Doechii Opens Her “Black Girl Memoir” For NPR ‘Tiny Desk’

Doechii brings her swamp flair to NPR’s Tiny Desk intimate concert series. Released on Friday (Dec. 6) the performance featured live instruments, adding new elements to tracks from her acclaimed 2024 mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal.

Accompanied by a crew of braided talent including her hypeman and DJ Miss Milan, two background vocalists, horns, guitars, and drums, Doechii’s Tiny Desk debut continues her streak of stand-out performances cementing herself as one of Hip-Hop’s most exciting acts.

The full performance included a refreshing jazz arrangement of “BOOM BAP,” heavy rock and roll inspiration on “CATFISH,” and a Southern Gospel praise break outro on “NISSAN ALTIMA.” Taking it back for day-one fans, the 26-year-old delivered “Black Girl Memoir” from her debut album, Oh The Places You’ll Go released in 2020.

“I wrote this song specifically for Black women,” relayed the Top Dawg Entertainment signee. “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.”

Doechii released Alligator Bites Never Heal earlier this year, earning her multiple Grammy nominations for the 2025 ceremony including Best New Artist, Best Rap Performance, and Best Rap Album.

“Everything is where it’s supposed to be,” exclaimed the “Alter Ego” rhymer.

“Now that I’ve had time to settle with [the mixtape] and fans have had time to settle with it, I feel very aligned, just like I’m 100% walking in my purpose. My music and everything else just aligns with exactly who I am and where I am right now, which feels like a lesson,” she continued. “So in a way, that kind of makes life feel a little easy. It feels like I’m on a cloud.”

Watch Doechii perform on NPR’s Tiny Desk above and check out Alligator Bites Never Heal below.