Doechii, one of the most exciting and respected voices in hip-hop today, recently shared her thoughts on the genre’s intellectual depth in an interview with The Cut. She strongly defended hip-hop as an art form, stating, “Anyone who doesn’t think that hip-hop is an intellectual genre, I think that assumption is rooted in racism.” For Doechii, the genre’s skillful lyricism and storytelling are vital components that showcase its complexity and depth.
The rapper also praised the women who paved the way for her, particularly Lauryn Hill, whose The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill had a profound influence on her. “The feeling that I have when I listen to ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ is the same feeling I want some other Black little girl to have when she listens to me,” Doechii said. She emphasized that to inspire others, she must speak honestly and vulnerably about her own experiences.
In another interview with The Forty-Five, Doechii also touched on the use of humor in her music as a way to process difficult emotions. She explained that blending dark topics with humor, akin to Slick Rick’s storytelling style, allows listeners to engage with serious subjects in a more digestible way. “I think that I like doing it because maybe it makes other people digest it better and they can kind of face themselves through my music in a comedic way,” she said.
Doechii’s approach to hip-hop continues to push boundaries, blending intellectual depth with vulnerability and humor to create music that speaks truth while making it accessible to all.
