Mover and Shaker, Doechii was on No Ghostwriter’s list of up-and-comers to keep your eye on in 2022. And boy was that prediction accurate. Doechii signed to TDE last year, after her 2020 EP, Oh The Places You’ll Go. And particularly track 2, “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake”. Which went viral on social media in 2021; and has been out and about being an icon ever since.
The artist not only spits hard bars but is also a model and actress as well. Having recently been booked in the role of Trina in the film Earth Mama. Which was released on January 20, 2023. Doechii is known for coloring outside the lines. She is unafraid to push the boundaries of what female rappers have been known to do. Portraying her passion for her craft and eye for design in every piece she creates.
“What It Is” Background
“What It Is (Block Boy)” is the first release by Doechii in 2023. And bears Destiny’s Child type of R&B sound. Released on March 17, 2023, and produced by J. White Did It and Brian Kennedy, the official track features Kodak Black to flesh out the song. Which is an undeniable “love” song about bedroom acrobatics.
Kodak signed with Capitol Records in late 2022 after being unable to renegotiate his deal with Atlantic Records. The Florida native is a well-known rapper who started his career back in 2009 (at age 12). And is known for songs like “Skrt” (2015) and “ZEZE” (2018). Kodak made his official debut in 2017 with a full-length album entitled Painting Pictures. And he has since been featured on tracks by artists like Chris Brown and Gucci Mane.
“What It Is (Block Boy)” Song Review
Doechii croons the whole way through the song. Hitting the early 2000s Beyoncé pocket so hard I had to mention it twice. The song opens up with the catchy hook of:
“What it is, ho? What’s up?
Every good girl needs a little thug
Every block boy needs a little love”
Doechii’s verse leaves the imagination wanting more as she artfully yet raunchily explains:
“Bathroom bully in the bando
He gon’ make it flip, do it with no handles
Never switchin’ sides, only switchin’ angles”
I honestly feel like Kodak did a disservice to this track. His sloppy, mush mouth style drags down the beauty of Doechii’s vocals and muddles the overall experience of the song. Which is absolutely tragic considering how much time, effort, heart, and soul Doechii put into the song. And the music video that goes with it. I feel like someone along the lines of Polo G or Icewear Vezzo would have fit the bill much better.
Conclusion
After the initial single dropped, there were several versions of this song released. Including a solo version where it is just Doechii the whole way through. I have to say, I am very glad that Doechii released the solo version. Similar to how Sia’s “Cheap Thrills” (2016) featured Sean Paul on the radio edit. But not on the CD version of the song.
Doechii is one of my favorite artists of all time. Her lyrical prowess and overall versatility within her craft is the stuff that heroes and role models are built from.“What it Is (Block Boy)” ft. Kodak Black might not make its way into my regular rotation, but you best believe the solo version has a safe place on my Love Songs Playlist right next to “I Like You (A Happier Song)” by Post Malone and Doja Cat, because, at the end of the day, the messaging is on point for this song and that is what matters most to this Hip-Hop head.