Illustration Credit: Mitchelle Morah
On Sunday, Feb. 2, at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, Doechii won a Grammy for Best Rap Album, “Alligator Bites Never Heal.”
Joining her in the Best Rap Album category were seasoned rap pros J. Cole, Common and Pete Rock, Eminem, and Future and Metro Boomin.
Doechii’s win is a welcome surprise for many reasons. Her win signals a shift in the industry’s appreciation for diverse rapping styles, but this victory marks a significant moment for female rappers, who continue to carve out space in a male-dominated genre.
Since its inception, the category for Best Rap Album has gone predominantly to male artists. As Doechii mentions in her acceptance speech, this category was introduced in 1989, and only two other female artists have won, Lauryn Hill and Cardi B, who presented her with the award. She is now the third woman to win this category.
Shocked by her achievement, an emotional Doechii collected herself and ascended the stage, hand in hand with her mother as her hit “Denial is a River” played. In custom Thom Browne, Doechii wore a structured look with skirt-like gray pants and exaggerated hips fit for royalty, or in this case, the self-proclaimed Swamp Princess. Her hair was intricately braided in loops and swirls with longer braids in the back.
Doechii thanked her mother, God, her fans, her label Top Dawg Entertainment, and the swamp, aka her hometown Tampa, Fla. As she ended her speech, still emotional and grateful, she made sure to think of the Black girls and women who were once like her.
“…I know that there is some Black girl out there, so many Black women out there, that are watching me right now, and I want to tell you, you can do it,” said Doechii.
“Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you, to tell you that you can’t be here, that you’re too dark, or that you’re not smart enough, or that you’re too dramatic, or you’re too loud. You are exactly who you need to be to be right where you are, and I am a testimony right now!”
Soon after her win, Doechii went on to perform a high-energy melody of her songs, “Catfish” and “Denial is a River”—a song where Doechii cleverly raps introspectively about the chaotic past few years of her life —from her album. With her Doechii clones surrounding her, flashing lights, and a well-placed conveyor belt, she gave a performance worthy of rivaling past Grammy performances. It was her energy, passion and boldness that radiated from the stage as she dared to be her most unapologetic self amongst her peers.
With her performance and Grammy win, Doechii made a powerful declaration, reminding the world why she is one of the most exciting voices in music today. As she proclaims in “Denial is a River,” “But we ain’t got time to stop, the charts need us (and they do),” and if this performance proved anything, it is that she is not just here to stay—she is here to dominate.