Lets talk about the Lilith symbolism in Cardi B’s latest music video.
Lilith was Adam’s first wife, the first woman on Earth, or the first emanation of the earthly feminine, and she was created at the same time as Adam as his equal. The mythology goes that Lilith refused to be subservient to Adam, including sexually, since she was created as his equal, and because of that she flew away from Eden into the desert (fair enough). She is often depicted in art with a serpent wrapped around her.
The creation story isn’t what we think it is and the serpent in the Book of Genesis story is not necessarily what religion tells us it is either. Serpents in mythology are intricately connected to the feminine and women. Lilith is sometimes seen as being the serpent who is trying to awaken Eve out of her slumber and away from dependency on a false god. And yes, I am referring to the god of the Book of Genesis as a false god because the infinite, eternal Mother/Father God would never be jealous and would never punish its children.
Lilith symbolises wanton sexual power, sexual freedom and self expression. She has understandably been demonised by the patriarchal religious tradition and her role as the original unshackled wild feminine was turned into something else. But Lilith is slowly returning, in many different embodiments.
Cardi B’s and Megan Thee Stallion’s video has clear Lilith symbology: Serpents wrapped around their almost naked bodies while they are lying on sand in a room looking like a desert. Sexually powerful poses and expressions of powerful feminine sexuality. Animals throughout the video, which can be an expression of the untamed feminine nature.
Does it make some people uncomfortable? Yes. Lilith is not here to make us comfortable but I also think she likes to have fun and wants us to lighten up.
Whether Cardi B, or the people directing the video, are consciously aware of the Lilith symbology or not is not necessarily relevant. What is relevant is that it’s there, and in my eyes she is still embodying this archetype in the video and lyrics. Sometimes we have to look beyond the initial surface impression to get to the mythos being enacted.
The Goddess comes in multiple forms. The rising of the Divine Feminine in all her aspects is not limited to just some archetypes. It has to include all. What I would call the Lilith wound is something that has been internalised in many lineages for so long; the shaming and suppression of feminine sexuality and women’s sexual expression. This is slowly being released but sometimes it needs an extra push.
Even if you don’t resonate with the particular expression of sexuality that Cardi B chooses to embody here, the energetic push lies in that female sexuality gets to express itself however it wants to. It gets to have fun and not take itself too seriously while at the same time taking up the space it deserves and be completely unapologetic about it.
*Since writing this I have realised that they are also channelling the African deity Mami Wata. I have to admit that because of my Western/European lensing all I saw was Lilith at first. I still believe she is there but so is Mami Wata.
Art by Katherine Skaggs, John Collier, Cardi B and Unknown
