Doechii Honors Hip Hop Roots in New Project "Alligator Bites Never Heal"

Doechii Reconnects with Hip Hop Traditions in New Mixtape "Alligator Bites Never Heal"

Doechii, the rising star of Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), has made waves in the music industry by blending innovation with the core elements of Hip Hop. Known for her bold stylistic and sonic choices, the 26-year-old rapper from Florida is reconnecting with her roots, as she shared in a recent interview with Apple Music's Ebro Darden.

Speaking about her latest project, Alligator Bites Never Heal, Doechii emphasized the importance of staying true to Hip Hop’s foundational principles. “When people are listening to this project, they’re really witnessing me reconnect with my roots,” she said. “I learned how to rap through boom bap beats, through classic beats. My first rap that I ever made was a diss track.”

With this mixtape, Doechii revisits the traditional sound of Hip Hop while pushing the boundaries of creativity. She explained how returning to the genre’s fundamentals reignited her passion for the craft. “I kinda re-fell in love with Hip Hop,” she said. “There is a sense of tradition in Hip Hop that I really want to represent and bring back.”

For Doechii, upholding the genre’s traditions means focusing on lyrical composition, skill, and honesty. “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, but it is also talking about our feelings, being honest about what we’re going through, and connecting us as people.”

Her mission to reintroduce these elements comes at a crucial time. As she noted, “Especially in the time of an economic recession, people need to feel things right now, and we need to talk about it. And we need to do it through rap.”

In Alligator Bites Never Heal, Doechii takes listeners back to a classic Hip Hop space while also pushing the genre forward in her unique way. Her efforts have been well-received, with the mixtape earning an impressive 78/100 score on Metacritic. Beyond critical acclaim, the project has garnered high praise from her peers, particularly within the TDE camp.

TDE founder Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith even compared Doechii’s work to Kendrick Lamar’s breakout mixtape Section.80, saying in an Instagram post, “I have the same feeling I had when KDOT dropped Section.80. She’s 1 of those ones 4sho!!!!”

Likewise, TDE veteran ScHoolboy Q expressed his admiration for the project on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Just Here to say DOEcHii… dats all I care about at da moment.”

While Doechii's star continues to rise, she's keeping a humble and grounded approach to her career. Despite her undeniable talent and potential, she admitted during a recent appearance on The Joe Budden Podcast that she doesn't yet feel ready for a feature from former TDE labelmate Kendrick Lamar.

“I don’t assume anything, and I also don’t feel entitled to a Kendrick feature, but I would absolutely love that. That’s the goal,” she explained. “But I’ma be real: I don’t think I have the record right now for that opportunity. I think I would have to come a certain way, and I don’t think I’m ready for that.”

Her honesty and humility earned her praise from Joe Budden and his co-hosts. Budden remarked, “I love that from you,” further cementing the respect she’s earned within the Hip Hop community.

As Doechii continues to rise, it’s clear that her commitment to the roots of Hip Hop and her innovative approach will keep her at the forefront of the genre for years to come. With Alligator Bites Never Heal, she not only showcases her growth as an artist but also reminds listeners why the fundamentals of Hip Hop still matter today.

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