Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in Arabic Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.Florida rapper and singer-songwriter Doechii (aka Jaylah Ji’mya Hickmon) has been a fixture on “hotly tipped” lists for some time now. She initially sparked mainstream attention with a viral smash, 2020’s deliciously irrepressible “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake”. Since then she has continued to hold her own: setting her vibrant vocal flow to a prolific run of tracks; guesting for the likes of David Guetta (alongside Missy Elliott and Bia on “Trampoline”), and earning a Rising Star plaudit at Billboard’s Women In Music Awards.Her latest release, Alligator Bites Never Heal, is billed as a mixtape rather than a formal debut album. Its 19 tracks give free rein to her expansive flow, with references spanning Y2K hip hop, neo-soul, ballroom culture, psychedelia and funk. Her sharply witty rhymes slice through the tense soundscapes of the first number, “Stanka Poo”, in which she skewers music industry expectations, personal pressures and social media superstardom all within two minutes.Quick-fire wordplay is the dominant focus here, and it’s a genuine delight. The rapper is irreverent, raunchy and frequently hilarious. At 26, she has something to prove — but it’s arguably to herself, rather than the wider music industry. This collection includes several songs from her YouTube series “Swamp Sessions”, where she apparently timed herself to write each track within an hour. The results are dancefloor bangers such as “Boom Bap”, where she is backed by a chorus including DJ Miss Milan, and the fierce groove of “Nissan Altima” (“I’m the new hip-hop Madonna/ I’m the trap Grace Jones”).The visuals are DIY couture; the varied production ranges from the blunted funk rhythm of “Boiled Peanuts” to the sleek soul harmonies on “Hide N Seek”. Doechii is adept at serving shade, as on the insistently filthy “GTFO”, featuring rapper and exotic dancer Kuntfetish. At the same time, she’s also candid about her vulnerabilities and messy moods. Often she does this with humour, as on the quirky call-and-response therapy session of “Denial is a River”. Elsewhere, the revelations are heartfelt and raw, and the title track’s end note feels both spiritual and undeniably headstrong.★★★★☆‘Alligator Bites Never Heal’ is released by TDE/Capitol
