You might have found yourself mindlessly scrolling through platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, or Instagram when you stumble upon a song, often playing as background music to a skit or a dance routine. Initially, it may strike you as amusing, but then the lyrics start to resonate with you, and suddenly, it becomes relatable.

One such song that has taken over the airwaves in Ghana, particularly on social media, is "Cobra" by Obaapa Gladys, and its popularity shows no signs of slowing down.

The phenomenon started on TikTok, where the "Cobra challenge" emerged. In this challenge, users would dance and sing along to the song, typically referencing individuals in their lives whom they believe exhibit snakelike behavior. Even celebrities like Shatta Wale and Nana Ama McBrown got in on the trend.

But what's the story behind the song, and why did it suddenly explode in popularity? The producer of the song, Fred Kyei Mensah, also known as Fredyma, provided a detailed account of the song's origins.

Fredyma is a legendary music producer and artiste manager, serving as the CEO of Fredyma Studios. With an impressive 39 years in the music industry, Fred Kyei Mensah has played a crucial role in training numerous producers, including JQ and Appietus.

Fredyma is the mastermind behind the trending "Cobra" song. He took to his Facebook page to share the backstory of the song, recounting his initial encounter with Obaapa Gladys. According to him, in 2022, a colleague introduced him to her, explaining that she had an idea for a song that drew parallels between human behavior and that of snakes, particularly the cobra.

“Somewhere last year, my colleague in the music production business, Flash Da Sikk Beatz, introduced this lady, Obaapa Gladys to me that, she has a very interesting lyrics about the behavioral patterns of human nature and likened it to a Cobra. I listened to it and within some few minutes, we created a rhythm for her,” he posted.

Fred Kyei Mensah went on to reveal that he initially had reservations about Obaapa Gladys' vocals in the song. He had suggested that she consider having someone else sing the chorus for her, but she strongly opposed this idea.

Additionally, Fred Kyei Mensah shared that the song was actually released earlier in the year but went relatively unnoticed. It wasn't until the final hours of September that he started receiving calls and notifications, indicating that the song had suddenly gained immense popularity and was spreading like wildfire on social media.

“She released the song early this year on various music portals and didn't hear from her again only for me to be receiving tags on my Facebook, Tik tok and Whatsapp since last Friday about a trending video about a song I have produced only to realize that, it was the COBRA song,” he added.

He linked the rise of the song to the widely publisized resignation of presidential aspirant Alan Kyrematen from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the brouhaha involved. Adding that the song was used to troll significant individuals in the party.

“Boi! I think, the song resonated and connected to Alan's resignation and his formation of his Movement for Change and Kennedy Agyepong's unpleasant and unprintable insults on his party so, a lot of social media freaks, used it to troll them” he said.

Fred Kyei Mensah underscored the importance of the song's lyrics, emphasizing that individuals with snake-like qualities exist in every corner of society. The song's message evidently resonated with many people, contributing to its rapid rise in popularity.

The story behind "Cobra" is a tale of creativity, a relatable message, a stroke of luck, and, much like a cobra awaiting the opportune moment to strike, patience. Fredyma, in his Facebook post, acknowledged and disclosed all the individuals who played various roles in the creation of the song, shedding light on the collaborative effort that led to its success.