Freestyling her way to freedom: A look at Bay Area rapper Lil MC’s musical journey

By Loureen Ayyoub

For Bay Area artist and mentor Megan Correa, known on stage as Lil MC, hip-hop has always been more than music; it’s been a lifeline.

“I don’t even know if I’d be here today if it hadn’t been for music, to be honest,” Correa said.

Correa began making music at just 5 years old, playing various instruments, but it was during high school that she found her true voice through rap. Since then, she has used the mic to process deep pain and trauma from her past.

“I underwent a lot of sexual trauma when I was younger,” she said. “And that was really confusing for me. I didn’t really know how to articulate what had happened to me.”

That confusion followed her for years, leading to substance abuse and a cycle of toxic relationships. Eventually, she faced a moment that forced her to confront her life head-on. A recurring episode of domestic violence with her then-partner had reached its peak.

“I finally had to make a choice,” Correa said. “My friends and family members around me knew I was unsafe. I almost died. In going through an experience where you are at the edge of life and death… I was being choked and I was able to let out one scream, and that was enough to get him off of me.”

Surviving that violence became a turning point. Through music, Correa found a way to process and release the trauma she had long suppressed.

“I repressed a lot of those memories,” she said. “When I started freestyling, the interesting thing about that is, you’re kind of turning off all of those cognitive muscles. You’re just kind of allowing energy to flow freely through you.”

Now, Correa channels that same energy of expression into helping others heal. As a mentor with Hip Hop for Change, a Bay Area nonprofit that uses hip-hop to educate and empower youth, she teaches young artists to use creativity as a tool for self-expression and resilience.

With a new album on the way, Lil MC is reflecting on how far she’s come and how her definition of freedom has evolved.

“Looking back now, I’m like, wow, I’m really proud of that young woman,” Correa said.

“Even though at the time I was so filled with shame. So I think freedom really looks like just having the autonomy and liberty to move on your own, and not feel reliant on another person. And also not holding on to the shame and the guilt. When you’re comfortable loving yourself, forgiving yourself, and then in turn, forgiving that person.”

Through every lyric, Lil MC continues to rewrite her story and helps others find the courage to do the same.