Megan Thee Stallion wears independence well in her new single “Cobra.” After a legal battle to the bitter end with her former label, she is taking all she’s fought for and stepping out on her own.

Through an Instagram live on Oct. 12, Megan announced she would be fully funding her next project.

She explained she has no label and no interest in signing to one right now. 

That same evening the free agent dropped “Cobra” teaser images featuring a snake motif, officially introducing this new era. The grainy quality, vintage green color grading and abstract shots of ivory snakes, dripping fangs and sharp, chunky jewelry remind folks of her love for film. It is also a reminder that Megan is an artist with an eye for concept and the dedication to see that concept through to the end. 

In a teaser clip released on Oct. 23, while covered in shadows that reveal venomous fangs and piercing snake eyes, Megan states, “Just as a snake sheds its skin, we must shed our past over and over again.”

Through a series of tweets before the release of the single, she expressed how personal the song is to her. She even had a hand in producing the track.

Needless to say, sights were set to see how well she’d fly now that she could finally leave a nest that was never much of a home. 

Megan Thee Stallion has never shied away from talking mental health

Discussing mental health through her music is nothing new for the Houston Hot Girl, but those tracks are nearly always relegated to b-sides.

“Cobra” is the first single ushering in her independent debut

Without the hovering of a label, whose top priority is the almighty dollar, Megan’s priority, as an artist, obviously lies in telling a cohesive, compelling story. The rollout was introduced as “Act One,” after all. 

“Cobra” opens with Megan emerging, bare, from the mouth of the titular snake to the gritty revving up of an electric guitar with a sinister synth just beneath. It’s a tire in the mud, a horse hoof in the dust, a thin line between quiet and chaos.

It’s these clipped yet impactful notes that carry the entire song, before the thunder that’s been rumbling in the distance strikes the earth in the electric outro. 

There’s no hedging when it comes to her lyricism either.

Her statements are matter-of-fact, take it or leave it, with a hook that doesn’t ask for permission when taking what’s deserved. Megan’s platform is undeniable but it’s clear in “Cobra” that she’s got no more time or energy for the nonsense. 

Though the single was released weeks ago, it continues to cause ripple effects with Megan’s fans and even former partners.

After having her every move, word, and look scrutinized by the public, the meat of the track calls out the hypocrisy of the constant surveillance.

She confesses thoughts of suicide and self-harm, admits to missing her late parents and depending on alcohol to cope. It’s through sharing her raw, unfiltered truth that Megan eulogizes her past and reclaims her personal power and autonomy.