New Hotties: Megan Thee Stallion

Watch Megan Thee Stallion perform and you'll see an athlete in motion. She's hovering inches from the ground, legs in a wide low squat, knees practically defying the rules of human mechanics while she twerks and raps. Each time she does, it's a liberating move not just for the Houston, Texas rapper—and her bionic knees—but for anyone inspired by how her body stays so effortlessly in motion. What she does isn't just movement. This is an elite athlete at work who is getting Hotties across the world to see that sport is whatever you make it.

Growing up tall and built, Megan was naturally spurred on by family and friends to try different sports, from basketball to volleyball to athletics. But when she found dance, she found a positive outlet that boosted her confidence and helped her see herself as an athlete. "Dance was something that stuck with me and sat right in my spirit", she says.

In an effort to imbue others with the Stallion spirit, Megan has become a frequent motivating force for her fan base, the Hotties, as she's renewed her focus around health and wellness. "I love my body, first of all. That's number one. I'm curvy, I'm thick, I'm tall. But I definitely want to make sure I'm keeping myself healthy, mentally and physically", she says. With a growing community of Hotties in support, she keeps herself accountable while encouraging others to set manageable goals. It's important for her to show fans not just visible progress, but also the challenging parts of the journey.

In her series of NTC workouts with Nike trainer Tara Nicolas, we see Megan sweating and pushing herself (and laughing), while also reminding the Hotties that nothing in life worth having comes easy, and that even though you might be going through it (like feeling the burn during a core workout), you can get through it. "I like the fact that Hotties get to see me go through my struggle", she says. "It's realistic for you to want to give up. It's realistic for you to not want to eat this today. It's just really about discipline".

It's also realistic to need a few positive words of encouragement and the right mindset to get going. Thankfully, Megan has mastered the art of the pep talk and wants to pay it forward by inspiring the Hotties to believe in themselves.

It's easy to follow the lead of someone whose fitness goals fall comfortably between aspiration and reality. Anyone can be an athlete if you put your body-ody-ody and heart into it.

Words: Clover Hope, @clovito Director: Mike Carson, @mikecarson Photographer: Adrienne Raquel, @adrienneraquel