She honored Breonna Taylor and others during the show's first in-studio episode since going remote due to COVID-19.
Megan Thee Stallion made her Saturday Night Live debut over the weekend, and she made the performance count. Taking the stage in Studio 8H, the "Savage" rapper used the platform to deliver a powerful message inspired by Breonna Taylor and in support of all Black women.
Megan's first set of the night saw her decked out in a black-and-white ensemble with matching backup dancers as she performed her hit single "Savage" (featuring vocals from Beyoncé) in front of a backdrop that read "Protect Black Women."
Then, the rapper's performance made a bold shift. Following a recording from Malcolm X and a recent quote from Tamika Mallory where she criticized Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron for his handling of the Breonna Taylor case, Megan called for the protection of Black women. "We need to protect our Black women and love our Black women, because at the end of the day, we need our Black women." She also talked about the need to protect Black men, saying "we're tired of seeing hashtags about Black men."
The socially-potent message played on the massive screens, punctuated by sounds of gunshots -- calling out to both the prevalence of police violence against Black people and Megan's own hospitalization after a shooting incident with Tory Lanez that left her injured.
Megan's brave performance was met with wide acclaim and support on social media, with many commending her for using her voice and platform for a purpose.
SNL airs Saturdays, live coast-to-coast at 11:30 p.m. ET, 8:30 p.m. PT on NBC.
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