Doechii Gifts Us With Every Possible Version of "What It Is"
Photo: Samuel Valdivia
Paying homage to the 2000s anthem, Doechii repurposes âSome Cutâ by Trillville to put the ball back in womenâs court on âWhat It Is (Block Boy).â
Named Billboardâs âRising Star,â Doechii walks with an understated sense of security. She knows sheâs an âitâ girl in the hip-hop industry and doesnât need performative tactics to prove it: she wears her outfits, raps her verses, and leaves a trail of fire behind her as she exits.
Much more vocally forward than her previous singles, âWhat It Is (Block Boy)â feels like the modern-day âSoldierâ by Destinyâs Child, reminding us that there arenât enough tracks where women platform their assets and demand their desires. Itâs more pop from her than weâre used to, and with it, we're greeted by a nostalgically playful single that gives Doechii a chance to dance with her vocal range over a âNo Scrubsâ by TLC sample.
The song originally features a verse from Kodak Black, which earned some pushback from fans and prompted the artist to release a solo version alongside it. While it was a choice most likely in honor of their shared Floridian upbringing, many found it to be tone-deaf, though truthfully, the biggest takeaway from the debacle was that Doechiii doesnât need a feature and can hold attention on her own without much of a sweat. Though weâre grateful for it, even SZAâs version of âPersuasiveâ still didnât outshine the solo cut.
Describing her sound as alternative hip-hop, Doechii continues to shapeshift, from rap to R&B to crowning herself a provocative dance-pop seductress. Itâs not often that an artist comes out the gate so willing to be experimental, clearly indicating that the 24-year-old rising star is only just getting started.
Listen to every version of "What It Is" below: