For the first time in more than three decades, the Billboard Hot 100 went two straight weeks without a rap song in its top 40, until Megan Thee Stallion came through. Her latest single, “Lover Girl,” debuted at No. 8 on the chart dated November 8, ending a dry spell that hadn’t been seen since February 3, 1990, according to Billboard.

The Houston rapper’s new track, which blends smooth R&B undertones with confident, flirtatious bars, became the first rap song — as defined by Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart eligibility — to break the top 40 since Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther.” In its first week, “Lover Girl” earned 8.5 million official U.S. streams, 1.5 million in radio airplay audience impressions, and 5,000 sales, Billboard reports.

While hip hop has dominated charts for much of the last two decades, its recent absence from the upper reaches of the Hot 100 has raised eyebrows across the industry. Some critics have pointed to a genre identity crisis as pop, R&B, and Afrobeats increasingly overlap with rap’s melodic stylings, while others blame streaming platform algorithms that favor more universal crossover sounds.

But “Lover Girl” is proof that rap is far from fading. The song marks a softer, more romantic turn for Megan Thee Stallion, showcasing her versatility as she taps into intimacy and self-assured femininity rather than pure bravado. The single has already become a fan favorite on social media, with snippets of the track trending on TikTok under the “#LoverGirl” tag.

The release also arrives amid Megan’s much-publicized romance with NBA star Klay Thompson, a detail she cheekily nods to in the lyrics: “He know he a star but he my biggest fan.”

“Lover Girl” continues Megan’s streak of hit-making following her 2024 single “Hiss” and her high-profile performances across the summer festival circuit. It also positions her as one of the few women in rap holding down the mainstream charts at a time when the genre’s presence seemed to be slipping.