Tearful Doechii Gets Emotional as She Wins Best Rap Album at 2025 Grammys: ‘I Bared My Soul’

Doechii is a Grammy winner!

The “Alter Ego” musician won the Grammy award for best rap album for her mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal on Sunday, Feb. 2 at the 67th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

The rapper gave a heartfelt speech while accepting the award. Doechii, 26, received a standing ovation as she approached the stage holding back tears.

“I don’t wanna make this long, but this category was introduced in 1989. And two women have won — three women have won — Lauryn Hill, Cardi B and Doechii,” she began the emotional statement, calling out her predecessors.

“I put my heart and my soul into this mixtape. I bared my life. I went through so much. I dedicated myself to sobriety and God told me I would be rewarded. And I have to thank God.”

“I need to thank my beautiful mother for coaching me. I want to thank my label, my engineer, Jada, for everything she did,” Doechii, whose real name is Jaylah Ji’mya Hickmon, also spoke about her roots in Tampa.

“My fans to the swamp. There’s so many people out there who probably don’t know who I am. I am. I call myself the swamp Princess because I’m from Tampa, Florida,” she continued.

“There’s so much culture in Tampa. Whenever people think about Florida, they only think about like Miami. But Tampa has so much talent. Labels go to Tampa. There’s talent there.”

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She also thanked her label and the producers who worked on Alligator Bites Never Heal.

Doechii concluded her speech on an inspiring note: “I know that there is some Black girl out there. So many Black women out there that are watching me right now. And I want to tell you, you can do it. Anything is possible. Anything is possible.”

“Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you that tell you that you can’t be here, that you’re too dark or that you’re not smart enough, or that you’re too dramatic or you’re too loud,” she concluded. “You are exactly who you need to be to be right where you are and I am a testimony.”

Doechii also earned nominations for best new artist and best rap performance (with “Nissan Altima”) for the 67th Grammy Awards. She performed “Catfish” and “Denial Is a River” later in the ceremony.

The 2025 Grammy Awards are airing live on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ from the Crypto.com Arena.