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Who is Doechii, the rapper acclaimed by Kendrick Lamar and Grammy Awards 2025 recipient ?
Propelled to the musical front scene thanks to her hit songs on TikTok, Doechii has become one of the biggest names in the industry today. At just 26, the Florida-born rapper is making a name for herself with caustic punchlines that have drawn the attention of fellow artists, like Kendrick Lamar, SZA or Tyler, The Creator. Last August, she unveiled her third mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal, which earned her the award for Best Rap Album of the Year at the 2025 Grammy Awards. Here’s an overview of the new US rap sensation.
by Jordan Bako.
The 2025 Grammy Awards or the crowning glory of rapper Doechii
On October 25th, 2024, Doechii unveiled an exceptional performance on the stage of the Alhambra in Paris. Half a performer, half a new age therapist, the rapper twirled around in a Vivienne Westwood ensemble, wearing a plaid skirt and a white shirt with a button placket hanging out. She took off her shoes, burnt a stick of sage, invited her fans to perform with her and encouraged her delighted audience to chant mantras at the end of the concert. An experience that was undoubtedly one of the best concerts of the year.
That year was indeed synonymous with success for the rapper. Recipient of the Rising Star award at the 2023 Billboard Women in Music ceremony, Doechii continued her rise to fame with no less than three nominations at the 2025 Grammy Awards and winning the award for Best Rap Album of the Year, thus making her the most nominated female rapper of the year.
She was in competition for Best New Artist, alongside other rising stars including Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan and Raye, as well as Best Rap Album, a title she greatly deserved, and Best Rap Performance for her single Nissan Altima. Now we know who our favourite was that night…
Alligator Bites Never Heal, the mixtape hailed by Kendrick Lamar
Doechii has made a strong impact this year with the release of Alligator Bites Never Heal, his first LP mixtape. The title is a nod to one of the emblematic animals of Florida, her native region in the United States.
Throughout the 19 tracks that compose her opus, Doechii reveals part of herself with insolence and vulnerability. Among ego trips and intrusive thoughts, she explores her path to sobriety and her doubts about the fickleness of the music industry, always with a dose of flair and cynicism. The tracks Denial is a River and Boom Bap first come to mind, as the artist indulges in hilarious parodies, for instance of her therapist, over frenzied productions.
Her meticulous songwriting skills on Alligator Bites Never Heal established Doechii as a master of storytelling and attracted the attention of Kendrick Lamar. On Instagram, the rapper posted an Instagram story featuring the album cover of the rising star, along with the simple, evocative caption “The hardest out”.
Doechii: from gymnastics to the stage
Now based in Los Angeles, Doechii has come a long way from her native town of Tampa in Florida. Born Jaylah Ji’mya Hickmon, the 26-year-old performer had to create a shell for herself to face the racist harassment she endured in primary school, according to her confession to Gay Times.
When she arrived at college, she created her stage persona, Doechii, from the most confident part of her personality – the part of herself with the sharp tongue, who isn’t afraid to stand up to people’s scrutiny. Very demanding toward herself, the young Jaylah received training in performing arts during her teenage years, from gymnastics and theatre to tap dancing.
A spectacular breakthrough on social media
Although she made a name for herself under the pseudonym “Iamdoechii” on Soundcloud in 2016, it was the track Yucky Blucky Fruitcake that put Doechii in the spotlight a year later. Gradually, the rapper honed an artistic universe that flirted with electro. Both abrasive and poetic, her carefully crafted punchlines quickly conquered the internet.
She enjoyed a string of successes, especially on TikTok and YouTube – the platform on which she launched her ‘Swamp Sessions’, a series of singles aside from her mixtapes. As a result, several of her songs became global phenomena, from the house anthem Persuasive in 2022 to the R&B track What It Is (Block Boy) in 2023.
Regarding her meteoric rise on social media, Doechii quips in Stanka Pooh, the opening track of her 2024 mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal: “And if I died today, I’d die a bastard / TikTok rapper, part-time YouTube actor.”
Prestigious collaborations, from SZA to Tyler, The Creator
Janelle Monaé, SZA, JT, Sleepy Hallow… As her career took off, the rapper started collaborating with artists from a wide range of musical backgrounds. From pop to R’n’B and soul, Doechii feels at ease with all kinds of the productions.
She offered a haunting remix of Ravyn Lenae’s Xtasy with the floating bass sounds of Kaytranada, and even stole the show from Katy Perry and Smino on their respective tracks I’m his, He’s mine (2024) and Pro Freak (2022). Last year, one could hear the artist alongside singer Banks and rapper Tyler, The Creator. All these big names are a confirmation that Doechii is definitely the artist to watch closely in 2025…
Alligator Bites Never Heal (2024) by Doechii, available now.
Traduction Emma Naroumbo Armaing.
