"That assumption is rooted in racism" — Doechii makes feelings clear about those who do not consider hip-hop an "intellectual" genre

Doechii recently opened up about hip-hop not being considered an "intellectual" genre in her new cover story with The Cut, published on February 19. The 26-year-old hitmaker reckoned that racism was responsible for the genre of music being underestimated by a large chunk of the population.

In her cover story for The Cut, she zeroed in on her claims of connecting the criticism of hip-hop with racism. The songstress also introspected her place among hip-hop legends and highlighted how veterans like Lauryn Hill have allegedly gone unnoticed by the masses.

“I’m gravitating towards the pure skill that was incorporated. Anyone who doesn’t think that hip-hop is an intellectual genre, I think that assumption is rooted in racism,” she said.

The Nissan Altima hitmaker also talked about her role of being a role model to aspiring women of color who wanted to excel in hip-hop.

“The first album I ever purchased and ever remember listening to in full length was The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill... 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. And in order for her to have that feeling, I have to talk about my feelings,” she told the publication.

For the unversed, Doechii first gained attention on TikTok when her 2020 song Yucky Blucky Fruitcake went viral. Thereafter, she was signed by Top Dawg Entertainment and released Persuasive (which was later remixed with SZA). Fast forward to 2025, Doechii's third mixtape, Aligator Bites Never Heal (2024), won the Grammy for Best Rap Album.

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Doechii mentioned Cardi B and Lauryn Hill in her acceptance speech after winning the Grammy for Best Rap Album

With her Grammy win for Alligator Bites Never Heal, Doechii became only the third black woman to win Best Rap Album after Lauryn Hill and Cardi B. Additionally, the single Nissan Altima was nominated for Best Rap Performance.

After winning the Grammy award, the 26-year-old songstress mentioned singers Cardi B and Lauryn Hill in her acceptance speech.

"This category was introduced in 1989... And three women have won - Lauryn Hill, Cardi B, and Doechii. I put my heart and my soul into this mixtape. I bared my life. I went through so much, I dedicated myself to sobriety and God told me that I will be rewarded and that he will show me just how good it can get," she said.

She also encouraged aspiring women of color to remain authentic to their desires and not get bogged down by unending societal expectations.

"Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you... You are exactly who you need to be to be right where you are, and I am a testimony right now," she said.

As per Billboard, Alligator Bites Never Heal saw an exponential jump in streaming numbers after the Grammy win. The album catapulted to number five on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and to number three on the Billboard Top Rap Albums chart.

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Hours after her Grammy win, Doechii released her brand new song called Nosebleeds. The song was composed alongside Jonas Jeberg and distributed by Top Dawg Entertainment and Capitol Records.

Doechii talks about her rise in the hip-hop fraternity in the song and celebrates her Grammy win. She raps:

"I don't know, is she gonna go crazy? Is she gonna go crazy? / Everyone wanted to know what Doechii would do if she didn't win / I guess we'll never."

The song has already amassed over a million streams on YouTube in less than a month.