Doechii Shares Emotional Moment After Performing with Lauryn Hill at Jazz In The Gardens
Rising rap star Doechii experienced a career-defining moment over the weekend when her hero, Ms. Lauryn Hill, invited her on stage for a surprise duet of the legendary hit “Doo Wop (That Thing).” The unforgettable performance took place on March 8 at the Jazz In The Gardens Music Festival in Miami, where Hill stunned the crowd by bringing out the Swamp Princess for a special collaboration.
Doechii’s Dream Come True
Shortly after the performance, Doechii took to X (formerly Twitter) to express her gratitude and excitement over sharing the stage with one of her biggest inspirations.
“Thank you Miss Lauryn Hill. Thank you. My heart is so full. She is my hero. This is the greatest honor hip hop could give me. Praise God … my entire body is vibrating with joy right now. I’ll never forget this day! EVER!” she wrote.
In a follow-up post, she added: “I never been so nervous in my life [crying emoji] she is a QUEEN.”
Doechii’s Meteoric Rise in Hip-Hop
This monumental moment comes on the heels of a career-defining Grammy win for Doechii. At the 2025 Grammy Awards, she took home the Best Rap Album trophy for her critically acclaimed project ALLIGATOR BITES NEVER HEAL. With this victory, she became only the third female artist in history to win the award, following Ms. Lauryn Hill (1997, with the Fugees) and Cardi B (2019, with Invasion of Privacy).
She also delivered one of the night’s most electrifying performances, running through a high-energy medley of “Catfish” and “Denial Is A River,” further solidifying her status as a must-watch performer in hip-hop.
In the week following the Grammys, Doechii’s album surged to No. 14 on the Billboard 200, marking her first-ever top 20 project, with 31,000 copies sold—more than doubling her previous weekly sales.
Her single “Denial Is A River” has also gained major traction, reaching a new peak at No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Paying Tribute to Kanye West’s Iconic Grammy Moment
Not one to slow down, Doechii celebrated her Grammy win by dropping a new song, “Nosebleeds,” which pays homage to one of hip-hop’s most famous Grammy speeches—Kanye West’s 2005 acceptance speech for The College Dropout.
On the track, she references Ye’s memorable moment by rapping:
“I don’t know, is she gonna go crazy? Is she gonna go crazy?
Errbody wanted to know what Doechii would do if she didn’t win
I guess we’ll never—”
This mirrors West’s speech, where he famously said: “Everybody wanted to know what I would do if I didn’t win… I guess we’ll never know.”
What’s Next for Doechii?
With her Grammy win, rising chart success, and a co-sign from Lauryn Hill, Doechii’s momentum shows no signs of slowing down. From her bold artistry to her captivating stage presence, she’s quickly carving out her own legacy in hip-hop—all while staying true to her influences.
Her emotional reaction to performing with Lauryn Hill proves just how much this moment meant to her, and for fans, it was yet another reminder that Doechii is here to stay.
