This is what bisexual rapper Doechii says is her 'major contribution' to hip-hop
Doechii is getting candid about her creative journey, the artists who inspired her, and what it means to take up space in hip-hop as a queer Black woman.
In a new interview with Cosmopolitan, the rapper and singer opened up about how her relationships, identity, and creative journey have shaped her artistry — and the responsibility she feels now that her voice is reaching so many others.
"It's a position that I do not take lightly," she said of becoming a role model. "I say this to myself often in my journal entries, but I truly am becoming who I needed. I can only imagine all the little Black girls and boys out there that I represent something for."
Although Doechii isn't new on the music scene, she's made serious headway in the past two years. In addition to getting multiple songs on the Billboard Top 100, she also took home a Grammy for Best Rap Album for Alligator Bites Never Heal.
It's obvious that inspiring others is an important aspect of Doechii's artistry, and part of that may come from how music has influenced her own life. One anecdote she shared in the interview revolved around feeling creatively "stifled" at 18 because the man she was seeing wasn't supportive of the music she was writing.
"I took his opinion way too seriously when really he just didn't get it. I remember listening to SZA's Ctrl for the first time and it literally gave me the courage to break up with him," she recalled. "I only bring that up because she inspired me to be vulnerable through my music in a way that I didn't think I could be."
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That vulnerability is a big part of what has allowed her to make such a connection with her fans — especially queer hip-hop fans who don't often get to see their own experiences reflected in mainstream music.
"This is such a Leo thing to say," Doechii admitted, "but my literal existence as a queer Black woman is a major contribution to the hip-hop genre. I'm speaking truthfully from a queer Black woman's perspective, and being honest about my life through my lens is amazing.
"That perspective is being highlighted, and we need queer perspectives."
Check out the rest of Doechii's interview with Cosmopolitan here.
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