Megan Thee Stallion Says Tory Lanez Shooting Plunged Her Into a "Deep Depression"

Megan Thee Stallion revealed in an exclusive interview with fashion magazine Elle about her traumatic experience after Tory Lanez assaulted her. “I wish I could have handled this situation privately,” she told the outlet. Stallion is the featured cover girl for the coveted fashion magazine's latest issue, and in the interview, she spoke about falling into deep depression after the incident.

"Once my attacker made it public, everything changed. By the time I identified my attacker, I was completely drained. Many thought I was inexplicably healed because I was still smiling through the pain, still posting on social media, still performing, still dancing, and still releasing music,” she said.  

Stallion had taken to her Instagram Live shortly after the incident to reveal the shocking details. The Savage rapper explained that she had been shot multiple times in the foot by Lanez after leaving a party in July 2020, and called it the "worst experience" of her life. "It’s not funny, it’s nothing to joke about," she said. "It was nothing for y’all to go and be making fake stories about. I didn’t put my hands on nobody. I didn’t deserve to get shot. I didn’t do s--t. And thank God that the bullets didn’t touch bones. They didn’t break tendons," Stallion said. 

Her medical report obtained by Page Six indicated that doctors found three major bullet fragments in her feet after the attack; in June 2022, the report also stated that initial X-rays appeared to show bullet fragments in both of her ankles. Stallion herself revealed to Rolling Stone, “I still have bullet fragments in my feet right now.” She first named Lanez as her attacker in August 2020. 

“I persevered, even as people treated my trauma like a running joke,” she recalled. “First, there were conspiracy theories that I was never shot. Then came the false narratives that my former best friend shot me. Even some of my peers in the music industry piled on with memes, jokes, and sneak disses, and completely ignored the fact that I could have lost my life. Instead of condemning any form of violence against a woman, these individuals tried to justify my attacker’s actions.”

Stallion, in her exclusive tête-à-tête with Elle, said that she camouflaged her trauma while receiving backlash publically. She revealed her strong side but privately struggled with depression. “The truth is that I started falling into a depression,” she admitted. “I didn’t feel like making music. I was in such a low place that I didn’t even know what I wanted to rap about. I wondered if people even cared anymore. There would be times that I’d literally be backstage or in my hotel, crying my eyes out, and then I’d have to pull Megan Pete together and be Megan Thee Stallion.”

In December 2022, Lanez was found guilty of assault with a semiautomatic firearm; possession of a concealed, unregistered firearm; and negligent discharge of a firearm. It marked the beginning of the end of that chapter—and a milestone in Stallion’s journey to healing.

“When the guilty verdict came on December 23, 2022, it was more than just vindication for me, it was a victory for every woman who has ever been shamed, dismissed, and blamed for a violent crime committed against them,” she said. “These last few months, I’ve been healing after being in such a dark place. The physical and mental scars from this entire ordeal will always sting, but I’m taking the appropriate steps to resume my life. I’ve spent the last few months off social media and taking time off for myself, spending time with my dogs, hanging out with my manager, Farris, and doing a lot of praying.”

"I’m in a happier place, but I still have anxiety,” Stallion explained. “Talking about being shot still makes me emotional. I’ve started journaling as a way to better process my thoughts, hopes, and fears. But that’s the process of healing: It’s an ongoing process with moments of fear and uncertainty mixed in with blissful realization. She noted what she had learned from the whole experience and how she is trying to process this part of her life: “I’ve accepted this chapter of my life as part of my journey, but I will not allow it to define my journey. I’ve been dragged through the mud, but I’m so happy that I’m able to finally come out of it with a new perspective.”