, the Grammy-nominated rapper and educator; Olympia Auset, founder of SÜPRMRKT, a grocery service tackling food apartheid in LA; and DJ HED, a radio personality and advocate for independent artists. Though their paths differed, their mission was the same—creating opportunities, protecting culture, and ensuring Black spaces in LA don’t just survive but thrive.
For Olympia Ausset, the work she’s doing with SÜPRMRKT goes far beyond providing fresh groceries—it’s about laying the foundation for a stronger, healthier community. “The LA we love, the cultural beacon it’s known as today, was built by people who worked hard to create their own spaces,” she shared. “The reason I do what I do is because it’s essential. We can’t achieve any of the changes I want for my community without being in good health and having access to affordable, organic food. Without places where we can gather, heal, and support each other, none of the other goals will be possible. It starts with taking care of ourselves and building those spaces together.”
From Olympia’s focus on wellness and accessibility to DJ HED’s belief in the power of self-worth, the discussion explored what it means to dream beyond individual success and invest in collective progress. “I see a lot of people who aren’t proud of where they come from, what they look like, or where they’re at in life,” he said. “I had to learn to give myself grace, to grow. I grew up in Inglewood, raised by a single mom. We lived in a car, we were on welfare, but I knew I wanted to be bigger than my circumstances. That’s what dreaming in Black is—believing in something greater and nurturing it until it grows.”
DJ Smoke also touched on this, emphasizing the importance of intention and fulfillment. “You don’t want to climb that ladder and realize you went real high in the wrong direction,” he warned. “A lot of people in LA are ambitious, but if you don’t understand your ‘why,’ you can get to the top and still feel empty. The goal isn’t just to make it—it’s to make it mean something.
Sometimes, as Black creatives, we only dream as far as the next gig or the next check, but dreaming in Black means going beyond that. “It means thinking bigger than what’s right in front of you,” said host Donye Taylor.
This conversation was a call to action – a reminder that preserving LA’s Black culture means investing in community, honoring our history, and building a legacy that lasts.
