Megan Thee Stallion’s career in the music industry has been distinguished by her fearless and unapologetic dedication to her craft. On November 3, 2023, she not only continued her unrelenting reputation but expanded her sound, strengthened her relationship with her followers, and vulnerably documented her profound period of rebirth both personally and artistically. After parting ways with her long-time record deal, ending an emotional trial against rapper Tory Lanez, and receiving subsequent online abuse, Megan Thee Stallion released her long-awaited, independently produced single ‘Cobra.’ Megan is allowing her audience to witness a more authentic and nuanced version of herself by transcending boundaries and redefining her image in the public eye.
“Just as a snake sheds its skin, we must shed our past, over and over again,” Megan Thee Stallion’s floating mouth says right before she is seen crawling out of a cobra’s mouth that has recently molted in the official music video for ‘Cobra.’ In this single, Megan does not shy away from taboo and heavy topics. From the offset, she makes blunt references to alcoholism, depression, and self-harm. These sensitive topics differ wildly from the usual themes of her catchy hip-hop songs. Megan deliberately notes this deviation from the norm and subsequently deconstructs it. Materialism and sexualization, key facets of her past artistry, are portrayed as vices used to mask her problems and dehumanize her in the process. Megan says multiple times, “this pu**y depressed,” a clear display of the derealization and disconnection to her mental illness that her music career has caused. She is unable to call herself depressed and emphasizes that her sexuality is all she’s valued for in a music industry that often dehumanizes black female artists in the public eye. In her music video, she visually represents this issue by Megan peeling off old skin in a locked glass box while anonymous people (the public eye) stand around taking pictures on cellular devices.
Megan strategically alludes to cobras because they are a prominent symbol of healing and renewal. Cobras can also be seen as a metaphor for black women; they wear a strong, hard, and tough exterior (their scales), but vulnerability is required to achieve growth and progression (molting/shedding skin). Black women often find themselves suffocating under the weight of societal exigent expectations that demand them to embody strength and exhibit emotional fortitude at all times. The damaging stereotype of the “strong black woman” perpetuates the destructive notion that black women should shoulder life’s responsibilities and burdens without displaying vulnerability or searching for support. This is especially enforced upon successful black women with a platform.
Through her shift in creative expression, Megan Thee Stallion is working to dismantle these stereotypes to provide not only herself but all black women the space and freedom to explore and embrace the full spectrum of their emotions without guilt. Her decoy away from her usual topics of sexual liberation and luxurious living has allowed her to empower her fans who may be experiencing similar emotional turmoil and struggle with their mental health.
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Thee Stallion Sheds her Skin with Cobra
November 16, 2023
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