‘Alligator Bites Never Heal’

I haven’t written about music recently — for the sake of my sanity — so I’ve dedicated the next few installments of “Sound and Sociology” to some of my favorite projects from the past year. The first project I am covering is Doechii’s newest mixtape, “Alligator Bites Never Heal” — “ABNH.”

Released Aug. 30, 2024, “ABNH” is 19 songs and spans approximately 46 minutes. 

“ABNH” has three hit singles: “Nissan Altima,” “Boom Bap,” and “Denial Is a River.” Much of the album revolves around Doechii’s own experiences with depression, drug addiction, her newfound fame and wealth and the struggles of navigating adulthood. 

A noticeable characteristic of this album is its lack of adherence to a specific tone. Many of the songs emulate the boom-bap sound that’s reminiscent of hip-hop's older era. While half the album has a brighter sound, the other half is dark and gloomy.  Much of the album also utilizes modern sounding ambiance as to not stray too far from Doechii’s usual sound. 

Different elements of her artistry and sound blend together seamlessly on “ABNH,” and it helps the album encapsulate how versatile and whimsical Doechii is. 

In terms of lyrics, Doechii is out for blood with her rhymes. Her vulgarity and abrasiveness never undercuts her more vulnerable moments. It also impressively adds a more complex layer to songs that would otherwise be very depressing if she had just rapped them normally. 

Starting with the standout track on the project, “Denial Is a River,” is witty and whimsical, featuring a back-and-forth dialogue between Doechii and her inner voice that fits in seamlessly with the music and lyrics. 

Normally, skits within rap songs take me out of the experience. When rapping along to “Denial,” I can’t help but to act out both parts like I’m reenacting a broadway musical. The song deals with some pretty intense subject matter, but it’s balanced out by its comedic overtones. 

“Denial” is a fast paced song meant to reflect just how rapidly Doechii’s fame and success has grown in the past few years. As much as it is exciting to see our favorite artists grow, it's just as easy to forget how that type of rapid growth can take a huge mental toll on someone.

Doechii talks about how she found out her boyfriend was cheating on her with another man, and how she never had time to properly process that incident due to her demanding lifestyle as an artist. She buried her grief in poor financial decisions, drugs and sex — which only led to her depression getting worse. 

Another track that garnered attention when the album first dropped is “BOOM BAP.” The whole song can be summed up in the line “they want real rap from a bitch.”

Women in hip-hop are often forced to choose between two extremes — either perform overt masculinity or femininity in order to stand out. 

Many women have to choose between one of the two  to find mainstream success, and that allows for little nuance in both their music and public personas. In “ABNH,” Doechii sings, raps and acts all on this project, proving that she can’t be contained. 

In order to be taken seriously, you have to rap well. What’s considered good rapping is typically dictated by old-heads who are used to the older boom-bap, east coast sound of rap’s early days — hence the title of the song. Doechii flips this on her head and fills the song with simpler rhymes schemes and literal raspberry noises that take such a serious sound and make it unserious — I freaking love it. 

It’s even more befitting that her least serious song is followed by the most impressive display of her lyrical talent on the entire album. While “NISSAN ALTIMA” is  only 117 beats per minute, Doechii starts off with a bang and averages 10 syllables per second in the first seven seconds of verse one.

She switches the flow at least three times in that same verse and rhymes words that sound outlandish to rhyme — except when she does it. Who the hell is out here rhyming “she get hotter than a sauna” with “tsunami her vagina”? Doechii is, that’s who. Your fave could never. 

“ABNH” displayed everything that makes Doechii an amazing artist. The album showcased her range and versatility during a time where many people are still struggling to grapple with the fact that women and femmes are just as nuanced with our music as other artists in the industry. 

While every song on the album might not be for everyone, I recommend hip-hop fans to skim the album for a song or two. There is bound to be at least one that meshes well with anyone’s catalogue.