Singer, songwriter, rapper, and music producer, The Mighty Cobra brings modern Dancehall to the limelight with his latest single, “Bonfire.” Set to a contagious beat, “Bonfire” leads listeners through a healing, upbeat journey. The single is one of five tracks on his EP, Set the Pace.
“‘Cobra’ was my father’s nickname since the 70s,” explains The Mighty Cobra of his moniker. “He was ‘DJ Cobra’ back home in Grenada. Then my older brother became known as ‘DJ Cobra II.’ I wanted to carry on the tradition but as an artist, not a DJ.” ‘The Mighty Cobra’ is also a nod to the Mighty Sparrow, a Grenadian-Trinidadian vocalist and songwriter known as the “Calypso King of the World.” “‘Mighty Cobra’ made sense,” continues the artist. “It combines one of my favorite artists and upholds the family legacy.”
Hailing from Grenada, West Indies, The Mighty Cobra found home in Brooklyn, New York, where he was raised on a blend of West Indian cultures. “The different islands blended in Crown Heights, Brooklyn and my family alone expanded with Trinidadian and Jamaican relatives. The way I speak, rhyme and sing reflect both urban and West Indian cultures that have shaped me”.
The Mighty Cobra started writing rhymes and rapping in his youth as a rite of passage in Brooklyn. He began performing regularly around the city, following the hip-hop scene in the early 2000s. “I had a number of crowd-hyping rhymes I would perform with stage bands regularly at venues like Groove, Village Underground, Café Wha, and Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe. I would also often freestyle to beats I would make up with the band on the night. Every performance had a different energy!” The Mighty Cobra moved to Sydney, Australia, for several years, and void of his hip-hop collaborators from Brooklyn, went on to teach himself music production. He continued to perform there, with the local chapter of the Universal Zulu Nation. He moved back to New York in 2012 to a different energy in hip hop and he decided to dive deeper into music production.
To The Mighty Cobra, music has taken on a new meaning over the years. “When I first made music, I approached it from the angle of an entertainer telling stories of the life in the hood, and the struggles within it. But, at this point, I’m approaching music differently, with more intention as a messenger.”
The Mighty Cobra’s latest single, “Bonfire,” is the third track of his recent EP. “The EP is centered around positivity and fighting for rights and justice,” shares the artist. “‘Bonfire’ is about reconnecting with nature and burning away negative energy. The song was inspired by The Mighty Cobra’s retreats to upstate New York, where immersion with nature allowed him experiences of healing and release. “I want listeners to go into a trance and feel that energy,” shares The Mighty Cobra.
Overall, the EP embraces a Caribbean vibe in every song either through music or vocals. “It’s a feel-good album,” adds The Mighty Cobra. The EP begins with an introduction to the artist and his values in “Enter the Mighty Cobra.” “Set the Pace” comes next as a civil rights protest song, followed by “Bonfire.” The fourth track, “Life That’s Gone” is a tribute to loved ones lost and celebrating their lingering presence. In fact, The Mighty Cobra’s return to music was inspired by a late friend who came to him in a dream and pushed him to lay down lyrics to beats he had produced and parked. “There Where We Are” closes the EP with a reflection on the current state of society.
“I chose ‘Bonfire’ as my single because people need some healing right now,” tells The Mighty Cobra. “There’s a lot happening in the world that people are traumatized by, so it’s important to focus on the good now and come together as a form of resistance.”
“Bonfire” is available on all streaming platforms, with promotional support from Starlight PR.
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