To say Doechii had a great night at the 2025 Grammys would be a major understatement. At the February 2 award show, the rapper became the third woman—after Lauryn Hill and Cardi B—to win the award for Best Rap Album for her mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal. Then, she gave the most memorable performance of the night (and one of the best in Grammys history??) when she took to the stage to perform "Catfish" and "Denial Is a River".
It was an undeniably impressive show with complicated choreography on conveyor belts, splits and flips, and a whole bunch of Thom Browne outfits, including a surprise wardrobe reveal. It was the type of performance that makes you go, How? What?! I could never! But, as Doechii revealed on social media: She was also sick. How? What?! I could never!
As reported by People, on February 15, Doechii took to TikTok to respond to claims posted on the app that she was lip-syncing at the Grammys. Not only does the 26-year-old rapper deny lip-syncing, but she adds that she had the flu and bronchitis.
"I can't possibly get on here and say this calmly or nicely: Y’all are stupid as hell. So slow! Ahhh!" Doechii starts. "That is my DJ's voice picking up on the lines that I can't say because I'm doing A SOMERSAULT!"
She continues, "That entire performance was live! I was sick as a dog with bronchitis and the flu, performing my ass off in a straddle on top of human men."
Doechii goes on to say that she " worked [her] ass off to build the stamina for that." She finished, "I don't lip-sync. Don't ever fucking play with me like that. Ever!"
"I can't possibly get on here and say this calmly or nicely: Y’all are stupid as hell. So slow! Ahhh!" Doechii starts. "That is my DJ's voice picking up on the lines that I can't say because I'm doing A SOMERSAULT!"
She continues, "That entire performance was live! I was sick as a dog with bronchitis and the flu, performing my ass off in a straddle on top of human men."
Doechii goes on to say that she " worked [her] ass off to build the stamina for that." She finished, "I don't lip-sync. Don't ever fucking play with me like that. Ever!"
Robbie Blue, the choreographer of the performance, spoke to Billboard about what went into the artist getting ready for the big stage.
"Doechii was in the studio every single day, eight hours, beginning to end dancing—and that’s why she looks so good," Blue said. "She is naturally an amazing dancer, but on top of that she was willing to try all of these things. She was just fearless—and some of that shit is really hard!"
Doechii also spoke out about her performance backstage at the Grammys.
"It meant everything to prove myself tonight," she told reporters, according to USA Today. "It was about Broadway and dance and theater and art, and I think I brought that to the stage."
And, she didn't say it herself at that time, but it bears repeating: She was sick!