Switched On Pop: How Megan Thee Stallion Brought Japanese Hip Hop to the Hot 100

Date: September 17, 2024
Hosts: Nate Sloan (Musicologist), Charlie Harding (Songwriter)
Episode Theme: This episode dives into Megan Thee Stallion's unexpected smash hit "Mamushi," featuring Japanese hip hop artist Yuki Chiba. The hosts dissect its musical and cultural significance, explore the broader history of Japanese music in the U.S. charts, and reflect on how Megan's approach sets a new standard for cross-cultural collaboration.

Episode Overview

Megan Thee Stallion’s third album, "Megan," features a surprise breakout hit: "Mamushi" with Yuki Chiba. Nate and Charlie unpack why this partly Japanese-language track has resonated with American audiences and how it navigates the dangers of cultural appropriation—ultimately representing a respectful, skillful cultural exchange. The episode also explores past Japanese songs to chart in America and analyzes how Megan's approach contrasts with infamous cases of cultural misstep by Western artists.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Megan Thee Stallion's Breakout Hit: "Mamushi"

• Surprise Success:
  The biggest hit from "Megan" isn't the lead single "Cobra" or the anticipated promo tracks, but "Mamushi," the fourth single featuring Japan’s Yuki Chiba.

• Viral Phenomenon:
  "Mamushi" spawned a viral dance and captured international attention, especially after Megan brought Chiba on stage during her London tour.
  Quote:
  “This song is incredibly popular. It has its own viral dance, of course. I mean, as one does in 2024.” (Nate, 02:13)

• Song Title Significance:
  "Mamushi" refers to a Japanese venomous pit viper and can symbolize a femme fatale in Japanese folklore, adding to the album’s reptilian motif.
  Quote:
  “It's a venomous pit viper native to Japan... within Japanese culture, there's also maybe certain folktales that it references involving, like, a femme fatale.” (Nate, 03:55)

• Half-Japanese Lyrics:
  Remarkable for a major U.S. chart hit, a significant portion of "Mamushi" is in Japanese—a rarity outside K-pop’s recent global success.

2. Musical Analysis: The Hooks That Hit

• Breathy "Sta" Triplets:
  Megan’s forceful, rhythmic delivery of “star” morphs into cleverly layered breaths that double as percussion—a signature motif.
  Quote:
  “The breath becomes this triplet figure within the song... it's even a sample in a way. I don't think that's literally her breathing like that... it's been processed into the track.” (Nate, 08:04)

• Contrast of Vocal Styles:
  Megan’s aggressive energy contrasts with Yuki Chiba’s calm, collected flow.
  Quote:
  “Yukichiba, by contrast, seems like he's got all the time in the world. He's like, just kind of, like, speaking gently. It's so cool to me.” (Nate, 12:06)

• Cross-Linguistic Play:
  Both artists alternate languages and share verses. Notably, Chiba uses English lines at the end of his verse, mirroring Megan’s use of Japanese.

• Beat Construction & Signature Sounds:
  Produced by Japanese beatmaker Koshi, the instrumental features Megan’s signature minimal, aggressive piano—connecting it to her previous hits like "Savage" and "Megan's Piano."
  Quote:
  “Kind of like if it's a Megan beat, it's gotta have Megan's piano in it.” (Charlie, 15:07)

3. Authentic Cultural Exchange: Megan's Approach vs. Appropriation

• Anime Influence & Authenticity:
  Megan’s well-documented love for anime (e.g., references to "Jujutsu Kaisen" and the character Gojo in "Otaku Hot Girl") grounds her engagement with Japanese pop culture as genuine, not superficial.
  Quote:
  “Megan Thee Stallion is obsessed with anime...she is deep in this world.” (Nate, 15:54)

• Musical Parallels:
  The episode draws links between Megan’s use of breath and ad-libs (panting, snake-like sounds) and thematic threads across her discography, reinforcing her consistent and original artistry.

• Exchange, Not Extraction:
  The hosts contrast Megan’s collaborative, platform-sharing approach in "Mamushi" (featuring Chiba and a Japanese producer) with past Western artists who used Japanese culture as mere ornamentation.

4. The Fraught History of Japanese Music in the U.S.

• "Sukiyaki" by Kyu Sakamoto (1963):
  A touching ballad retitled for U.S. audiences after a Japanese dish, effectively stripping its original political subtext and meaning.
  Quote:
  “It's like calling the song California Roll.” (Charlie, 23:20)

• Transformation Through Covers:
  "Sukiyaki" inspired covers by Taste of Honey (1980s, English) and Selena (1993, Spanish), each reinterpreting the song through a different cultural and musical lens.

• Modern Japanese Tracks:
  Notable crossovers include viral novelties ("PPAP" by Pikotaro, 2016) and collaborations (Hikaru Utada & Skrillex, “Face My Fears,” 2019), but few serious hip hop cross-pollinations have broken through until now.

5. American Attempts at Japanese Influence: Pitfalls and Parodies

• Gwen Stefani’s “Harajuku Girls” (2004):
  Criticized for reducing Japanese culture to fashion props, with voiceless Japanese women used as accessories.
  Quote:
  “She lets this culture speak for itself. Gwen Stefani uses the culture to speak for her.” (Nate, 34:23)

• Avril Lavigne’s “Hello Kitty” (2013):
  Derided as superficial and disingenuous—essentially a "postcard of Japan" with little substance.

• Megan's Contrast:
  Megan platforms Japanese collaborators and maintains her own musical identity, representing cultural exchange rather than appropriation.
  Quote:
  “There's a give and take, a back and forth that results in something new and exciting and ideally, you know, beneficial for both cultures.” (Nate, 36:55)

6. The Cultural Moment: Japanese Pop Culture's Growing Influence

• Gen Z's Obsession:
  Interview with Hannah Lee (Japan Society) highlights that 42% of Gen Z regularly watch anime—more than follow NFL.
  Quote:
  “42% of Gen Z watches anime on a weekly basis... more than, like, watch NFL or something.” (Hannah Lee, 37:57)

• Implications:
  Megan is “catching the start of a new wave,” heralding an era where Japanese culture may become as ubiquitous as K-pop in the U.S.

• Responsibility in Collaboration:
  In an era of fraught Japan-U.S. history, Megan’s model—respectful, knowledgeable, platform-sharing—sets the bar for future cultural exchanges, both musically and ethically.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Power of Breath in Music (07:29):
  "Her breath is doing as much work as the actual words themselves." — Charlie

• On the Meaning of "Mamushi" (03:59):
  "It's a venomous pit viper native to Japan... a femme fatale." — Nate

• On Megan's Artistic Consistency (14:18):
  "If it's a Megan beat, it's gotta have Megan's piano in it." — Charlie

• On Cultural Exchange vs. Appropriation (34:23):
  "Megan Thee Stallion gives voice to a rising Japanese hip hop artist... lets this culture speak for itself. Gwen Stefani uses the culture to speak for her." — Nate

• On Generational Shifts (37:57):
  "42% of Gen Z watches anime on a weekly basis... more than watch NFL or something." — Hannah Lee

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:19] — Introduction to Megan’s latest album
• [02:28] — "Mamushi" featuring Yuki Chiba becomes a surprise hit
• [03:55] — Etymology and symbolism of "Mamushi"
• [06:49] — Analysis of bilingual chorus
• [07:29] — Unique breathy "sta" as a rhythmic device
• [10:47] — Japanese references in Megan’s verses
• [12:06] — Contrasting vocal styles: Megan vs. Yuki Chiba
• [14:33] — Megan’s signature piano sound
• [15:35] — "Otaku Hot Girl," anime references, and musical Easter eggs
• [21:34] — History lesson: "Sukiyaki" and earlier Japanese crossovers
• [28:48] — Viral novelties: "PPAP" and modern Japanese chart entries
• [30:43] — Pitfalls: Gwen Stefani’s "Harajuku Girls" and Avril Lavigne’s "Hello Kitty"
• [36:55] — Megan’s collaborative model and maintaining authenticity
• [37:57] — Hannah Lee (Japan Society) on Gen Z and anime’s reach
• [38:33] — Megan as the standard bearer for respectful cross-cultural collaboration

Conclusion: A Blueprint for the Future

Megan Thee Stallion’s "Mamushi" is more than a chart-topping hit—it’s a model for a new, respectful era of cross-cultural musical exchange. By giving Japanese collaborators an equal platform, maintaining her own creative identity, and approaching Japanese culture with knowledge and authenticity, Megan sets a high bar for Western artists. With the growing mainstream profile of Japanese pop culture among Gen Z, this approach is not just timely but essential.

Hosts’ Final Words:
"If we are on the precipice of a Japanese cultural wave... I want to look towards Megan Thee Stallion as the standard bearer for how this can go down." (Nate, 38:54)

Listeners are encouraged to share their own favorite Japanese artists and anticipate more boundary-crossing collaborations as the global music landscape evolves.