Doechii Makes Jaws Drop With Stellar NPR Tiny Desk Performance

Doechii announced plans for an NPR Tiny Desk performance less than 24 hours before it aired. The TDE breakout had high expectations after her standout appearance at Tyler, The Creator‘s Camp Flog Gnaw festival. She crushed it, as was to be expected. If anything, Doechii raised her game, and gave fans one of the best Tiny Desk performances in ages. She ran through most of the standout cuts on her new tape, Alligator Bites Never Heal, but the live setting gave them new life and a new sound.

Doechii brought a talented assortment of musicians to back her up. She enlisted an all female, all Black band comprised of DJ Miss Milan, two background vocalists, guitars and horns. The musical breakdowns throughout the Tiny Desk performance was nothing short of astounding. The way in which Doechii was able to flow atop these intricate instrumentals was thoroughly impressive. It helps, of course, that the songs themselves are excellent. Doechii ran through breakout viral hits like “Nissan Altima,” as well as “Boom Bap” and “Catfish.”

It was the performance of “Black Girl Diaries,” however, that touched the hearts of most viewers. The rapper gave an impassioned backstory for the song prior to her performance, emphasizing its crucial place within the mixtape. “I wrote this song specifically for Black women,” Doechii noted. “As a dark-skinned woman, there’s a very unique experience I’m trying to internalize. This is dedicated to all the beautiful Black women in the room.”

Social media exploded following the NPR performance. Many fans praised her aesthetic choices. The rapper, as well as her backing band, wore braids, while the choreography and musical flexibility of the band were note perfect. “This Doechii tiny desk was a life altering experience,” one user tweeted. “And I hate that I can experience this for the first time only once.” Another user praised Doechii’s presence and ability to alternate between mellow and intense at a moment’s notice. “The way she can rap like that and be animated is crazy, Doechii is a STAR & a true visionary all around,” they tweeted. The rapper has been posed by TDE as the next big thing, and this performance certainly bolsters the vision.