Meeting TDE’s First Female Rapper, Doechii

Doechii, one of the hottest new breakout female rap stars, has undergone a meteoric rise over the last year. Her massive artistic vision and versatility can already be seen across her few released songs and videos, and the 22-year-old visionary is just getting started.

Between the virality of her breakout song “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake” and a scene-stealing feature on Isaiah Rashad’s “Wat U Sed”, her 2021 rise was already impressive. “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake” has garnered 34 million streams on Spotify alone since its release, an impressive feat for the independently-released song. After these successes, she also opened for SZA on her “Good Days” tour. Her 2022, however, is shaping up to be even bigger.

On March 18, the Tampa native announced that she had signed with Top Dawg Entertainment, the independent record label known for generating stars such as Kendrick Lamar and SZA. This makes her the first female rapper to ever sign with Top Dawg Entertainment. Additionally, she further announced on March 31 that she had signed a joint partnership between Top Dawg Entertainment and Capitol Records, one of the largest record labels to this day.

In addition to signing these deals, her 2022 has also seen her in contention for a slot on the 2022 XXL Freshman list, landing a surprise appearance on Isaiah Rashad’s Coachella set, and appearing at the 2022 Grammy Awards. If this high profile recognition is not enough to prove her solidifying place in the music industry, then the tracks she has released this year so far certainly are.

After signing to TDE, she dropped the promotional single “Persuasive” the same day, a laid-back song detailing her love for marijuana. She effortlessly raps over the chilled beat, to create a perfect song for late night partying, comparable to the works of icon Missy Elliot. The track has amassed over 1.4 million streams on Spotify and over 430,000 views on its official YouTube video.

On April 8, she released her official major label debut single “Crazy”, an explosive declaration of confidence. Reminiscent of works by rappers such as Rico Nasty and Azealia Banks, Doechii manages to both embody styles of some of the industry’s strongest players and carve out her own spot. It has already collected over 1 million streams on Spotify and 450,000 views on its official YouTube video, despite being banned from trending on YouTube due to its nudity and violence.

These two songs, as well as her other previously released material, show her wide range of musical versatility and refusal to fit inside any one box or subgenre. Her songs range widely in sound, from the R&B-tinged “Girls” to the early Nicki Minaj-esque “Spookie Coochie”. Despite this wide variety in style, her charisma and delivery link her songs as uniquely Doechii.

Doechii displays an impressive eye for visuals, between the dance breakdowns in “Persuasive” and the high concept, artistic nature of “Crazy”. Her songs also often feature flow changes both between different songs and internally, with “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake” featuring numerous different switch-ups. However, no matter which style she embodies, Doechii has yet to truly falter.

The Female Rap Room had the privilege of hosting an interview with Doechii on April 15. The interview can be read below.

Let’s talk about your powerful new single “Crazy.” What does it personally mean to you? Did you feel any pressure with the release?

- Recently I’ve allowed myself to perform at my maximum potential and I like the results. “Crazy” is my debut single and I wanted to make a powerful entrance. The message in “Crazy” is clear; sonically and visually I will not be contained, limited or defined. I felt the most pressure I’ve EVER felt with this release because everything has to PERFECTLY embody the feelings of the single. So I was very anal about this process.

What was the recording process like?

- It was suuupppeerrrr fun! A lot of screaming and stomping on tables lol

How does it feel to be the first female rapper to join the TDE family?

- Pressure. I know I’m not here for no reason and I know that I have a lot of growing to do as a business woman and a writer. But I’m here and my brothers are supporting my journey. I believe I have a chance of impacting hip hop in a very positive way.. like Kendrick, Jay rock, Isaiah etc. But I have to open doors they haven’t yet.

How do you view your journey from where you started to where you’re at now in your career?

- I view it in a very positive way. Along side my music is my instinctual need to teach, I’m really transparent about where I come from and what I’ve learned.

How important is it to support other women in music?

- Its important. When you verbalize your support for other women it makes the space/community more inviting and fun. If you support another woman, tell her 🤎

Any dream collaborations?

- Right now it’s Nicki Minaj, Doja Cat and Tyler The Creator.

Are there any interests or talents your fans may be surprised to know you have?

- Im a book worm. I read ALOT.