Doechii Aims to Revive the ‘Classic’ Feeling in Hip Hop: ‘There Is Importance in Tradition’
Doechii, the rising star from Florida, has built her reputation on pushing creative boundaries, but she remains deeply rooted in the fundamentals of Hip Hop. In a recent interview with Apple Music’s Ebro Darden, she shared her passion for preserving the genre’s core elements and her desire to honor its traditions while evolving its sound.
Reconnecting with Hip Hop’s Roots
The Top Dawg Entertainment signee reflected on her journey back to her artistic foundation following the release of her critically acclaimed mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal.“When people are listening to this project, they’re really witnessing me reconnect with my roots,” she explained. “I learned how to rap through boom bap beats, through classic beats. My first rap that I ever made was a diss track.”
She added: “With me kinda coming back to myself … I kinda re-fell in love with Hip Hop. And realized that there is a sense of tradition in Hip Hop that I really want to represent and bring back.”
The Importance of Tradition in Hip Hop
For Doechii, the heart of Hip Hop lies in its lyrical depth, raw emotion, and cultural authenticity — elements she feels are more vital than ever in today’s socio-economic climate. “There is importance in tradition. I feel like it is important for us to uphold the heart of Hip Hop, which is lyrical composition, it is skill, it is wittiness,” she said. “But it is also talking about our feelings, being honest about what we’re going through, and connecting us as people.”
Doechii believes rap can serve as a unifying and healing force during challenging times: “I feel like, especially in the time of an economic recession, people need to feel things right now. We need to talk about it, and we need to do it through rap. “I wanna take us back to this classic space in Hip Hop and just remind people of the traditional roots of where this started — and do it in my way and push it forward.”
Praise from the Industry
Since signing to TDE and Capitol Records in 2022, Doechii has won over fans and critics alike. Her mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal has been lauded as a standout project, earning an impressive 78/100 on Metacritic.
TDE founder Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith compared the project to Kendrick Lamar’s game-changing 2011 mixtape Section.80:
“@doechii Alligator Bites Never Heal out now!! I have the same feeling I had when KDOT dropped Section.80. She’s 1 of those ones 4sho!!!!”
Fellow TDE artist ScHoolboy Q also gave her a co-sign, writing on X:
“Just here to say DOEcHii… dats all I care about at da moment.”
Even Beyoncé recently named Doechii as one of her favorite new artists, further validating her growing influence.
A Bright Future Ahead
As Doechii prepares to release her highly anticipated debut album in 2025, she’s carving a path that blends innovation with reverence for Hip Hop’s roots. Her passion for tradition, combined with her boundary-pushing artistry, positions her as a transformative figure in the genre.
With the support of industry giants and her growing fanbase, the self-proclaimed Swamp Princess is poised to leave an indelible mark on Hip Hop — all while reminding the world why its classic essence still matters.
