Anything goes in Doechii's swamp. Labels are left at the door, dancing is mandatory and expression and experimentation are encouraged in the Sunshine State-inspired world the Top Dawg Entertainment rapper has begun to build.
"I carry where I’m from on me all the time and a lot of people have never been there," the self-proclaimed Swamp Princess noted of her Everglades hometown in South Florida. "It’s such a unique space and I want people to really experience that."
Doechii allures us to dive into the sonic swamp through her captivating visuals and live performances, bringing the grit, grime and gators of the Floridian swamp to life in recent studio songs like "Alter Ego" and "Rocket" – each of the "editorial rap" tracks comes equipped with a transportive video.
In addition to perfecting her coined aforementioned genre – "a mix of house, rage and rap" – the rapper has also been honing in on her "Swamp Sessions," an outlet she's used to sharpen her songwriting. She sets a timer for an hour and writes a song and whatever she ends up with gets mixed and mastered into a full song, and complemented with a Doechii-directed one-scene visual to "scratch [her] creative director itch."
Her ability to storytell via different mediums and masterful ability to blur the lines of genre are mere byproducts of her swamp-side adolescence. "My Floridian lifestyle is so multifaceted and I embody that same multifacetedness in my music," she explained.
"My genre-bending is my version of 'staying consistent.'"
Your recent performances have really brought the swamp to life. How do you approach your live shows?
I always want to paint the environment of the swamp through props and lighting. I love bringing the greenery onto the stage wherever I can so I can fully immerse people in my world.
Why is it important for you to immerse listeners in the swamp?
I think Florida is one of the best places ever – it’s so chaotic but so fun. I carry where I’m from on me all the time and, to be honest, not a lot of people have really been to where I’m from in the Everglades. Not many people know what the culture is like down there. It’s such a unique space – the land, the environment, the people – and I want people to really experience that.
Your music videos are so immersive as well. How did you come up with the idea for the“Alter Ego” video?
I knew I had to get out of LA and literally go to the swamp. I could totally get on set and build the swamp out, but there’s no place that can replicate the Everglades feeling. I call myself the Swamp Princess, so I wanted everyone to actually see what that environment is. JT, who’s from Miami, had never been there [laughing] … It’s a harsh environment. The mosquitoes were so crazy, but it was beautiful. It was such a cool experience working with her on set.
On the other hand, the “Rocket” video takes a much different tone, spotlighting your gymnastics talents. How does this video still reflect that swamp-like energy?
My upbringing in Florida is something that I reflect on a lot because it was so diverse. I grew up learning how to fish and shoot, but also going to gymnastics. It’s such a wide-ranging spectrum and that’s exactly what I mean when I say it’s “chaotic.” I started off doing ballet when I was four, and after doing it for years, I wanted to do something different. My mom would encourage me to try every craft but gymnastics was my favorite. It’s such a rigorous sport and it taught me discipline. It broke me in as a professional and as an athlete, and really impacted how I approach my career today. I do so in a very athletic and competitive way, so teaming up with Sprite to tap back into that passion was special.
What aspects of your hometown are most evident in your artistry?
The lifestyle. It’s living in the Sunshine State where it’s hot and humid all the time. The climate is so distinct, and the balance of city and countryside makes it feel like its own little country within the U.S. My Floridian lifestyle is so multifaceted and I embody that same multifacetedness in my music.
How do you stay consistent while still exploring new territory?
I give myself the freedom to try new things. I get bored very fast, so I allow myself to constantly recreate myself and keep evolving. My genre-bending – and going from a song like “Alter Ego” to one like “Rocket” a few weeks later – is my way of “being consistent”.
"My genre-bending – and going from a song like 'Alter Ego' to one like 'Rocket' a few weeks later – is my way of 'being consistent'."
How do you feel about people trying to box you into a label?
It’s interesting to watch people try and figure me out. I’ve never been overly pressed about defining who I am as a person or an artist. I’m simply just existing and being myself. I see others try and wrap their heads around it, but I’m so many things in so many different ways. You really just have to accept yourself in order to understand who I am.
What fuels your creativity?
I believe that curiosity and courage play the biggest role in my artistry. I’m very curious, but I also have the courage to fulfill those curiosities and experiment with things. Those two things are the reasons why I got signed.
"If rap was high fashion, what would it sound like? That’s editorial rap."
What are you experimenting with right now?
I’m experimenting with what I call “editorial rap” right now. It’s like house music meets rage and rap. I’m still figuring it out. It’s like “if rap was high fashion, what would it sound like?” – that’s editorial rap.
What does the rest of this year have in store for you?
It’s the year of the unknown and unexpected. I don’t know what my spirit has in store for my next. I’m just existing. I’m just a girl.
What’s currently inspiring you?
I don’t want to sound repetitive, but the swamp. It’s so untapped. I’ve loved getting to build my own version of the swamp – my own gay little world.
What are the rules in Doechii’s world?
You can do whatever you want. It’s all about self-expression in its truest form. You could dance like nobody is watching you and nobody will judge you. They’ll join you.
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