Doechii Graces The Cover Of 'The Cut'

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After winning a Grammy for Best Rap Album earlier this month, rising rap star Doechii is on an impressive winning streak, now gracing the cover of The Cut.

The “DENIAL IS A RIVER” hitmaker appeared on The Cut’s February 2025 on Feb. 19, stunning in a silk leotard designed by Miss Claire Sullivan, complete with pouf wings. Complementing her look, Doechii wore a silk wig cap adorned with elegant feathers and paired the outfit with Christian Louboutin Kate Clawmax pumps, Area plate drop earrings, gemstone studs, and stockings. The striking ensemble reflects Doechii’s bold and unapologetic approach as an artist, embodying the idea that anything is possible when you pursue your dreams fearlessly.

Doechii reflected on her childhood with The Cut writer Danya Issawi.

In a conversation with writer Danya Issawi for the cover story, Doechii, whose real name is Jaylah Hickmon, reflected on the pivotal moments that led to her winning her first Grammy. She became only the third woman in history to win Best Rap Album, joining the ranks of Cardi B and Lauryn Hill.

Doechii shared that she’s always been bold, even as a child, with stories that can be heard in her 2020 single “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake.” In the track, she raps about her rebellious moments, including an incident where she put on Lisa Frank’s lipstick and got caught being a little too sexually expressive. The title directly references the Junie. B Jones book series, a children’s book written by Barbara Park that centers on “almost six-year-old” Junie B. Jones and her adventures in kindergarten and first grade.

“I was a lot like Junie. She did what she wanted. She was very curious, and she just went for it,” Doechii recalled of her childhood. “Even though she had her issues, she had this feminine rage about her that I really, really liked.”

The track embodies Doechii’s signature honesty and raw audacity, elements she will always maintain in her music, even as her labels, Top Dawg Entertainment and Capitol Records, encourage her to create more commercial sounds. That grit and realness are evident in tracks like “NISSAN ALTIMA,” where she boldly declares herself the “new hip-hop Madonna,” and “DENIAL IS A RIVER,” where the rapper reflects on the struggles that fueled the viral hits leading to her success and “makin’ so much money.” It will never wither away.

“I don’t like making music just for a moment. I like to make music for therapy, for an inner experience, an inner purpose, and not just for an algorithm,” the femcee said. Doechii, who also rocked a fierce MISS CLAIRE SULLIVAN Draped Tux Jacket and Corset Trousers for the cover shoot, shared that while there are moments when she worries about being too “honest” in certain songs, she knows her authenticity will always prevail.

“I don’t give a f*** because I know that in the end, it’s going to pay off more for me to be real,” the Florida native told The Cut.

Congrats to Doechii!

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