Megan Thee Stallion, born Megan Jovon Ruth Pete on February 15, 1995, in San Antonio, Texas, burst onto the music scene in the 2010s as part of a rising tide of talented women in hip-hop. With her unique blend of confidence, charisma, and lyrical prowess, she quickly gained recognition and admiration from fans and critics alike. As a rapper, singer, and songwriter, Megan Thee Stallion has built a devoted following and gained widespread acclaim for her energetic live performances and unapologetic lyrics.
Behind her success, exists another woman who contributed massively. Holly Thomas was Megan Thee Stallion‘s mother and manager. She passed away on March 22, 2019. She was 47 years of age. So, let’s delve into her life and career and explore how she helped shape the triumphs of her daughter.
The Early Days of Holly Thomas
Megan Thee Stallion was raised in Houston, Texas, and had a loving relationship with both of her parents. However, her father Joseph Pete was in prison until she was 8 years old. Yet, this did not break their bond. Megan was mostly brought up by her mother Holly, but she would visit her father in prison. In a 2020 interview with Rolling Stone, Megan called her dad a “full time hustler” and added: “I saw how he treated my mom, and I saw how my dad treated me. I have so many strong positive influences. I’m not going to lower my standards.”
Following her father’s release from prison when she was 8 years old, Megan stated that they spent every day together. In the years that he wasn’t present, her mother taught her a lot about life as she took on the role of a single parent. During this time, Holly Walsh had also embarked upon a career as a rapper under the stage name Holly-Wood.
How Megan Thee Stallion Found Inspiration From Her Mother
Holly Walsh made music under the name Holly-Wood between 2001 and 2007. Megan would spend a lot of time in the studio with her mother, absorbing in the world of rap and music production. When speaking with Vulture in 2019, Megan said: “Holly-Wood is the first female rapper I’ve ever known, I’ve ever saw, so I’m thinking like, ‘OK, yeah, this is normal. Everybody’s doing this.’” She added: “So when she would take me to the studio with her, she would think I’m in the next room doing little kid stuff, coloring, watching TV, and I’m really like ear to the door, thinking, ‘Yeah, uh-huh I’ma do that, too.'”
Megan’s father passed away when she was 15 years old. After this, her bond with her mother only grew stronger. So, when Megan decided to foray into the music world herself, Holly was right behind her and took on the role of her manager. During her years as a rapper, Holly Walsh achieved marginal success, but still juggled her day job as a bill collector to make ends meet. When Megan started to blow up, taking on her mother as her manager was the best way to pay her back after seeing her work so hard for so many years.
How Did Holly Thomas Die?
Holly Walsh died from brain cancer on March 22, 2019. Since then, Megan Thee Stallion has continued to express her love, admiration, and inspiration for her. When appearing on The Ebro Show, Megan said: “At this point in my life, I really realized that my mama was really driving the car for a long time. I didn’t even have to think about too many things when mama was with me.” Years after her passing, she still posts regular tributes to her mother on her official Instagram page.
To continue honoring her mother, Megan also attained her Bachelor’s degree despite her fame and wealth. She did this as she stated this was important to both her mother and her grandmother. When speaking with PEOPLE in 2020, Megan said: “My grandmother that’s still alive used to be a teacher, so she’s on my butt about finishing school. I’m doing it for me, but I’m also doing it for the women in my family who made me who I am today.”
Sadly, Holly Walsh’s passing has resurfaced in 2024 in a negative way. After a growing feud between Megan Thee Stallion and Nicky Minaj, a common occurrence in the rap world, Minaj released a diss track aimed at Megan. This sparked a significant amount of drama and led to some of Minaj’s fans to reveal the gravesite of Holly Walsh, meaning security had to be amped up to ensure no wrongdoings took place. Want to read about the parents of another well-known star? Here’s what Caitlin Clark‘s parents do for a living.
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