You’ve seen the "Savage" era. You’ve seen the Grammy-winning gowns and the high-fashion spreads that make her look like she was born under a professional ring light. But honestly, the obsession with Megan Thee Stallion old pictures isn’t just about being nosy. It’s because people want to see if the "Stallion" was always, well, a stallion.
She was.
Megan Jovon Ruth Pete didn't just pop out of nowhere in 2019 with a hit single and a perfect flow. Looking back at her early days in Houston, you see a girl who was basically a superstar in waiting, even when she was just trying to get through high school graduation.
The High School Years: Violet Contacts and Pearland Pride
Most of us have embarrassing yearbook photos we’d like to burn. Megan? Not so much. A few years back, she shared a throwback from 11th grade—circa 2011—that basically broke the internet. In it, she’s at dinner with her grandmother, rocking her natural hair and these striking violet contact lenses.
She looked almost exactly the same as she does now.
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"I had finally figured out how I wanted my hair to lay, couldn't tell me s***!" she joked in the caption. It’s wild because, at 15 or 16, she already had the height and the frame that earned her the "Stallion" nickname in the first place. Growing up in the South Park neighborhood of Houston before moving to Pearland at 14, Megan was a cheerleader and a dancer. If you look at those grainy photos of her in her cheer uniform, you can see the leg strength that would later become a staple of her stage performances.
She wasn't rapping publicly yet. She told Biography that she didn't even tell her high school friends she wanted to be a rapper. Instead, she was observing. She was watching her mom, Holly Thomas (who rapped as Holly-Wood), in the studio. Megan was secretly stealing her mom’s instrumentals and writing bars in her bedroom.
The Prairie View A&M "Cypher" That Started It All
If there is one specific set of Megan Thee Stallion old pictures and videos that serves as the "origin story," it’s the 2013 college cypher.
Megan was a student at Prairie View A&M University. There’s this famous video of her in a circle of guys, wearing a simple white tank top, just absolutely devouring a freestyle. That wasn't a polished PR move. It was a college kid showing out.
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"I don't know why I didn't even tell anybody in high school that I wanted to rap," Megan once admitted.
College changed that. This was the era of "Tina Snow" in the making. In photos from this period—roughly 2013 to 2016—her style was a lot more "Houston college girl" than "global icon." Think denim cutoffs, hoodies, and Jordans. She looked approachable, but the "it factor" was leaking through every frame.
The Physical Evolution: Fitness vs. Surgery Rumors
People love to talk about her body. It’s unavoidable. When you compare old photos from her early mixtapes like Rich Ratchet (2016) to her current look, the transformation is real.
But here’s the thing: Megan has always been open about her "Hottie Bootcamp" journey.
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While the internet stays busy debating whether she’s had a BBL or facial work, the evidence in her old pictures suggests a lot of it is just... growing up and getting fit. In 2018, when she signed with 1501 Certified Entertainment, she had a softer, more athletic build. Fast forward to 2025 and 2026, and she’s traded that for the lean, chiseled physique of a track athlete.
- The Weight Loss: She famously cut out "silent calories" like sugary mixers and heavy soul food.
- The Muscle: Those "Stallion Kicks" aren't just for show; she’s documented 90-minute cardio sessions and sand hill sprints.
- The Face: Fans often point to her sharpened jawline in recent photos. While some scream "filler," others note that significant weight loss often reveals bone structure that was hidden by baby fat in those high school throwbacks.
Why These Old Pictures Still Matter
We live in an era of "overnight" stars who feel manufactured. Megan feels earned. When you look at her timeline, you see a girl who stayed in school (eventually graduating from Texas Southern University in 2021) while her rap career was exploding.
The old photos of her in her cap and gown aren't just "lifestyle" content. They are proof of a promise she made to her late mother.
How to spot a "Real" Megan Throwback:
- The South Park Era: Look for photos with her mother or grandmother in Houston. These are usually the most candid and sentimental.
- The Freestyle Clips: Any video where she’s wearing a "Prairie View" shirt or standing in a parking lot rapping—that's the raw talent.
- The Pre-Glam Era: Photos from 2016-2017 show her in local Houston clubs. The makeup is heavier, the hair is often DIY, and the hunger is visible in her eyes.
Looking back at where she started makes the current "Megan 2.0" feel more human. She wasn't born with a glam squad and a private jet. She was a girl from Texas who knew she was a stallion long before the rest of the world caught on.
Your Next Steps:
- Check out Megan's "Hottie Bootcamp" archives on her social media to see the literal day-by-day shift from her 2019 look to her current athletic build.
- Compare her early "Tina Snow" music videos to "Hiss" to see how her confidence in front of the camera has evolved alongside her physical transformation.
- Search for her 2021 graduation photos from TSU for a look at the "real" Megan Pete outside of the rap persona.