This is what my plan is.
I really only came to that conclusion [in] July.
It was out of this new place of clarity and sobriety.
John Jay*
I was coming out of a very, very dark place in my career and within myself.
I told myself, Im going to turn off social media, delete Instagram.
I literally just ate food.
I ate my comfort meals and my comfort snacks.
I got cozy and I just watchedTotal Drama Island.
I was like, I have to detach from this.
My only responsibility is to process my feelings, and Ive already done that through the music.
At 19 tracks, albums as long asAlligator Bites Never Healcanfeellong and drawn out.
How did you accomplish that?Curating it, I went in with the intention of context.
That was a big thing for me.
Sometimes projects can feel long when theres no context to what youre talking about.
Theres no story or no narration to build on.
Even in some songs, I made light of it, like Denial is a River.
And thats why I feel it doesnt feel long, because youre on a journey emotionally.
Denial is a River is such an incredible song.
I think its one of the best songs Ive heard this year.
I think that was two weeks before we put it out.
Are you interested in acting at all?
Do you have a theater background?Yes, I do.
I have a theater background.
Do you see yourself putting acting first sometime in your career?I think so.
Once Im probably done with music, I can see myself transitioning into acting.
Who is the conversation that happens throughout Denial is a River with?
The concept was I was enrolled in some creative school and this teacher took a particular interest in me.
She was coaching me through healing my inner child on that EP.
I see some people online speculating that Denial is a River is a callback to aWendy Williams clip.
Did that influence the title at all?Yes.
Denial is a river in Egypt.
Your husband is gay.
That is so funny.
I thought that was pretty clear when I first heard it.
Its very clear what Im saying.
That was the story.
Do you want to talk about it?
And Im like, Nah, fuck it.
Lets just move on.
It is what it is.
Regardless of who you cheated on me with, you cheated on me.
Later in the song you talk about your ex trashing your place and causing $100,000 worth of damage.
Is that based on a true story?Yes, 100%.
Yeah, I have really been through it with exes.
Man, people act crazy.
I also like that you dont really get deep into the relationship reflections until later on the project.
Theres a line on Death Roll where you say, Ex my fiance, cant make it work.
Then, Beverly Hills sounds like the disintegration of a relationship.
Its more so about how these breakups have affected me.
I can identify a red flag really quickly [now].
I also know what I really will not tolerate.
Im sick of waking up and seeing piss on the toilet seats, Im tired of it.
Thats me like, You know what?
I will not keep making the same mistakes.
Im really releasing all of my exes at once in that song.
Is that an accurate read?Yeah, that is correct.
Its been an interesting thing to witness.
So I mean, first of all, youre signed to two, TDE and Capitol.
Thats a whole thing within itself.
I think what you guys are listening to, youre experiencing me figuring that relationship out.
Capitalism is whooping all of our asses.
Its about just finding that balance.
And I think that I have figured out how Im going to get there.
How do you keep yourself sharp as a writer?
Do you have a routine?Its a mix of both.
Something that I practice in my artistic routine is this method that I created called A Song a Day.
Thats what I like to do to stay out of the funk and stay in the flow.
One of the heavier things on the project is you dealing with what sounds like depression.
Do you characterize it as that?I would say yes.
Im really picky with that word only because I have been depressed probably twice in my life.
Its not like its just a season of downs.
You know when you are depressed, Im talking about you physically cant move and youre paralyzed in fear.
My God, that just makes me feel so grateful to even be there.
Im glad to hear that youre doing better.
Your labelmateZacariand I had a really great conversation about what that meant for him.
Can you tell me more about what that means for you?Thats a good question.
Let me think about that for a second.
Its almost like another form of prayer.
It is when Im being vulnerable and Im really working out my own thoughts and feelings on the beat.
Yall are experiencing me come to the same realizations.
Were both experiencing it at the same time.
Its almost like Im not moving the pen.
Its really God moving through me.
Its when Im a vessel.
And then I have moments where its not that deep and Im just having fun.
It is a very vulnerable thing, especially as an artist.
All I feel is sadness.
Im upset with everything and everybody.
And my fans dont want to hear that.
But my engineer was like, Its not for them, its for you.
it’s crucial that you talk about it.
I was watching this clip of youtalkingwith Annabelle ofThat Good Shitabout whod you want to collaborate with.
You said, Tyler, the Creator, because I think that we would just talk.
Do you think talking things out is also an important part of your process?100%.
I am a talker.
I need to talk about it.
I have to say things out loud.
I saw that Tyler was at your release party.
Have yall gotten to know each other?We went to lunch once.
So for him to just verbally tell me how great I am… Im a super fan.
So it really touched me a lot and it made me feel like Im doing something right.
Hes just so incredible and super sweet.
I think that he has been walking in his authenticity for so long now.
Hes one of the freest people that Ive ever come across.
He is just completely rested in himself and exactly how his music feels is how his presence feels.
And hes super just warm and chill and just fucking cool.
Hes just so cool.
I really admired how on point her team was.
She did an impeccable job.
Are you thinking of touring this mixtape?Were talking about it.
I am in between waiting and then Im in between going on tour, but I havent decided yet.
Another future outlook question: it seems like this mixtape got released just in time for Grammy consideration.
Are you submitting it?Yes.
Yes, yes, yes.
[Pivots to her team]Is that okay for me to say?
Does that fuck with my submission?
Can I say that?
[Doechiis representatives confirm she can indeed say that.
Doechii sounds excited and relieved]I submitted.
What else are excited about right now?
Oh my God, I have been so ready to perform new music.
Ive been tired of performing Yucky Blucky.
There was actually one thing I wanted to circle back to aboutAlligator Bites.
Boom bap isnt new.
These key in of beats are not new.
This project, sonically, feels nostalgic, but it also feels forward and it feels fresh.
I felt the importance of going back to the roots of hip-hop, even how Im rapping.
Theres importance and theres honor and tradition and I think that that is important for hip-hop.
