I finally sit down at my desk ready to unlock the colorful world of Doechii’s new album Alligator Bites Never Heal. Only recently unearthing the talents of Doechii’s storytelling, I was drawn in with her parables and the fluidity of her beats. When listening through her mixtape you float along the river of her voice, riding the waves of her perspicacity. From one rap to the next, the beat rises and falls, filling the listener with anticipation. Doechii’s raw talent has been recognized by many artists, Kendrick Lamar called her the “hardest out” while referencing her most recent mixtape. She was freshly featured on Tyler, The Creator’s Chromakopia. Their song “Balloon” is a bouncy, chaotic song, becoming even more enticing when you hear Doechii’s solid voice march out of your speaker. Of course, hearing a new artist featured on such a major names album makes a listener curious, and so after listening I promptly pulled up her Spotify profile and queued her most recent mixtape. So, here I am to take you on a journey of my favorite songs, and transform the reader into the listener.
The second song of the mixtape, “Bullfrog,” brings you on a rigid tread of beat where Doechii raps ominously about her growing popularity within the music industry. One of Doechii’s most valuable and unique traits is her ability to fashion deeper meaning lyrics into upbeat and catchy phrases. When rapping about her writing she says “left, right, uppercut, punchlines make ‘em duck, write hooks, up the cut, platinum hits, fuck is up?” The personification of her writing makes for an explosive visual in which the listener can clearly envision the effect of her lyrics both on Doechii and the listener. With the low backing track and Doechiis deep sultry voice she gives the song a mysterious aura, almost anticipating where Doechii will take you next.
“Denial is a River” is her fourth track — a fun, interactional and upbeat song in which Doechii narrates her relationship with music, addiction and partying. Here, Doechii narrates her journey of becoming a known artist and the struggles that come with the pressure of building off of viral songs, while wanting to continue her creative pursuit. The use of conversational rap and the employment of different characters makes this song especially unique. As the track progresses, Doechii recounts how her experiments regarding drugs and partying end up backfiring, ricocheting her back into a place where her self worth was shot. By the end of the song, Doechii is fired up, spitting out lines and ready to put up a fight, only to be reminded of how far she has come in both her career, but who she is as a person.
The seventh track, “Hide n Seek,” is a slower, melodic experience in which Doechii raps about her monomaniacal goal of ‘making it’ within the industry. This lyrically simple song takes you on a listening adventure as you ride the swells of Doechii’s voice, honing in on her musical ability. This particular song delves into Cloud Rap, a subgenre of rap that brings a dreamlike and hazy quality. When listening to “Hide n Seek” Doechii fashions the feeling of being adrift while cruising along on her vocals.
We are officially halfway through the mixtape with Doechii’s ninth song, “Wait.” Doechii’s rhythmic rapping contrasts with the melodious singing of the chorus, fabricating a soulful juxtaposition between her scold rapping and silky vocals. The velvety experience of her chorus calls for living in the present and focusing on what you have in the current moment. Through saying “you should just eat what’s on your plate” she translates the idea that in order to progress you need to focus on the present moment. In the alternate verses she has a harsher rapping style, taking the perspective of protecting your peace. Her gruff approach to conserving her quietude displays her view on the significance of putting yourself first and being dedicated to your passions.
The 11th song on the mixtape, “Profit,” recounts Doechiis tumultuous voyage of her music and the push and pull that comes with being signed to a label. With her songs gaining momentum on TikTok comes pressure to produce music with a similar formula. In this track, Doechii details how she has to continue pushing against the status quo in order to be recognized as one of the greats, to drive creativity forward.
“Nissan Altima” is a popular track, going viral on TikTok for its catchy beat and exciting flow. Doechii shows off her rap talent, spitting out verse after verse with milliseconds allowing for a breath of air. This mantra of sexuality, money up and breaking through the rap seclusion creates an air of intensity that pairs nicely with the intense beat riding the backing track. Through Doechii openly rapping about being a gay Black woman it allows for listeners to both relate and understand her perspective on life. To be a female in the rap game is not an easy feat to begin with, and to be a gay one puts the odds against you even more. In this number you can see Doechii driving the change within the industry.
The final song of note is the 18th song on this mixtape: “Beverly Hills.” This track is a heavily R&B influenced track in which she chronicles the feelings of getting over an ex, and how being out of a relationship can be a freeing and self-realizing experience. The ad libs on the backtrack enunciate the idea of moving on, almost by repeating lyrics she’s grounding herself in this new episode of life. By removing this second entity from her life she is liberating her sense of self, specifically by highlighting how her counterpart adopted many of her mannerisms. This track beautifully closes out this mixtape by vocalizing Doechiis growth and self acceptance.
Doechii enchantingly unfolds the story of her recent years to the listener, stringing them along on her escapades. The unyielding rap paired with alluring vocals formulates an exquisite listening experience in which Doechii relinquishes her secrets for the betterment of her listeners.
Eve Riskind is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at [email protected].