Rap music had another banner year in 2024. Artists like Tyler, the Creator, Vince Staples, Common, Lupe Fiasco, Schoolboy Q, and Rapsody addednew signature releasesto their catalogs.Kendrick Lamarnot only had his widely publicized beef with fellow rapperDrakebut also put out a stellar album in the surprise-droppingGNX. Even legacy acts likeEminemandSnoop Dogg(with Dr. Dre producing Snoop) had something new to offer fans and casual listeners alike.
But amid this widespread creative outburst from the genre, I think the broader statement made by a newer rapper’s 2024 mixtape was the most significant of all. Some detractors have undersold it. Didn’t take it seriously. Dismissed her as a plant of the music industry simply because they deemed her popularityto be rising “too fast.“Too suddenly. But when you listen toAlligator Bites Never Healonce, twice, or many times (which I recommend), you’ll begin to understand one thing.
The artist dubbed theSwamp Princessis here to stay, and she’s going straight to the top.
Doechii Does It Differently
The Talent Is Eye-Popping
Doechiiaffectionately refers to herself as “Swamp Princess” as a nod to her roots as a native of Tampa, Florida, but that’s about where the sweetness ends when it comes to her rap game persona. Debuting with the mixtapeCoven Music Session, Vol. 1in 2019, Doechii has had atake-no-prisoners mentalitythat’s elevated her rapping style from the pages of TikTok and Soundcloud to signing with Lamar’s former record label, Top Dawg Entertainment, in 2022. The growing spotlight has only seemed to spur the artist toward greater heights, especially when factoring in last year’s release ofAlligator Bites Never Heal.
The mixtape bristles with a manic energy that lingerssomewhere between hurt, humor, and a hunger to tear up the scenery(and anyone that might happen to stand in Doechii’s way). Fast-slithering verses slash and dash between the allure of bombastic, head-nodding beats as Doechii pulls back the curtain on her vices, relationships gone brutally wrong, and the wounds of lingering insecurities, all framed in the confidence of a distorted, growling smile.Alligator Bites Never Healkeeps the listener on edge in that distortion, never quite knowing if the experience is a joyride or a car sliding off the rails.
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Doechii feels like a throwback to female rappers in the mold of Lauryn Hill and Missy Elliott with a dash of Salt-N-Pepa mixed in with TLC. She has the confidence to be both vulnerable and in your face in the same breath and has the type of agile lyrical punch that combines the best of both classic and contemporary raps. Doechii’s presence onAlligator Bites Never Healisan empowering thrill, and tracks like “Denial Is a River,” “Boiled Peanuts,” “Nissan Altima,” “Death Roll,” and “Beverly Hills” are just some of the highlights along the way.
The Results Justify The Successes
Good Work Pays Off
Doechii has performed on national television, been hyped up by the Hip Hop community at large for her output, and won a Grammy in February for Best Rap Album. And when you’re only the third woman to ever win a Grammy in that category,it doesn’t happen by accident. The widespread success of rap in its history has been male-dominated, and that doesn’t change overnight. It requires a level of talent to come along that turns heads in such a significant way that the resulting work can’t be ignored. Can’t just be swept aside and given lip service.
AndAlligator Bites Never Healhas the type of ferocity that makes it impossible to look the other way when it comes to Doechii. The rapper has already announced she has plansto release an album later this yearthat explores a variety of sounds, including plenty of live instrumentation. The proposed project would be Doechii’s long-awaited debut LP following the release of three initial mixtapes and would be the perfect time from both a creative and PR standpoint for her to further take the rap (and overall music) game by force. The anticipation of the album continues to build.
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So why some of this anti-Doechii criticism? Call it baseless or truthless. Call it jealousy to see a woman of color succeeding so well in what’s traditionally a male-led art form. You could even call itgood old-fashioned online trolling.
What I know to call it is this. We’re seeing a star in the making in Doechii, so join the bandwagon or grab a seat on the rocket ship.
