If someone asked you who you think will be the next big rapper to change the game, and you said Doechii … Well, let’s just say you’re not wrong, though her fame isn’t going to come without pushbacks.
If you somehow don’t know who she is, Doechii is a black female rapper and singer from Tampa, Florida. Doechii isn’t that new to the rap scene, but her popularity is. She started releasing music independently in 2019 with her first album, “Coven Music Session, Vol. 1.” In 2020, she released “Oh the Places You’ll Go,” containing her first major hit, “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake,” which went viral on TikTok.
Her most recent album, “Alligator Bites Never Heal,” released Aug. 30, 2024, leading her to earn her first Grammy — “Best Rap Album of the Year.”
Doechii is nothing short of eccentric.
In her music video for “Denial Is a River,” Doechii references the nineties sitcom “Family Matters” and features spoken word done by Issa Rae. Doechii utilizes onomatopoeia towards the end of the track. The color scheme of the music video — like her album cover — contains shades of dark green, cream and brown tones that create a weird and uncomfortable feel.
From her hair and fashion sense to her flow and lyricism, Doechii exudes uniqueness. In fact, I don’t think “eccentric” or “unique” fully encapsulate her style and flare. Doechii is bold, explicit and raw, and her music always represents that.
The album “Alligator Bites Never Heal,” containing 19 tracks — the extended version containing one more — intertwines themes of embracing individuality with the struggles of dealing with critics and negative opinions. She introduces topics like success and money but also talks about greed and the problems that come with success.
Being the first major success story in her family wasn’t easy. In her track “Bloom,” she highlights her dreams of wanting to drop the reality of life to pursue fame in a big city.
In her music, Doechii talks about the expectations that come from those around you. She is not just talking about haters or fans — but also her record label, family, friends and significant others.
She is highlighting a struggle that not many artists talk about, as it is common to boast about becoming rich once you reach fame. She isn’t afraid to be real even if it means sacrificing an image or reputation given to her.
When it comes to going against the expectations placed upon her for the sake of being herself, Doechii isn’t just doing that by being open about her background. She does it simply by the way she carries herself. She isn’t always going to wear the clothes that one would expect a rapper to wear — she typically wears button-down collared t-shirts with a tie.
Interestingly, the way she dresses, coupled with her intensity, has introduced conversations about whether Doechii is feminine enough.
There is currently a stereotypical idea of femininity that is fogging the minds of Hip-Hop listeners. It is one that isn’t explicitly stated, but it affects the way that female artists present themselves through every video, every song and every bar.
If we look at artists like Saweetie and Ice Spice and how they garnered their popularity, a lot can be attributed to the way they look and dress. Both women are beautiful, and if you watch their music videos or listen to the lyrics of their music, it becomes undeniable why people adore them. When “talent” is nothing short of mediocrity, aesthetics have to make up for it.
Modern rap listeners of today are so tied up with the aesthetics that they want to see from an artist that they lose focus as to why people rap in the first place: to tell a story. What sets a mediocre rapper apart from a regular one is when they can tell a compelling story in a way that makes it artistic.
Let’s be real: Doechii’s style isn’t going to be an easy pill to swallow. Honestly, I think that is what sets her apart from other artists today. Doechii is well aware of her haters and the people who project their opinions of what she is supposed to be like onto her. Therefore, she is going to do the only thing that she can do, which is to keep being herself.
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