101 at Petco Park – The UCSD Guardian

Growing up, hip-hop was always one of my favorite genres – iconic rappers like The Notorious BIG define many of the most key moments of my life – but I never had the means to attend a hip-hop concert. Since arriving at university, I have tried to use my financial independence as much as possible, going to every concert possible. When Doechii announced that his “Live from the Swamp” tour would be coming to Petco Park, my friends and I jumped at the chance to get tickets as soon as they went on sale in August.

My excitement grew with every minute I spent watching videos of his tour online. However, from the moment we arrived, I was still amazed by Doechii’s iconic boombox; I never imagined how gigantic it would look in person. Surrounded by hundreds of fans who understood the mission, I joined the ranks of my classmate Doechii’s teacher’s pets, dressed head to toe in a schoolgirl outfit with dark green accents – a reference to his iconic Camp Flog Gnaw Outfit.

Murmured conversations turned into roars of anticipation as a school bell rang and the jumbotron turned on. A video of Doechii leading the class, accompanied by a medley of her most famous beats, played on screen as she entered the stage on a moving school desk.

Doechii structured his set like a history lesson in rap and hip-hop. To truly understand the theme of the school, she treated us like her students, introducing us to many iterations of hip-hop culture that many of us would never have encountered otherwise.

As I watched in awe, I had the opportunity to reflect on Doechii’s commitment to honoring the breadth of hip-hop artistry that preceded her. His now-iconic boombox set, a symbol of the beginnings of hip-hop culture, coupled with his homage to the old-school concert style of a single rapper and his accompanying emcee – the iconic DJ Miss Milan – made Doechii’s “Live from the Swamp” tour a throwback to the beginnings of hip-hop.

Honoring his roots doesn’t stop Doechii from taking risks and experimenting with contemporary concert culture based on theater and technology. From flashing lights across the room to performing in pre-recorded clips ranging from inspirational quotes to comedic riffs on sex-ed classes, Doechii has solidified her versatility as a skilled rapper and eccentric performer.

“STANKA POOH,” the brooding opening track to “Alligator Bites Never Heal” that reflects her anxieties as a rapper, was Doechii’s well-chosen opening song. Dispelling his fears that he would never make it, Doechii owned the stage and, for a solid two hours, proved that no one was on his level.

During solo performance tracks like “Spookie Coochie,” his wordplay shone through in his effortless delivery. The crowd went crazy, screaming and cheering as heads bounced to the beat in unison. Explosive, intense tracks like “NISSAN ALTIMA” and “Nosebleeds” forced everyone into a collective lock-up, shouting every lyric so loud I could barely hear Doechii. It was so surreal that I forgot I was at a concert; I felt more like I was at a huge neighborhood party.

In “Crazy,” Doechii enticed audience members to act as extras in a full-fledged production: As she crawled across a school desk and punched directly into the giant cameras, deafening screams erupted from an infatuated and stunned crowd. On stage, Doechii began to give a member of the audience a lap dance, while around me, people in the crowd who had started out as strangers danced together as if they had been friends for years.

At the end of the concert, Doechii told us to turn off our phones and hold hands with everyone in the audience, even if we didn’t know them. As she sang my favorite song, “WAIT,” the entire swamp was serenaded, present and taking a moment to, well, wait.

I left the concert feeling elated like no other concert had ever made me feel before. From the lawn to the stage, I fully immersed myself in this unique concert culture. Doechii’s performance introduced me to every critical aspect of his career. From her raw talent that put her on the map to her commitment to her production that elevated the entire genre, I truly believe that no other artist will take me through the same rollercoaster of emotions as Doechii.