Doechii Joins Her ‘Hero’ Lauryn Hill for ‘Doo Wop (That Thing)’ Duet in Miami: ‘Greatest Honor Hip-Hop Could Give Me’

“I carried your principles with me during my coming of age. And I carry them with me now,” the rapper captioned an Instagram post on Sunday, March 9

Doechii got to perform with her “hero” over the weekend.

On Saturday, March 9, the “Anxiety” musician, 26, joined Lauryn Hill onstage at the Miami festival Jazz in the Gardens to perform the latter’s 1998 hit “Doo Wop (That Thing).”

“I want to introduce y’all to another sister,” the “Ex-Factor” artist, 49, told the crowd before Doechii arrived on the stage, per video footage captured by radio station 103.5 The Beat.

The Grammy winner, whose real name is Jaylah Ji’mya Hickmon, then proceeded to rap and dance alongside Hill.

The following day, Doechii shared a sweet letter on Instagram dedicated to the musician.

“The first full length album I ever listened to was The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” began the “Denial Is a River” performer. “My mom would play it from top to bottom everyday on my way to school for years 🤎”

She continued: “I would sing your songs as if I wrote them, imagining myself on stage. Each song deepened my love for music and my curiosity to write raps. My favorite lyric in Doo Wop is ‘don’t be a hard rock when you really are a gem’ that stuck with me anytime I wanted to ‘get even’ or harden my heart towards those who wronged me.”

“I carried your principles with me during my coming of age,” wrote Doechii. “And I carry them with me now at this current stage of my career, your lyrics are close to my heart. Thank you Miss Lauryn Hill. This is the greatest honor hip hop could give me. Praise God 🤎.”

Alongside the note, Doechii shared a series of photos from the night of their duet, including her posing in a Canadian Tuxedo, newsboy cap and string bikini top, as well as her performing alongside the “Ready or Not” artist.

Last month, Doechii won her first Grammy in the best rap album category for her mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal. In her acceptance speech, she spoke about becoming the third woman to win the award following Hill and Cardi B.

“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,” she said.

She then spoke about her roots in Tampa and encouraged labels to go there to find talent.

“There’s so much culture in Tampa,” said Doechii.

Doechii ended 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.”