1998–present
Who Is Doechii?
Grammy-winning rapper Doechii is known for her 2024 mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal and the songs “Anxiety” and “Denial Is a River.” Born and raised in Florida, Doechii studied choral music in high school before launching her career as an independent artist. After her 2020 single “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake” went viral on TikTok, she signed a record deal in March 2022. She reached new heights with Alligator Bites by becoming just the third Black woman to win the Grammy for Best Rap Album following Lauryn Hill and Cardi B. Billboard named Doechii its 2025 Woman of the Year.
Quick Facts
FULL NAME: Jaylah Ji’mya Hickmon
BORN: August 14, 1998
BIRTHPLACE: Tampa, Florida
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Leo
Where Is Doechii From?
Doechii, whose real name is Jaylah Ji’mya Hickmon, was born on August 14, 1998, in Tampa, Florida. She was raised primarily by her mother, Celesia Moore, and she has twin sisters whose identities she has kept private. Her father is the rapper Snatcha Da Boss.
From an early age, Doechii was drawn to music and performing. She told The Face it began one Christmas when she received a music kit from her grandparents, including a microphone, a stage outfit, and a sing-along DVD. “I was really good. I loved it. That was when I realized I really liked the attention,” she said.
Doechii described her household as “heavily religious” in an interview with The Cut. She attended church six days per week, singing gospel music and performing as a dancer in its Christian marching band. The energetic youngster also played soccer.
Despite all her activities, Doechii struggled to fit in among her peers. She was in sixth grade when she created her musical alter ego. She told The Cut she experienced severe bullying in school and began having suicidal thoughts before God sent her inspiration for the name. “I realized, ‘Oh, f––, I’m gonna kill myself and then I’m gonna be the only one dead.’ The bullies aren’t gonna be with me, and everything they said is not coming with me either. I would just be gone,” she explained. “And then I was like, ‘F–– that!’... And this wash of peace came over me, and I received ‘I am Doechii.’”
Editor’s Note: If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or self-harming behaviors, call or text 988 to get help from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Doechii attended Howard W. Blake High School, a historically Black institution focused on the performing arts, and graduated in 2016 with a diploma in vocal tech and classical choral singing.
Music Career
During her senior year of high school, Doechii began making songs with a friend’s recording equipment and uploading them to the audio streaming service SoundCloud. It was at this point that she decided to deviate from her choral training and pursue a career as an independent artist.
Despite her self-confidence, Doechii experienced a form of writer’s block to start her career. So in 2018, she gave herself a three-month challenge to write one new song every day. She also read the 1992 self-help book The Artist’s Way, which convinced her to be more open through her lyrics. Up to that point, “I made songs that I thought other people would enjoy and I avoided talking about myself or my experiences growing up because I didn’t really think it mattered,” she told Rolling Stone. “I didn’t think anybody would really care or relate, but after reading that book, I just felt extremely inspired to be really, really honest in my music. That’s kind of become the whole core of my artistry.”
The personal reflections worked, as Doechii released her first EP, Coven Music Session, Vol. 1, in 2019. The following year, she debuted Oh the Places You’ll Go, a concept album named after the popular Dr. Seuss children’s book. It contained the track “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake,” which became a viral hit on TikTok. The song was streamed more than 10 million times on Spotify by May 2021.
Artists and labels began taking notice, as SZA invited Doechii to open for her 2021 Good Days tour. Then in 2022, Doechii signed her first record deal with Capitol Records and Top Dawg Entertainment, also home to Kendrick Lamar. That same year, Doechii released the single “Crazy” and her next EP She / Her / Black Bitch, which contained the remixed track “Persuasive” featuring SZA. Everything was finally in place for Doechii’s major breakthrough.
Grammy Win for Alligator Bites Never Heal
Her career continuing to ascend, Doechii performed at the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2023 and made her onscreen acting debut that year in the coming-of-age drama movie Earth Mama.
But it was her music that again grabbed headlines with the August 2024 release of her mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal. Featuring songs including “Denial Is a River” and “Nissan Altima,” the project eventually peaked at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Rap Albums chart. Doechii embarked on a 12-concert tour to support the mixtape.
The rapper spoke about her inspiration for the project in December 2024, telling The Breakfast Club she had the name selected for a long time. “It’s just about accepting that there’s always going to be more to discover about yourself. There’s always gonna be more things to dislike about yourself, or like about yourself, the more you go on in life,” she said. “Ultimately, you’ll always be wounded in some type of way and then you’ll always heal.”
The message clearly resonated with listeners and critics, as Doechii received three 2025 Grammy nominations off the release, including Best New Artist. The 26-year-old won for Best Rap Album, making her one only one of three Black women to win in the category along with Lauryn Hill and Cardi B. The feat had extra meaning for Doechii who credits Hill as one of her biggest inspirations, and she used her acceptance speech to encourage other aspiring Black female artists. “I want to tell you: You can do it. Anything is possible,” she said. “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.”
Following her Grammy win, Billboard named Doechii its 2025 Woman of the Year. She became only the third artist in history to receive both the publication’s Rising Star award (in 2023) and Woman of the Year honors, joining Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande.
Following the popularity of Alligator Bites Never Heal, Doechii has teased her first full album expected to release sometime in 2025. “I can tell you that it’s coming very soon,” she shared with Us Weekly. “And I can tell you that it’s an experience.”
Top Songs: “Denial Is a River”
Even before releasing her first full album, Doechii has managed to make waves in terms of sales and plays. In March 2025, a new version of her 2019 track “Anxiety” became Doechii’s first single to reach the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. It also topped the Digital Song Sales chart and inspired a viral dance challenge on TikTok in which users recreate a scene from the Will Smith sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
As of April 2025, seven of Doechii’s songs have charted on the Hot 100. They include:
- “Anxiety”
- “Denial Is a River”
- “What It Is (Block Boy)” featuring Kodak Black
- “A n x i e t y” by Sleepy Hallow, which samples Doechii’s track of the same name
- “Balloon,” a collaboration with Tyler, the Creator
- “Nissan Altima”
- “ExtraL” featuring JENNIE
Doechii also collaborated with Katy Perry on her 2024 single “I’m His, He’s Mine.”
Personal Life and Sobriety
Doechii currently lives in Los Angeles and identifies as a bisexual woman. She confirmed to Gay Times in October 2024 she is in a relationship with an unidentified woman, and she previously dated bisexual men.
Although she was aware of her sexuality from a young age, the rapper said she was afraid to fully embrace it because of her religious upbringing and the racism and homophobia she witnessed growing up. “It wasn’t until I went to a performing arts school and there were a lot of gay people at my school. Once I had gay friends it was like ‘OK, I can be myself, I’m good, I can feel safe, this is normal, I’m fine, everything is OK,’” she said. “I have those same friends today and will have them for life.”
Doechii is also sober, revealing she’s given up alcohol, tobacco, and even caffeine. She decided to make the lifestyle changes after frequently drinking and partying during the production of Alligator Bites Never Heal. “I wasn’t liking the person that was reflecting back at me, and I was like, ‘OK, I think it’s time to, like, sober up,’ and I need to just get away from people and figure out who am I right now,” she told The Breakfast Club. “Because I feel like I was carrying this version of myself that I had been since I was 20, 21, you know what I mean, and it was no longer serving who I was to become.”
In addition to her audio projects, Doechii also operates a YouTube channel with more than 2.8 million subscribers. Although it’s now primarily focused on music, she previously used the format to share personal stories and life updates.
Quotes
- I’m very good at chasing my dreams. I’ve always been mesmerised by my life and what it could be. The concept of being able to manifest anything is cool to me, and so I made it my business.
- I feel like everybody, everybody should feel like they’re the s––. Everybody should feel like they are icons. Everybody should feel proud of themselves and powerful.
- One thing I’ve learned about myself is that I’m my best self when I don’t have any other influences distracting me or bothering me.
- I take creativity very literally. It is in everything we do. I believe lawyers have a creative flow. I believe there’s a creative flow in motherhood, our family dynamics, our emotions, and everything. Creativity is very deep for me.
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Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor and is now the News and Culture Editor. He previously worked as a reporter and copy editor for a daily newspaper recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In his current role, he shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows and profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he's not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams.
