There’s been a shift in Rap; a noticeable one, at that. Womxn have been in the game since the very beginning, and they’ve always had fans. They’ve always been in regular rotation with the boys for as long as I could remember, and yet there’s another shift that has them at the forefront of the game, for the first noticeable time as the mainstays in the game that are seemingly carrying it forward. Regardless of where you stand with most acts, you can’t deny the impact. Whether it be Doja Cat, Sexxy Red, Latto, Rapsody (please listen to her Please Don’t Cry album), Little Simz, Flo Milli, Megan Thee Stallion, Glorilla, etc., they’re keeping Rap exciting and engaging in ways that their male counterparts have been faltering a bit. On the flipside, the reliance of the old guard still moves the needle, and of course there are always going to be acts that don’t get their just due (but will in due time), when it comes to pushing the envelope, being more experimental with sounds, flows & concepts, the womxn seem to have the torch right now.
Truthfully, this was originally going to be a review for Doechii’s new mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal, because it’s the type of project that is the reason for this blog’s existence. The act of discovering new music (for me, at least) wasn’t as exciting as it was 10 years ago, that part is obvious and could have went unsaid, but every once in a while, there’s an artist or two that make you stand up and say “oh wow.” I can’t stop listening to this project, and I know the term “a breath of fresh air” has been overused for new artists whenever one comes around that goes against the grain, but it just speaks to the excitement of hearing an artist that it’s made out of the same cookie cutter mold that we’ve been hearing time and time again. There’s been a formula in the water, and Doechii came out and said let’s change it up a bit.
I grew up listening to the likes of Missy Elliott, Foxy Brown, Eve, Lauryn Hill, and Trina. All of them have their own sounds & styles that made you appreciate what they brought to the table when going up in the same ring as a lot of heavyweight hitters in Rap at the time (Jay, DMX, Nas, T.I, Wayne, etc.). They held their own but where they stood out (and what womxn are just naturally better at than men) was with their ability to be vulnerable, musically. Be it from religious upbringings, or simply having great musical sense, they’ve always had a knack on finding the most creative ways to express themselves, which is why we see their legacies live on to this day. Doechii has thrown her name into the ring as being one of the torch bearers that will continue to carry the game forward, and not just for Womxn, but for rap in general.
Alligator Bites Never Heal is a masterful display of rap in its purest essence, while also displaying the more modern melodic trends that have been made popular over this decade, carried over from the previous. Having hard hitting raps over nasty beats like Bullfrog, Boiled Peanuts, Catfish, Death Roll, Profit will make the most nostalgic hip-hop head appreciative of what she brought to the table, but the back-end of the mixtape, providing tracks like Nissan Altima, GTFO, Slide, Beverly Hills & the title track, make it a complete experience that you don’t get a lot of, especially from artists making their official label debuts. Not since JID’s The Never Story, or Smino’s blkswn have I felt a significant shock to the system by an artist’s first project, and that’s not something we should take for granted. It’s something you should keep in your rotation, and certainly keep up with her career, because Top Dawg Entertainment has another star-studded caliber artist on their roster, to follow the paths that Kendrick & SZA have laid down. She’s that good for real.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the greatness that was in my own backyard with artists like Keysha Freshh, pHoenix Pagliacci, and Dijah SB, who have all released strong projects in their own rights, also going into great depths of vulnerability with their uniqueness. Keysha’s latest, Pretty Boys Break My Heart, is her most personal project that unlocked a side of her that the general audience hadn’t been introduced to, and included a lot of legendary artists to assist with passing along the message. Having been a veteran in the Canadian scene for so long, there’s something great about seeing new life being unearthed to find a new sense of self that can resonate especially being absent (solo project wise) for as long as she was.
pHoenix is no different from her Sorority sister, also dropping a solo album after an extended hiatus. Dichotomy is an example of everything that she’s embodied in her artistry from the first track I heard her on about 10 years ago. Her melodies are undeniable, her flows & pen are confidently sharp to the point where you’ll end up with a scar because they slice effectively. But not only that, it’s the songwriting ability that adds to her versatility as an artist that can’t limit her to being strictly a rapper, even if it was how you were introduced to her. To be away from the game in this capacity, and still be potent enough to drop a great project, that’s talent that’s to be appreciated. Combined with her work as TRP.P (shoutout Truss one time – new EP is on the way), she’s always been a musical force of nature that’s seemingly gone by the wayside, but still manages to find her footing enough to make lasting prints on her journey forward.
Dijah, Dijah, Dijah. I feel like this blog has been a lowkey fanpage for them for a while, but what they’ve been doing in their career has been amazing to witness over the years, and if you have yet to hear The Flower That Knew outside of the plethora of dance tracks that they’ve recently released (Uh Huh & Live), then I’d absolutely advise that for you to do. Consistency is the key word when it comes to assessing their career so far. The shift that I talked about earlier in this post, Dijah certainly contributed to it, because of their willingness to step outside of the box and make fun rap music at a point where it didn’t feel like anyone was intently doing it. That was a breath of fresh air that was needed, especially in a post-pandemic environment. They’re going to continue to ascend, so definitely be sure to keep track.
There’s an endless amount of womxn who are doing great things in music as a whole, not just in rap, but as far as rap is concerned, they’ve always been pioneers in the game, even if outward & overall respect hasn’t (and in ways still isn’t) as loud & proud as it should be. This is the most that they’ve been front & centre in our faces, and there’s something for everyone to get into, whether you’re tryna shake some ass (or watch it, respectfully), or screw your face up and appreciate raw rap skills. The variety is appreciated, and it makes things exciting for what’s to come in the near & distant future. Happy listening, y’all.
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