Doechii: she / her / black bitch
Doechii continues to show us that she is the it girl on the rise. After her song “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake” went viral on TikTok in 2021, the Tampa-born rapper was signed to Top Dawg Entertainment. She’s now released her first EP with the label, which came out on August 5th, 2022. While this EP doesn’t show Doechii exploring the same perspectives and narratives in the style of her previous works (Oh the Places You’ll Go explores adolescence, maturity, and Doechii’s experiences as a Black girl through the creation of certain characters), she / her / black bitch is an exploration in its own right. Doechhii “the Don Diva ” does not disappoint with this work, displaying her wide breadth of lyrical talent through this 5-track project.
Just from the cover art and title alone, it is clear that being signed to a mainstream record label isn’t going to dampen Doechii’s artistic expression. She intends to be seen, and seen in a way that she defines for herself. She reclaims the term “bitch”, particularly its racialized form “black bitch” to make a point: she is in control of her own story. The interesting choice to make “black bitch” a pronoun just serves to further this point; she is controlling how you identify her by taking pejoratives and reclaiming them.
“Swamp Bitches”, the first track on the EP, features Rico Nasty– and is my personal stand-out of the project. It begins with a guitar loop and a simple resonating beat. She initially raps slowly, in a deep voice. It’s worth noting that the same ad-libs we love from “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake ” are interpolated in this track, albeit in a different (yet equally satisfying) way. By forty seconds into the track Doechii already begins switching her register, flow, and the instrumental track supporting her. Rico Nasty then comes in, and while Doechii is a tough act to follow, she succeeds in matching the energy of the track; a true masterpiece of alternative Black girl creativity.
“Swamp Bitches” is followed by “Bitch I’m Nice”, an upbeat bouncy song that makes you want to get up and dance. There isn’t really much to say about it other than this is the track you put on when you really just want to feel yourself. “Bitches Be” with Jst Ray is a slow ballad that features vocals reminiscent of 070 Shake. The repetitive chorus draws you into a trance, as Doechii tells us to “relax, it’s alright, don’t be so uptight”. She encourages us to take it slow, and who are we to question her?
“This Bitch Matters” is a quick song detailing Doechii’s experience with a man who, like her, “needs more loving”. There is a simple drum beat , and Doechii calmly sings and raps through her anger and resentment towards this man. By the end of the track she realizes that she may be cold, but she still matters.
The EP ends with the song Persuasive, featuring SZA. This track is the most different from any of the other songs on the project, seemingly more like house music than rap. However, Doechii navigates this new genre seamlessly, and SZA was an excellent choice for a feature. SZA does her signature SZA act and melodically adds in the runs we know and love her for, and Doechii’s chorus is both hypnotic and bouncy at the same time.
All in all, she / her / black bitch is sonically and thematically compelling. Each song is different, showcasing her talents as a rapper and a creative more generally. Doechii takes us into the world of a badass Black bitch, and leaves us on the edges of our seats wanting more. I’m excited to see what we get from her next.