Megan Thee Stallion is a global powerhouse, but the "Hot Girl" persona wasn't built in a vacuum. Most fans know about her mother, Holly Thomas, the rapper who managed Meg until her passing in 2019. But there's another figure who shaped the Grammy winner’s life just as deeply: her father, Joseph Pete Jr. He wasn't around for the first eight years of her life. He was behind bars.
When people search for Megan Thee Stallion’s father, they often find fragments. A name, a few grainy photos on Instagram, and the tragic fact that he died when she was just a freshman in high school. But if you listen to Megan talk, you realize Joseph Pete Jr. was more than a statistic. He was the man she called her "best friend." He’s the reason she has such a thick skin and a fierce sense of loyalty today.
The Eight-Year Gap and the Reunion
Imagine being a little girl in San Antonio and Houston, knowing your dad is away but not quite grasping why. For Megan, those first eight years were defined by his absence. Joseph Pete Jr. was incarcerated during her early childhood, leaving her to be raised in a household dominated by strong women—her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
Then he came home.
Honestly, that could have gone sideways. A lot of kids struggle to bond with a parent who’s been gone that long. Not Megan. Once Joseph was released, they were inseparable. She’s described him as a "full-time hustler" in the best sense—someone who worked tirelessly to make up for lost time. He wasn't just a dad; he became her confidant. He taught her how to navigate the world with her head held high, a trait that clearly stuck.
A Bond Cut Short
The tragedy of Joseph Pete Jr. isn't just that he went to prison, but that he died so soon after getting his life back on track with his daughter. Megan was only 15 years old.
Think about that. You finally get your best friend back, you spend a few years soaking up everything he has to teach you, and then he's gone. She was a freshman at Pearland High School when it happened. Losing a parent at that age is a specific kind of trauma—it’s right when you’re starting to figure out who you are. For Megan, it meant her world got a lot smaller, and her mother became her sole anchor.
What Most People Get Wrong About Joseph Pete Jr.
There's a misconception that because he was in jail, he was a "deadbeat" or an uninvolved parent. Megan has fought that narrative her entire career. In a 2020 interview with Marie Claire, she was super clear: "My dad was definitely my best friend."
He didn't just sit around. He instilled a sense of community in her. He told her she was a star before the rest of the world knew what a "Stallion" was. People often focus on the rap influence from her mom, but the "hustle" and the business mindset? That was Joseph. He taught her that you don't let anyone see you sweat.
- He was a protector. Megan often speaks about how he made her feel safe.
- He was a mentor. He taught her how to stand her ground in a room full of men.
- He was a visionary. He saw her potential long before the record deals.
The Pete and Thomas Foundation: A Living Legacy
In 2022, Megan did something most celebrities do for tax breaks, but for her, it was deeply personal. She launched the Pete and Thomas Foundation.
The name says it all.
By putting her father's name (Pete) alongside her mother’s (Thomas), she ensured that Joseph’s legacy wasn't just "the guy who went to jail." The foundation focuses on three things they cared about: education, housing, and health. It’s her way of keeping him in the conversation. In July 2025, she held the inaugural gala for the foundation, raising over $1.2 million. At 30 years old, she’s still doing the work they taught her to do.
"I feel like my daddy is like, 'This is exactly what I knew my child was gonna do,'" she told People at the event. It’s a bittersweet sentiment. He never got to see her win a Grammy or headline Coachella, but in her mind, he already knew it was coming.
Why This History Matters Today
Understanding Megan Thee Stallion’s father is the key to understanding why she’s so resilient. When you lose both parents by your mid-20s—her mother in 2019 and her father a decade earlier—you have two choices. You fold, or you become a "Stallion."
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Megan chose the latter.
She often posts tributes to him on Father’s Day, sharing those rare photos of them together. It’s a reminder that behind the "Savage" lyrics and the high-fashion covers is a girl who really just misses her dad. He wasn't a perfect man, and he’d be the first to tell you that, but he was her man.
Lessons from Joseph Pete Jr.'s Life
If there’s an actionable takeaway from Joseph's story, it’s about redemption and the power of the short-term. He only had a few years with his daughter as a free man, but he made them count so much that she’s still talking about him 15 years later.
If you want to honor the legacy Megan is building, look toward the Pete and Thomas Foundation. You can support their mission in Houston by donating or volunteering for their scholarship programs. Real change happens when you turn personal grief into a public good, exactly like Megan did.
Focus on the people who saw you before the fame. That's what Megan does every time she mentions Joseph Pete Jr. He might be gone, but in the world of the Hotties, he’s never forgotten.