As improbable as it may seem with just two weeks left until 2025, Doechii’s breakout year just keeps getting better. After capturing fans’ hearts with her live performances for Colbert, NPR, and the residents of Nickerson Gardens in Watts, California, Doechii’s got another live performance going crazy viral on social media — this time, largely as a result of who joins her in the studio.
Performing “Denial Is A River” for Genius’ Open Mic series, Doechii teams up with the original Awkward Black Girl herself, Issa Rae, who takes on the role of Doechii’s therapist from the song. This turns out to be a very good casting for Issa, who displays captivating chemistry with the Florida-born rapper as they go back and forth over the song’s conversational breakdown. Fans on social media are going gaga over the performance, noting that Doechii would have fit right in on Insecure — and expressing hopes for a return of Issa Rae’s rap alter ego from that show on a potential remix.
Genius producer Andrés Tardio explained the vision behind the performance on his socials, writing, “I had this crazy idea while listening to Doechii’s “Denial is a River” one day. What if Issa Rae played the role of Doechii’s therapist in a special live rendition of the song? That idea is now real! Doechii and Issa showed up and made magic with their incredible talent and star power. Just undeniable greatness. So many great minds came together to bring this to life in such a dope way. Watch the credits for some of those names but also for a special bonus moment too!”
Doechii shared a lengthy statement on social media, Wednesday night, discussing the importance of hip-hop and the evolution of the genre. It comes as she’s been blowing up in popularity throughout 2024, following the release of her mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal. On social media in recent days, some users have been criticizing her music for being too deep.
“Our music has always been deep,” she began. “It’s always been complex and it’s always been soulful/spiritual. We use hip hop to evolve. To protest. To celebrate. Etc. Art/music plays a role in why a lot of us are proud to be black today. Our culture is all through these genres. Don’t let these people brainwash you into disconnecting from the soul of hip hop by convincing you it isn’t cool or it’s ‘too deep.’ It’s always been that deep for us and it should stay that way. We created it! Once we lose the soul we’ve lost the genre.”
Doechii Performs During “Alligator Bites Never Heal” Tour
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 13: Recording artist Doechii performs during her “Alligator Bites Never Heal” tour at Center Stage Theater on November 13, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
She continued: “Nobody should be redefining our art form but us. Anybody talking sh*t about hip hop that makes you think or makes you feel something— should immediately be recognized as a opp. Ask yourself what they gain from us watering down our music, taking the soul out, only discussing surface level topics and becoming less conscious. Only a specific group of people benefit from us not being introspective. Tighten up.”
Doechii Discusses The Importance Of Hip-Hop
The statement comes after Doechii announced plans to drop her major label debut album, next year, during an interview with Variety. She also recently made headlines for performing on NPR’s Tiny Desk. Check out Doechii’s full post on X below.
Doechii shares her thoughts on the importance of hip-hop:
“Nobody should be redefining our art form but us. Anybody talking sh*t about hip hop that makes you think or makes you feel something— should immediately be recognized as a opp” pic.twitter.com/zviGmScwJ0
Doechii performed her two hit songs, “Boiled Peanuts” and “Denial is a River,” during an appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Wednesday night. The tracks stem from her acclaimed 2024 mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal. Doechii discussed how she choreographed the performance in a post on X (formerly Twitter) afterward.
“I felt heavily inspired by the lineage of Hip Hop and how it contributes to who I am today,” she wrote. “This is my first self choreographed performance and one of the most important things I wanted to highlight was my connection to black women through Hip Hop. With the help of hair artist Malcom Marquez, we were able to make this symbolic art performance come to life in just a short week.”
Doechii Performs During “Alligator Bites Never Heal” Tour
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 13: Recording artist Doechii performs during her “Alligator Bites Never Heal” tour at Center Stage Theater on November 13, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
Doechii also cited Carlota Guerrero, Solange, and MF DOOM as inspirations for the performance. “This is my take on the future of Hip Hop. This is blackness. This is luxury. This is history. Thank you to the @colbertlateshow team for having us on your show! And thank you to my true fans for always showing up to every performance and sharing my music. SWAMP4L,” she further wrote. Fans have been showing plenty of love for the performance in her replies on social media.
Doechii Performs During “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert”
Doechii dropped Alligator Bites Never Heal back in August to critical acclaim. It’s currently up for Best Rap Album at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards with the lead single, “Nissan Altima,” competing for Best Rap Performance. Additionally, Doechii earned a nomination for Best New Artist for the success of the project. Check out Doechii’s full performance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert below.
This one is for Hip Hop.
I felt heavily inspired by the lineage of Hip Hop and how it contributes to who I am today. This is my first self choreographed performance and one of the most important things I wanted to highlight was my connection to black women through Hip Hop. With… pic.twitter.com/AXd5ydEYrF
Sunday night at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, Doechii made her case for succession as rap’s newest royal. Over the past three years, Doechii has been preparing the land for a fruitful run, but since the Florida native rolled out her debut mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal, her upward trajectory has become nothing so much as a vertical line. Her tour stop in Los Angeles to promote the project highlighted how much she’s been able to do with all that newfound attention.
The choice to occupy the 800-cap venue — an underplay if ever there was one — was one that many of Doechii’s contemporaries have foregone over the past couple of years. The last time I saw Doechii perform live was almost a year ago to the day, when she opened for Doja Cat’s Scarlet tour. At the time, she didn’t have a full-length project out and only had a thirty-minute set, but still managed one of the most elaborate opening performances I’ve seen to this day. Conventional wisdom might dictate another large stage with similar production, but that’s clearly not how Top Dawg Entertainment — the rapper’s current label home — rolls.
Doechii’s recent ascension could easily have justified a spot at The Fonda or The Belasco — spots I’ve taken in plenty of acts at or around similar levels of notoriety in past years. A quick glance at ticket resellers’ sites just an hour before showtime conveyed just how highly demanded tickets to the sold-out show really were, at one point reaching over $1,000. For contrast, I saw another artist at the same venue a week before and bought tickets the day of for under $40. But rather than book, say, The Novo or The Wiltern, and risk having to cancel dates the same way that so many artists have done in the past two years, Doechii’s management secured a win — and ensured the undying loyalty of everyone in attendance. That’s a chess move worthy of royalty.
Of course, this strategy hinges on Doechii’s ability to rock an hour-long set at a level that would justify the demand. I’m happy to report that the self-declared Swamp Princess didn’t even look winded at the end of the night, despite the additional 30 minutes, and Doechii’s performance proved every bit as magnetic and compelling even without the airboat and dancers she employed on the Scarlet tour. Stripping down to the base elements of hip-hop — an MC and a DJ, Miss Milan — the set resembled Doechii’s new mixtape in a way, echoing the vibe evoked (and lampooned) by her set-opening single, “Boom Bap.” Doechii’s interplay with the crowd, composed of a diverse array of 20-somethings adorned in country club drag to reflect the artist’s styling, was electric, resembling the dynamics of pop crowds as much as rap ones — unless you’re talking about Tyler The Creator, someone who has proved that he’s on top of the rap pyramid lately.
All of which were reasons Doechii’s succession has appeared all but assured. Her tour is sure to leave fans — already willing to go all-in on their appreciation through cosplay and absolutely unhinged demand — clamoring for more. The response to Alligator Bites Never Heal online as a project has overshadowed even more established artists, standing out from a crowded field in 2024 thanks to timely co-signs from some of rap’s biggest names. And Doechii herself seems prepared for it, carrying herself with regal charisma and relatable humility while putting on one helluva show. The crown is waiting; it’s only a matter of time until the Swamp Princess is rap’s new queen.
Kendrick Lamar is famously social media averse, but every so often, he does pop up on the apps when he feels something is important enough to speak on. Apparently, Doechii’s debut mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal, is one of those things. The Compton rapper reposted Doechii’s mixtape cover from her post on his Instagram Story, giving his assessment in a simple, three-word caption: “The hardest out.” Kendrick Lamar and Doechii were briefly labelmates on Top Dawg Entertainment.
Kendrick isn’t the only one showing appreciation for Doechii’s multifaceted rap skills. Pop star Katy Perry tapped the Florida rapper for a single from her new album, 143, “I’m His, He’s Mine,” debuting the song during her performance at the 2024 MTV VMAs as she was honored with a Video Vanguard Award. Meanwhile, Doechii’s Alligator Bites Never Heal Tour has been receiving rave reviews on social media for its elaborate staging and polished performance, which she had plenty of opportunity to practice when she opened for Doja Cat’s Scarlet Tour last year.
In addition to giving editorial praise to Doechii on Instagram, Kendrick Lamar also gave her more exposure via his PgLang agency, which cast her in its latest short film for Cash App’s “This Is Money” campaign. In “The Barbershop,” Doechii explains how to make use of interest to ensure that her money is working for her.
You can listen to Alligator Bites Never Healhere, courtesy of Top Dawg Entertainment.
Doechii has been part of the Top Dawg Entertainment team for years, and now she has finally dropped Alligator Bites Never Heal, her first album for the label. She released the project in August, and today (September 16), she announced that she’s getting ready to tour in support of it, too.
Alligator Bites Never Heal The Tour is set to launch in Atlanta on October 11 before hitting cities in the US and Europe until mid-November.
Ticket sales start with an artist pre-sale for the North American dates on September 17 at 9 a.m. local time. Following that will be the general on-sale starting September 20 at 9 a.m. local time. More information is available on Doechii’s website.
Doechii 2024 Tour Dates: Alligator Bites Never Heal The Tour
10/11 — Atlanta, GA @ The Loft
10/14 — Philadelphia, PA @ Foundry at The Fillmore
10/15 — New York, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/16 — Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
10/21 — Berlin, Germany @ Lido
10/24 — Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Bitterzoet
10/25 — Paris, France @ Alhambra
10/28 — London, UK @ Village Underground
11/02 — San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
11/03 — West Hollywood, CA @ The Roxy
11/12 — Tampa, FL – Crowbar
11/14 — Washington, DC @ Union Stage
Doechii recently unleashed her new project Alligator Bites Never Heal, which has earned her a great deal of praise from fans and peers alike. TDE’s Top Dawg was even quick to compare her to Kendrick Lamar, claiming that the mixtape evokes similar feelings in him that he did in his early days. “@doechii Alligator Bites Never Heal out now !! What are your thoughts & standouts so far ? I have the same feeling I had when KDOT dropped Section 80,” he wrote on Instagram. “She’s 1 of those ones 4sho !!!! #TDE20 #TimelessClassicMusic.”
Of course, this prompted supporters to demand a collab. During her recent appearance on The Joe Budden Podcast, Doechii confirmed that she’s more than open to one. According to her, however, she’s not quite ready yet.
Doechii Says She Doesn’t Have The Right Record Yet
“I’ma say this. I don’t assume anything and I also don’t feel entitled to a Kendrick feature,” she said when asked whether or not she “expected” a verse from Kendrick. “But I would absolutely love that. That’s the goal. I’m sure that like, for my debut project, eventually I’m gonna ask Top if he could ask Kendrick, or ask Kendrick myself and see what comes from that.” Doechii continued, revealing that she doesn’t feel like she has the right record yet. She says she wants to approach the collab a certain way, which she’s not prepared for at this point.
“I’ma be real. I don’t think I have the record right now for that opportunity. I think I would have to come a certain way and I don’t think I’m ready for that,” she explained. Fortunately, it appears as though fans won’t have to wait too much longer to hear them on the same track. What do you think of Doechii claiming that she doesn’t have the record for a Kendrick Lamar feature at this point? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Doechii’s new mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal is probably the best project you’ll hear this week, and the Internet is absolutely loving it. Fans new and old are giving this record its due praise, expressing even more excitement for her career and for her next big splash. Moreover, the TDE signee got love from a lot of her hip-hop peers and from her label mates themselves, such as a recent tweet from ScHoolboy Q. “Just Here to say DOEcHii… dats all I care about at da moment,” he expressed. Many listeners certainly share that sentiment, with many remarking that we can expect some amazing things from her next album if this is just the mixtape stuff.
As such, Doechii is one of those rare careers in which the hype cycle around her only continues to grow rather than fall into question with each subsequent release. It’s definitely a lot of pressure, and one that many of her femcee peers are even more subjected to due to how fast their rises to fame are in public perception. But the “BOOM BAP” lyricist is different in that she seems to gain more fans with each move, developing her artistry and showing off her versatility with ease. These are even clear lyrical themes on Alligator Bites Never Heal, so we know that she is just as cognizant of this expectation.
But where other artists would rather replicate and retread, Doechii occupies multiple lanes and can make a hit out of a wealth of skills and talents. This is especially the case for her Swamp Sessions series, in which various songs display the sheer hunger and creativity beneath. “NISSAN ALTIMA” and “FLORIDA WATA” are easy standouts, and should be a part of any deep dive into this catalog.
Meanwhile, Doechii may have gotten ScHoolboy Q’s love this time around, but he doesn’t always take to social media to praise another celebrity (although that will probably always be the case for his label mate). Most recently, he took issue with Michael Rubin’s comments about Black culture on The Breakfast Club. It was a pretty controversial albeit well-meaning moment, so it’s no surprise that Q wanted to chime in. Hopefully, he finds more reasons to be happy and supportive on social media, because that’s what we all should do when antics and controversies don’t get in the way. In any case, stream Alligator Bites Never Heal, and you won’t want to fight online anymore.
There’s no sugarcoating it anymore, Doechii is now on the verge of superstar status after dropping off Alligator Bites Never Heal. This is the debut mixtape from the Tampa, Florida rapper and singer and its via Capitol Records and Top Dawg Entertainment. The 26-year-old rolled out the red carpet for this project slowly but surely through her SWAMP SESSION series on YouTube. Out of all of the songs, the ones that have made the final cut include “NISSAN ALTIMA”, “BULLFROG”, “BOOM BAP”, and “CATFISH”. Throughout her career, the “What It Is” MC has always been able to mix humor and aggressiveness in her music. However, Doechii is now adding more layers to some of her tracks on Alligator Bites Never Heal.
“STANKA POOH” is perhaps the greatest example of this, as she raps about her mortality and the type of legacy she would leave behind if she were to die today. On “DENIAL IS A RIVER”, Doechii gets introspective about a wacky breakup, various stages in her career trajectory, as well as her addictions all while being dynamic and comical in her vocal delivery. Another reason why this mixtape is excellent is because of the irony of “BOOM BAP”. We talked about this track previously and how it’s about how Doechii views herself as more than a “rappity rap” MC. However, a lot of this LP sees her perform over modernized 90’s era boom bap and with great succession at that. Outside of some of the best tracks being a little too short, this will go down as one of the most underrated listening experiences of 2024. Doechii is here y’all.
Doechii may have mocked the concept of “Boom Bap” rap, but she sure is good at it. The Florida-bred Top Dawg Entertainment product made a meal out of poking fun at the idea of being a “rappity rap” rapper ahead of releasing her debut mixtape for the label, Alligator Bites Never Heal, but on the project itself, she proves adept at not only embracing and utilizing classic sounds, but also updating them to make them sound fresh.
In fact, the warm reception to the new project from fickle fans who’ve long derided or outright ignored similarly themed albums suggests that dropping the aforementioned, tongue-in-cheek “Boom Bap” as a single before the mixtape might just have been exactly the right move to get those fans on Doechii’s side. There is a sense among some fans that the “real hip-hop” purveyed by blog era holdovers and Doechii’s labelmates has calcified into self-serious stodginess; by priming her release by undercutting this perception, Doechii presented herself as a serious artist who isn’t too serious to be in on the joke.
Meanwhile, with songs like “Boiled Peanuts” and “GTFO” evoking the slinky basslines, jazzy samples, and hard-hitting kick-snare drums of the mid-90s’ best, Doechii also sets herself apart from some of her Southern contemporaries — think City Girls or Latto — while also aligning herself more closely with the backpacker-lite ethos her label has cultivated over the past decade. It’s a delicate balancing act to pull off; too far into trap and other modern production styles, and she plays into the hands of sexist critics of so-called “female rap” (or, more perjoratively, “pussy rap”). However, going too far in the other direction risked blending in with the murky sounds of fellow TDE artists like Isaiah Rashad and Ab-Soul and getting washed out amid samey production.
Instead, she embraces a little of everything that has made TDE stand out over the years: some of Isaiah’s introspection, some of SZA’s soulful heartbreak, some of Ab-Soul’s playful fascination with flipping the meanings of metaphors, and a bit of Schoolboy Q’s fearless experimentation. The result is a project that’s drawn exuberant acclamation from Megan Thee Stallion lovers and Rapsody evangelists alike. In an increasingly fractured listening landscape, that’s become difficult to do, but like Doja Cat before her, Doechii seems to have found the sweet spot between hip-hop and pop that looks very much like the route to future superstardom.
(@officialdoechii) 
