Doechii’s Grammys 2025 speech after she won best rap album for her mixtape ‘Alligator Bites Never Heal’ was both poignant and celebratory. She noted that since the category was first introduced in 1989, only two women had won it, but then she corrected herself. Three women.
“Lauryn Hill, Cardi B, and Doechii,” she said, laughing through tears as Cardi B, who presented the award, cheered in the background.
“I know there is some Black girl out there, so many Black women out there, who are watching me right now, and I wanna tell you, you can do it,” she said. “Anything is possible. Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you that tell you that you can’t be here, that you’re too dark, or that you’re not smart enough, or that you’re too dramatic or you’re too loud. You are exactly who you need to be to be right where you are and I am a testimony.”
If that speech wasn’t amazing enough, Doechii accepted her award with her mom, whom she brought not just to the Grammys as her date but up onstage with her.
Jaylah Ji’mya Hickmon (born August 14, 1998), known professionally as Doechii, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. She first gained attention on TikTok with the viral success of her 2020 song “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake”. She later signed with Top Dawg Entertainment, in a joint venture with Capitol Records, and released the single “Persuasive”, which was later remixed with SZA. Her 2023 single “What It Is (Block Boy)”, featuring Kodak Black, marked her first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Doechii has made guest appearances on the single “Anxiety” by Sleepy Hallow, as well as the track “Balloon” by Tyler, the Creator. Her accolades include a Grammy Award from three nominations, and the 2023 Rising Star Award from Billboard Women in Music. She has also received nominations for two MTV Video Music Awards, a BET Award, and two Soul Train Music Awards.
Jaylah Ji’mya Hickmon (Doechii) was born on August 14, 1998, in Tampa, Florida, where she was raised. Her father and uncle were both rappers, though only her father recorded professionally. She has younger twin sisters and has described her upbringing as Christian. Doechii attended Howard W. Blake High School and grew up performing ballet, tap dancing, acting, cheerleading, doing gymnastics, and playing soccer. She planned to become a professional choral singer until a friend encouraged her to produce and release her music online as an independent artist.
Doechii started writing poetry and rap in high school, and was making music by 2014. She released her debut song “Girls” on SoundCloud in 2016 as Iamdoechii. She once sold hoodies with the phrase “Stay woke. Stay black.” in protest of police brutality. One of Doechii’s first projects, Coven Music Session, Vol. 1, was released in 2019, and her debut EP, “Oh the Places You’ll Go”, was self-funded and released in 2020. It was described by Rolling Stone as a mix of pop, dance, and hip hop.
Doechii was nominated for Best New Artist and Best Rap Performance, and won Best Rap Album for the 2025 Grammy Awards. She also received several nominations for the 2025 NAACP Image Awards, including Outstanding New Artist, Outstanding Female Artist, Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album, and Outstanding Album. Variety also named her the 2024 Hitmakers Hip-Hop Disruptor of the Year.
Rolling Stone’s Mankaprr Conteh has described Doechii’s rap delivery as “animated” and her song narratives as “quirky”. Her music has been compared by critics to that of Nicki Minaj, Doja Cat, Missy Elliott, and Azealia Banks. However, she has described her music as alternative hip hop, and has cited Nicki Minaj, Lauryn Hill, Kanye West, Tyler, The Creator, Kendrick Lamar, and SZA as her major musical influences. Doechii has also expressed admiration for artists including Trick Daddy, Grace Jones, Paramore, Madonna, KRS-One, and MF Doom.
Doechii currently resides in Los Angeles. She lived in New York City before the COVID-19 pandemic, and published YouTube vlogs about her daily life during that period. Doechii is bisexual. In a 2024 interview with Joe Budden, she disclosed that she recently became sober following years of heavy drinking.
Global African Times and Africans all over the world send hearty congratulations to Doechii.
