Megan Thee Stallion premiered her latest single, “Cobra,” today (Nov. 3). It marked her debut as a fully autonomous artist through her own company, Hot Girl Productions.
In the song, the Houston rapper channeled vulnerability and defiance by revealing the struggles beneath her success. The lyrics offered a glimpse into her internal battles, juxtaposed with the musician’s increasing prominence in the industry.
“Breakin’ down and I had the whole world watchin’/ But the worst part is really who watched me/ Every night I cried, I almost died/ And nobody close tried to stop me/ Long as everybody gettin’ paid, right?/ Everything’ll be okay, right?” she rapped in the first verse. “I’m winnin’, so nobody trippin’/ Bet if I ever fall off, everybody go missin’/ At night, I’m sittin’ in a dark room thinkin’/ Probably why I always end up drinkin’/ Yes, I’m very depressed/ How can somebody so blessed wanna slit they wrist?”
Elsewhere in the track, Megan spat, “Pulled up, caught him cheatin’, gettin’ his d**k sucked in the same spot I’m sleepin’/ Lord, give me a break, I don’t know how much more of this s**t I can take.” Fans speculated that the aforementioned lyrics could be calling out songwriter Pardison Fontaine for infidelity. The pair reportedly began dating in 2021, although they called it quits earlier this year.
Watch the Douglas Bernardt-directed video below.
Online, fans praised the artist for being open about her mental health. One user wrote, “Megan Thee Stallion perfectly expressed how absolutely heartbreaking it is to feel like you are a resource and that alone.”
Another added, “I love that Megan Thee Stallion’s new song is about shedding her past like a cobra sheds it’s skin. She speaks on suicidal ideation, depression, [and] grief. I love that she brings awareness to mental health.”
Check out some of the support she received on Twitter below.
In October, the three-time Grammy winner made it clear that her journey forward is a self-funded endeavor. She took to Instagram Live to announce her independence. “It’s all coming straight out of Megan Thee Stallion’s pocket,” she asserted. “[I’m] so excited because it’s really just me this go-round until we sign to a new label. I don’t want to sign to a new label right now because I just want to do it myself until I’m completely out of [this deal].”
The release of “Cobra” also followed Megan’s settlement with former label 1501 Certified Entertainment. Last month, attorneys for both parties confirmed a confidential agreement was reached, concluding their legal contention and paving the way for the artist’s new direction.
Megan has been trickling out fresh tracks over the past few months. She collaborated with Cardi B on “Bongos” and dropped “Out Alpha the Alpha” for the D**ks: The Musical soundtrack. The former debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.