Megan Thee Stallion’s video for "Boa": All the pop culture references we spotted

Megan Thee Stallion’s latest video for "Boa" not only captivates with its vibrant visuals and catchy beats but also packs a plethora of intriguing pop culture nods that are sure to delight fans of gaming and 2000s nostalgia. Here’s a breakdown of all the pop culture references we spotted, each marked with a specific timestamp for those who want to follow along.

Video Synopsis:

The video showcases three characters interacting via webcam, reminiscent of early 2000s chat rooms. The narrative revolves around a pirated game from the dark web, leading to various encounters with Megan Thee Stallion as a game antagonist. Each character faces Megan in different gaming scenarios, with their demise echoing classic horror and gaming fatalities. Follow along with us as we analyze each of the pop culture references we spotted in the video. 

(00:05) Nintendo PlayStation Controller: While this can be chalked up to being just another PC gaming controller, we believe the merging of SNES and Playstation elements to be intentional and a nod to the failed partnership between Nintendo and Sony that led to the Nintendo PlayStation prototype that has captured the imaginations of gaming enthusiasts on what could’ve been.

(00:06) Rosanne’s Couch: An exact replica of the couch from the iconic sitcom "Rosanne," this piece adds a layer of television nostalgia to the setting.

(00:07) UO Rock Star Distressed Sweater: This sweater is actually On Sale at Urban Outfitters, this sweater features elements reminiscent of Ramona Flowers from "Scott Pilgrim" and a prominently placed center chest star potentially nodding to "Steven Universe." 

(00:22) Stay Alive Game: Directly referencing the horror film "Stay Alive," the game includes instructions that mimic the movie’s plot, supplemented by a presentation style reminiscent of aggressive 90s Sega commercials.

(00:30) Boa Hancock from One Piece: Megan's costume and scepter channel Boa Hancock, aligning with the song's title and the character's snake-themed powers from the anime "One Piece."

(00:36) The scene includes a background glimpse of what appears to be a "Midnight Club" game, potentially “Dub Edition” enhancing the early 2000s gaming atmosphere.

(00:48) Scott Pilgrim 'This is BORING': This dialogue references the dry humor from "Scott Pilgrim," capturing its unique narrative style and is a shot for shot reimagining of the scene.

(00:54) Features a knock-off Sega Genesis controller, adding to the retro gaming theme.

(1:12) Dance Gaming Homage: The dance scene, reminiscent of "Space Channel 5" and "Bust a Groove," features Megan in an outfit similar to Comet's alternate costume from Bust A Groove 2, with the floor styled like dance game platforms from arcades.

(1:16) Nintendo Power Glove: This player dons a glove similar to the iconic but commercially unsuccessful Nintendo Power Glove, celebrated for its futuristic appeal when released in 1989 and is featured in the shameless Nintendo advertising vehicle that is Fred Savage’s “The Wizard” that also gave the world a glimpse of Super Mario Brothers 3.

(1:19) Nintendo Zapper Light Gun: This light slingshot peripheral in this scene likely references the Nintendo Zapper, a light gun accessory for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

(1:20) Nintendo 64 Controller & Gaming set up: The scene Briefly features a classic “Atomic Purple” N64 controller, underlining the video's deep dive into retro tech followed by this characters gaming set up featuring an XBox 360 and an actual Zapper Light Gun from the NES. Fun Fact The Zapper in the video is the original from when it debuted in 1985, the Zapper was colored the same light gray and dark gray used for the NES deck itself. However, the Zapper's color scheme was changed in 1989 to comply with the United State's Federal Toy Gun Law, passed the previous year to the Red & Grey that is more recognizable today. 

(1:23) Crash Bandicoot/Temple Run & Ronnie From Players Club: The character animation and background design of this scene is a direct reference to these beloved franchises. Meg’s character in the scene is dressed similarly to Ronnie from the movie “Player’s Club” in the scene where she & Trixx infamously talk Ebony into performing at Junior’s bachelor party.

(1:29) Cyberpunk Connection: Cables connect into Megan’s back in a scene invoking cyberpunk aesthetics seen in 90s Cyber Punk films "The Matrix," and "eXistenZ," both movies also lean heavily on themes from the classic novel the "Neuromancer," which is considered to be the first piece of “Cyber Punk” media. Megan’s costume also recalls "Aeon Flux." MTV’s Cyber Punk Anime from the 90s that was also made into a movie featuring Charlize Theron. 

(1:33) Samurai Showdown Homage: Megan performs a move akin to Nakoruru’s "Annu Mutsube" from "Samurai Showdown," against backdrops evocative of classic beat-em-up games like "Double Dragon" and "Streets of Rage."

(1:55) Executes a finishing move reminiscent of Raiden’s fatality from "Mortal Kombat: Deception," paying homage to the Mortal Kombat series' iconic fatalities. The KO scene is also similar to Scott Pilgrim scene.

(2:25) Revisits the gaming setup. We are given a better angle of the gaming set up here, showing more of the Xbox 360 and Zapper Light Gun, and giving us a view of a second-gen iPod Mini released in 2005 and a mysterious retro handheld we can’t identify! 

(2:34) Christie Monteiro from Tekken: Megan’s outfit mirrors that of Christie Monteiro, known for her capoeira fighting style in the "Tekken" series Her debut in the series came in “Tekken 4” (2001).

Additionally multiple elements from the scene are call backs to games in the “fighting” genre to include Megan’s Acid Spit similar to Reptile form Mortal Kombat. Her extended arms, similar to Dhalsim from Street Fighter and the Rooftop stage which has similarities from the “Chicago Rooftop” stage from Killer Instinct. Megan then poses like Cammy from Street Fighter before executing her finisher a “butt splash” style move similar to R. Mika’s Shooting Peach from Street Fighter. The results of this move leave an “impression” like that suffered by Squidward from Spongebob Squarepants.

(3:10) Playing Snake on a Nokia 3360: Snake was one of the most iconic mobile games of the early 2000s, utilizing the limited graphical capabilities of 90s and early 2000s cell phones; played here on a classic Nokia handset, the 3360 part of the iconic and oft memed Nokia 3000 series known for it’s near indestructibility. Side note. the girl’s room was filled with references to real games, peripherals and an outfit you can order today. It’s interesting the game she was killed while playing a real game on a real device. Making her the only “Real One”. Potentially a subliminal call out?

(3:24) Horror Movie Echo: The final head explosion scene mirrors the infamous death scene from "Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare," using a visual trope common in 80s and 90s horror that began with the 90s film “Scanners”.

Cover Art References:

Megan Thee Stallion has also released multiple versions of cover art for the "Boa" single on her social media, each designed to mimic early 2000s movie or game covers, with nods to "Underworld," which was also ceferenced by the game "Bloody Roar II," when it released(Top Left)  "DOA, or “Dead Or Alive” a popular fighting game mimicked by the game’s titles “BOA". "The Matrix," movie and "Enter The Matrix," game (Top Right). "King of Fighters,"  "Soul Caliber," and "Tekken" are all referenced by the art (Top center). Bottom Left makes us think of Jet Li’s “Rise to Honor” game on Playstation 2. 

Did we catch all the references? If you spotted more, let us know on Blerdz.net and our social platforms:

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