The last time I saw Doechii was on her first Alligator Bites Never Heal run, when she shut down (and completely sold out) Webster Hall last October. People hadn’t properly appreciated the mixtape quite yet. It had dropped just a few months ago. But the self-proclaimed “editorial rapper” still brought the swamp to the city, nonetheless – donning full Miu Miu, of course.
Since that October 25, 2024, show, Doechii has skyrocketed, racking in awards and accolades left, right, and every direction in between. In February, she won her first Grammy for Best Rap Album, joining Lauryn Hill and Cardi B as the third-ever woman to win the award. Fresh off the big win, she added another notch to her belt, nabbing Billboard’s coveted Woman of the Year award for 2025.
With the major Grammy Award win (and a Best New Artist nomination), among a slew of other award noms, collaboration, and co-signs collected since her first ABNH Tour, Doechii had every right to curate a stadium-only tour; rather, she kept the venues on the smaller end. Instead of Madison Square Garden, she opted for the smaller, connected MSG Theater, which seats about 5,600, versus the Garden’s 19,500. Still a lot bigger than Webster Hall’s 1,600.
In a moment epitomic of her artistic ascent, Doechii publicly announced this current tour during her Lollapalooza set back in August. While rumors of the tour circulated a few days prior, we all figured there was no way Top Dog’s rising Top Dog wouldn’t spin the block once again in support of the project now that the rest of the world had finally caught up with its intellect. She proved us right just before walking off the stage after her set, confirming her biggest solo tour yet would kick off in October, the 14th, to be specific.
Billed as the Live From The Swamp Tour, the North American run of shows closes out on November 10th and is still, technically, “in support” of Alligator Bites Never Heal, as Doechii has only dropped two singles since the mixtape’s drop: “Nosebleeds” and the official studio version of her May 2020 Coven Studio Session “Anxiety” freestyle.
For this go-around of Alligator Bites Never Heal, the Swamp Princess and now global superstar truly took her already precisely honed storytelling to a new level. Centered around a theme of Doechii’s “School of Hip Hop,” the entire show was structured around a series of “lessons” from the musician, ranging from “Wordplay” to “Sex Education.”
The night’s sonic curriculum was masterfully curated, the setlist featuring almost the entirety of Alligator Bites Never Heal, interspersed with some deep cuts, classics, and covers.
Broadcast on a big screen in the center of the stage, and two vertical ones on either side, the visuals proved key to the story. It’s possible Doechii took a page from Beyoncé’s book, featuring a plethora of striking on-screen interludes backed by high-octane, thematic tracks.
Speaking of Bey, she delivered a freestyle of “America Has a Problem,” a particular high point of the set. She also remixed Charli XCX’s “360” into “Persuasion” under a glowing reen light, and referenced her viral “Met Gala Umbrella” moment during “Alter Ego.”
While last year’s set leaned heavily into the physicality of the swamp, for this tour, she kept to a singular, more simple set for the show: a silver boombox centerpiece stationed in the middle of the stage. The sleek, modular structure features a slide on either side, with a stage on top and an opening in the middle. Doechii slides in on a moving school desk, with books stacked on its shelf.
DJ Miss Milan stays primarily posted up in the center opening, joining Doechii for a second tour in a row. Their synergy shines – especially during her cameo as the therapist during “DENIAL IS A RIVER.” She handled her New York City show fully solo; otherwise, she brought out a lineup of New York City’s finest to sit down at the dining table for her “Crazy” performance, including Julia Fox, Anok Yai, and Ravyn Lenae.
Other high points on the New York City show included, of course, her Sam Woolf-styled look. Her outfits of choice vary throughout the tour, sticking to one overall look each night.
“Swamp Bitches” shook the room, as she zoned in under a glowing green light, whereas on “Stressed,” she showcased her vocals, going into riffs of Roy Ayers’ “Everybody Loves The Sunshine.” So did “Anxiety,” with the track bleeding in and out of its sampled-“Somebody That I Used To Know.” NYC’s set also included the tour debut of “What It Is.”
Even as she nears an untouchable level of fame, she still feels somewhat in reach, not only immersing but directly including the audience in the tour’s narrative. Similarly to how she did for the first Alligator Bites Never Heal run, she schooled us with a proper “style guide” syllabus before the tour kicked off.
She makes her superstardom feel accessible; the bridging of global celebrity with local community is a dichotomy only Doechii can decipher – and do it damn well.
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