Megan Thee Stallion Says It "Never Crossed" Her Mind That People Wouldn't Believe Her After Tory Lanez Shooting

Four months have passed since Tory Lanez was officially found guilty on all charges in the 2020 shooting of Megan Thee Stallion, and now, the rapper is opening up about the traumatic experience for the final time. When talking to Elle for its May cover story, Stallion discussed many details of the incident (and subsequent trial that followed) in extreme detail — including how surprising it was to see that people originally didn’t believe her.

“It never crossed my mind that people wouldn’t believe me,” she said of the media frenzy that occurred after news of the shooting first broke. “Still, I knew the truth and the indisputable facts would prevail. I had worked way too hard to reach this point in my career to let taunts deter me.”

Megan then added that the trial’s outcome was not only satisfying for her personally, but for women everywhere: “When the guilty verdict came on Dec. 23, 2022, it was more than just vindication for me, it was a victory for every woman who has ever been shamed, dismissed, and blamed for a violent crime committed against them,” she said.

It’s this very outlook that’s allowed Stallion to find a bit of hope in her experience as she strives to use her situation as a way to inspire others who have also “survived violence.”

“You matter. You are not at fault. You are important. You are loved. You are not defined by your trauma. You can continue to write beautiful, new chapters to your life story,” she said to those who can relate to her story. “Just because you are in a bad situation doesn’t mean you are a bad person. Our value doesn’t come from the opinions of other people. As long as you stand your ground and live in your truth, nobody can take your power.

Elsewhere in the interview, the rapper also explained why this cover story will serve as the final time that she wishes to speak about the shooting and trial publicly. “I understand the public intrigue, but for the sake of my mental health, I don’t plan to keep reliving the most traumatic experience of my life over and over again,” she said. “I’m choosing to change the narrative because I’m more than just my trauma.”

Stallion continued, “I was once told that you can’t have crucifixion without resurrection, and that statement resonated so deeply with me. This is a rebirth of a happier and healthier me. I’m a survivor and I have — and will continue — to embrace the highs and lows of my journey. I’m excited to get back into music, because I have been so transformed. I’m playing around with new songs and new sounds that I can’t wait for everyone to hear.”