Doechii has capped off the year with an unforgettable performance of “Denial Is A River” featuring Issa Rae.
For Genius’ Open Mic series, the Alligator Bites Never Heal rapper teamed up with the original “Awkward Black Girl” for a live therapy session. The theatrical song hears Doechii rap, as Rae interjects with questions like: “Why don’t you just tell me what’s been goin’ on?” and asking if she’s using drugs.
The live performance has been making rounds especially since Doechii first rapped it on NPR’s Tiny Desk. See below.
Genius producer, Andrés Tardio, shared a story behind recruiting Issa Rae to the performance on social media.
“I had this crazy idea while listening to Doechii’s ‘Denial is a River’ one day,” he wrote on. “What if Issa Rae played the role of Doechii’s therapist in a special live rendition of the song? That idea is now real! Doechii and Issa showed up and made magic with their incredible talent and star power. Just undeniable greatness. So many great minds came together to bring this to life in such a dope way. Watch the credits for some of those names but also for a special bonus moment too!”
“Denial Is A River” helms from her August 2024 project Alligator Bites Never Heal mixtape.
https://open.spotify.com/track/1eTaznNW4Xxtx9za2SMTXB?si=I9yo3D7WR6iDGGxxvlz6ew&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A60UzB8mOCMpc7xkuJE6Bwc
Speaking on the tape she said, “I woke up one day and told my label, ‘I’m just going to make a mixtape. I was able to birth this out of pure presence and creativity, and I think I want to carry that with all of my projects and have that mentality moving forward.”
The TDE artist announced her debut album will come out in 2025. She said, “All I can think about is this album, so I’m just looking forward to making more hits, making more music and achieving more of my goals. That’s it.”
