Hundreds of fans swarmed the Islington Assembly Hall in London to attend the first of the final European shows in support of the rapper’s latest mixtape, before Doechii and DJ Miss Milan crossed the pond to embark on the second leg of their U.S. tour. The Tampa rapper, whom Kendrick Lamar dubbed “the hardest out,” delivered a masterclass in hip-hop and breath control, all while preaching self-empowering and inspirational messages on stage. Alligator bites never heal, and Doechii never disappoints.
Amid green lights, swampy sounds, and striking staging, Doechii emerged donning a sharp blazer and glasses reminiscent of a slick working professional for her debut London show. Don’t let the outfit fool you, though — the only business at hand was flawlessly bringing songs from her record Alligator Bites Never Heal to life with fierce bites at haters, critics, and the industry. Joined by DJ Miss Milan and aided by staging inspired by her home state of Florida, the duo brought endless charisma to their first-ever visit to the British capital. “It means surviving fucked shit. It means celebrating a sold-out tour, not following a formula, and not letting the industry define you,” she said on stage, explaining the project’s title while reminding fans it’s a “mixtape, not an album,” hinting that the best is yet to come.
The show was masterfully crafted, with fluctuating levels of energy to keep the audience hooked without being overwhelmed by Doechii’s trademark intensity and rapid flows, while showcasing her versatility as an artist. Her sharp jacket was flung aside in time for high-intensity standouts like Nissan Altima, Alter Ego (where an audience member effortlessly performed a death drop on stage), and Crazy, which exuded unmatched power and reinforced Doechii’s exceptional rapping skills and breath control.
These high-energy moments were contrasted with deeper, introspective cuts from her discography like Wait, Death Roll, and Black Girl Memoir, during which she brought out a bundle of sage on stage and dedicated the songs specifically to “the Black girls in the crowd.” With these tracks, Doechii had the room eating out of her hand as she revealed her R&B side, reminiscent of Lauryn Hill. She also performed the beloved Denial Is a River, which, bolstered by the natural chemistry between her and DJ Miss Milan on stage, where they performed a “breathing exercise,” became a show highlight.
Seeing an artist and DJ perform choreography together was refreshing. “You can do any fucking thing you set your mind to,” she declared as she sang Stressed for “the OG fans,” along with a swamp sessions track that didn’t make it onto the mixtape, before concluding with the unanimously chosen closing song Yucky Blucky Fruitcake, the one that started it all. While a British accent might not be for her, hip-hop certainly is. London’s ‘swamp’ witnessed an unforgettable show by one of current hip-hop’s most talented and intriguing figures.
