Is Doechii the Next Big Thing? The Hip-Hop Rapper Facing Industry Plant Allegations
Jayla Li’mya Hickmon, professionally known as Doechii, is an American rapper and singer born on August 14, 1998—hey, fellow Leo sister, girl! She has recently begun to see mainstream success. After her viral TikTok song, What It Is (Block Boy), Doechii has slowly been making her way onto stages across the country. While the record was a social media smash hit, many fans were still unfamiliar with Doechii outside of that song.
Rapping and performing since around 2019, this TikTok hit gave her the career boost she needed—but at a cost. You see, when most songs go viral on social media apps, it’s rare for the artist to achieve long-term success. Take Ice Spice, for example (but I’ll get to her in a moment). While performing her trending song a few months ago, many fans took to TikTok to express their surprise upon learning that Doechii was the performer.
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A handful of fans knew her already, but that alone wasn’t enough to push anyone into mainstream Hip Hop. With this newfound recognition, many of Doechii’s peers—including Billie Eilish, Elle Fanning, Halsey, and more—have publicly stated that she’s their favorite rapper at the moment. This has led fans and spectators to question whether Doechii might be an industry plant.
What is an industry plant? This term refers to an artist who appears to be self-made or independent but is actually heavily backed by a record label. Their image and career trajectory are often carefully managed to create the illusion of organic success.
Jennifer Lopez is often considered one of the first notable industry plants, brought into the music scene to compete with Mariah Carey. Unfortunately, that rivalry didn’t go as planned. While Jennifer Lopez’s manufactured career ultimately proved successful, not every artist can be universally digestible to the masses—especially in today’s climate, where nearly everything an artist says or does is subject to scrutiny and heavy criticism.
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The wave of social media users can easily create a tidal wave of love or hate for any celebrity. Unless, of course, you’re Nicki Minaj, whose Barbz fandom has made many afraid to voice even the slightest criticism out of fear of being doxxed. The Beyhive operates similarly. But I digress. Contrary to popular belief, Doechii’s rise wasn’t an easy one. She had to work hard to get to where she is and continues to do so. She’s given us innovation, catchy lyrics, and a nostalgic nod to the '90s by drawing inspiration from rapper Craig Mack.
Doechii is a fresh face in the industry, but she’s not your average Hip Hop MC. She’s a performer and an artist, not a traditional freestyle or battle rapper—which is often the image people associate with those trying to climb the industry ladder in this genre. That said, even some of the biggest names in Hip Hop, like Nicki Minaj—undoubtedly the greatest female rapper alive—haven’t built their careers on freestyles, unlike artists such as Megan Thee Stallion or Shenseea.
Artists like Doja Cat and Doechii, while sharing some similarities in sound and mannerisms, exist in a genre that toggles between pop and rap. This blending of styles can sometimes confuse fans. But the best thing we can do as listeners is to give artists the creative space to explore and enjoy the art they choose to share with the world. Heavy criticism and overly negative think pieces are unnecessary in the grand scheme of things.
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Now, onto Ice Spice, whose deluxe album recently sold only 4,800 copies in its first week. This lackluster performance has led fans to speculate that the “Munch” rapper may have fallen off. Ice Spice might be considered by some as an industry plant. While her viral song "Munch" propelled her to fame, critics argue that her talent doesn't match the hype. Record labels quickly capitalized on her moment, branding her and even sending her down the Met Gala red carpet.
Despite her viral success, Ice Spice managed to secure features from high-profile artists like Travis Scott and Gunna. So, what went wrong, and why does it seem like the label machine has stopped supporting her?
Recent controversies in the media may have played a role. Ice Spice's issues with her best friend Cleotrapa, along with leaked messages from her ex-best friend Stormy, have stirred up significant backlash. In the leaked messages, Ice Spice allegedly claimed that she gave Nicki Minaj an opportunity by collaborating with her on the Barbie soundtrack track, "Barbie World."
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This claim didn’t sit well with fans, especially considering Minaj reportedly wanted to negotiate higher publishing rights for the song—an understandable move as the bigger artist, whose presence likely drove most of the song’s attention. Let’s be honest, many listeners were there for Nicki. With these controversies and diminishing returns, it seems the label may be losing confidence in Ice Spice as an investment. Whether industry plant or not, labels are unlikely to continue pouring resources into an artist who is no longer profitable. Unfortunately, this could signal the end of Ice Spice’s mainstream moment.
by Diamond Brown
