Doechii stakes her claim as rap's newest It Girl with first EP for TDE

With her fourth EP she/her/black bitch—her first as the first female rapper signed to TDE—Doechii establishes herself as one of the moment’s most dynamic voices in rap, one worthy of all the buzz. From the first note of “Swamp Bitches (with Rico Nasty),” the Tampa rapper maximizes all 13 minutes of she/her/black bitch, traversing sounds, flows, and tones all while consistently being “that Bitch”—a title she now wears with pride.

“Many times I’ve been referred to as a ‘bitch’ as a way to gaslight me out of certain spaces,” Doechii says in a statement . “So I decided to take ownership of the ‘black bitch’ and reclaim that motherfucking power.”

The EP starts with a low, swinging opener reminiscent of the likes of Junglepussy, which quickly bursts forth into a rapid fire verse of another artist entirely. Doechii carries all the cattiness and cockiness of a peer like Flo Milli, laughing in the face of those who dare compare themselves to her with a distinct, villainous bite. Doechii keeps pace with Rico Nasty’s raspy, in-your-face flow—so much so that the rapper’s feature becomes not a highlight of the song, but an extension of the high bar already set by Doechii.

The energy keeps pushing through “Bitch I’m Nice,” as Doechii rides the poppy beat like a professional, filling all 102 seconds of the fly-by song. The third track, “Bitches Be,” presents another facet of Doechii—a singer who can drive in the fast or slow lane, all the while maintaining an unbothered air. She’s not a rapper attempting to sing, but a rapper who actually can sing, crooning to hit rich lows, in a similar fashion to fellow rapper-singer Tierra Whack.

Doechii caps she/her/black bitch with the Kaytranada-esque, marijuana-praising “Persuasive (With SZA).” The final offering features a mix of laid back, airtight vocals and the maximalist vocal textures given to us in previous solo singles like “Crazy,” all over a smooth beat. The rapper’s just as “persuasive” and “flirtatious” as the sacred green bud, and should be asking herself the same questions (“How does it feel to be that bitch?”) she levies at the drug.

Despite working with a wide range of apparent influences, Doechii adds her own flair, infusing them with a unique flavor and carving out her own space as a rapper. She/her/black bitch pushes Doechii to the precipice of widespread notoriety—she’s someone who demands not only your attention, but your respect, too.