Doechii’s “Denial Is A River”: How Sitcom Nostalgia Meets Raw Confession

Doechii Denial Is A River Music Video Unleashes Star-Studded Family Matters Tribute

From journal entry to screen, Doechii’s latest visual creation for Denial Is A River showcases an innovative blend of ’90s sitcom nostalgia and raw storytelling.

The video, co-directed by Carlos Acosta and James Mackel, marks 2025’s first major music video release, featuring an ensemble cast reimagining her personal narrative through a nostalgic lens.

The Deeper Story Behind Denial Is A River

Denial Is A River carries deeper significance in Doechii’s artistic journey, connecting back to her earlier EP, Oh The Places You’ll Go.

The song reintroduces a character – a nurturing teacher figure who previously guided her through inner child healing.

“She’s been gone for a while, so I brought that character back because I felt like I needed her to talk through some things now,” Doechii revealed in an interview.

The creation process wasn’t without its struggles. “I went through a period where I was afraid to be vulnerable in my music, which is odd for me because that’s all I usually do,” Doechii confessed.

Facing a period of intense negativity and anger, she initially hesitated to express these darker emotions, concerned about her audience’s reception.

It took her engineer’s encouragement – “It’s not for them, it’s for you. You need to talk about it” – to push through this creative barrier.

This fear of vulnerability ultimately shaped the song’s distinctive tone.

“It was very scary for me to be that vulnerable on ‘Denial Is A River,’ which is why I think that I made it funny; so that it could be a bit easier to process the darkness of that record,” she explained.

This strategic use of humour would later inform the song’s sitcom-inspired visual treatment.

Inside the Denial Is A River Music Video: A Cinematic Journey

The music video opens with a deceptively simple scene with Doechii entering a house with groceries, immediately establishing the Family Matters-inspired setting.

This domestic tranquility quickly unravels as she catches her fictional husband, played by Zack Fox, in a flirtatious situation with Rickey Thompson.

The scene brilliantly mirrors the song’s early lyrics about discovering relationship betrayal, but with a sitcom twist.

As the narrative progresses through her career timeline, the setting transforms.

The modest living room evolves into a bustling house party filled with record label executives and fellow artists.

By 2023, the same space features platinum records on the walls, visually representing her rise to success.

Throughout these transitions, Doechii breaks the fourth wall, speaking directly to the audience in a way that both honours sitcom traditions and adds layers of intimacy to her storytelling.

Doechii Denial Is A River Lyrics: The Story Behind the Song

What began as private journaling transformed into Doechii’s most vulnerable track on Alligator Bites Never Heal.

Doechii Alligator Bites Never Heal Album Artwork

The song strips away metaphorical layers, opting for chronological storytelling that echoes influences like Slick Rick’s Children’s Story.

As Doechii explains in an interview, “It represents two things for me: the pure storytelling element of hip-hop and me in a humorous way talking about a lot of dark things.”

The 2019 Revelation: Betrayal and Revenge

The narrative opens in 2019, with Doechii recounting relationship deception:

Remember old dude from 2019? / Nice clean nigga, did me dirtier than laundry (Than laundry)

She discovered messages after accessing his Instagram – Took a scroll through his IG/ Just to get a DM from his wifey (What the f*ck?)

Importantly, Doechii clarifies, “I wasn’t going through his Instagram, he gave me his login because he needed me to do something.”

The revelation that followed – “turns out the girl was really a dude” – came as a shock, especially given her partner’s proclaimed straight identity.

Instead of immediate confrontation, Doechii plotted her response:

Nigga think he slicked back ’til I slipped back / Got my lick back, turned a nigga to a knick-knack (To a knick-knack).”

As she explains, “I got my lick back. I can’t go into detail about how I did that but I definitely got my lick back.”

2021: Top Dawg Entertainment and New Beginnings

By 2021, newly signed to Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) and relocated to California, Doechii found herself “coming out of like survival mode trying to learn how to live.”

The lyrics paint a picture of isolation amid success, where she finds herself newly navigating Hollywood, music and new friends and people around, but tunnel vision focused.

This period brought viral success with tracks like Yucky Lucky Fruitcake, Persuasive, and Stress, but also creative constraints.

“When you’re in the industry and you have a label when something works they want you to keep doing what works,” Doechii reveals, adding “I realised that I was outgrowing that and that formula didn’t work for me.”

Merging Visual Comedy With Raw Truth

The genius of Denial Is A River lies in its ability to balance sitcom aesthetics with genuine emotional weight.

Live audience reactions and transitional music amplify the parody of traditional sitcoms while making sharp commentary on the constructed nature of public personas.

When Doechii raps about moving too fast with “no time to process,” the video reflects this through rapid scene changes and increasingly chaotic party sequences.

The Dark Side of Fame

The narrative intensifies as Doechii describes the whirlwind of success:

“I’m moving so fast no time to process and no I’m not in a gang but I’m always on set.”

This line reflects her constant motion, doing award shows and doing interviews and doing press and doing shows and its just like all of the drastic changes that happened in her life haven’t taken a beat to process.

2023: When Sitcom Meets Reality

The video’s most powerful moment comes during the 2023 revelations.

As Doechii delivers lines about substance abuse – “I mean, fuck, I like pills, I like drugs / I like gettin’ money, I like strippers, I like to f*ck / I like day-drinkin’ and day parties in Hollywood” the sitcom facade begins to crack.

The destruction of her home by an ex-partner is depicted through exaggerated special effects and explosive chaos, yet the pain in her delivery cuts through the comedy.

This sequence perfectly aligns with the lyrics “And just when it couldn’t get worse / My ex crashed my place / And destroyed all I own,” creating a moment where sitcom hyperbole meets raw reality.

Breaking the Fourth Wall: From Denial to Truth

The video’s deliberate use of sitcom tropes – from laugh tracks to “very special episode” moments – serves a deeper purpose than mere nostalgia.

Each element helps process trauma through humour while acknowledging the serious nature of the experiences.

When Doechii delivers her final, angry verses directly to camera – “I ain’t a killer but don’t push me / Don’t wanna have to turn a nigga guts into soup beans” – the sitcom pretence falls away entirely, leaving only unfiltered truth.

A Symbolic Ending

The track ultimately represents Doechii’s journey from survival to living authentically.

Like the albino alligator featured on her album cover – “one of the rarest animals they can pretty much adapt in any environment” – she demonstrates resilience while maintaining artistic integrity.

The song’s structure, moving from humorous storytelling to raw anger, mirrors her evolution from denial to confrontation of her truths.

Through Denial Is A River, Doechii creates more than a song or video – she documents a journey of artistic and personal liberation, challenging industry norms while staying true to her creative vision.

The innovative blend of sitcom aesthetics with raw confession creates a unique narrative that resonates beyond traditional music video boundaries.

Doechii Denial Is A River Lyrics

Intro
Hey, I thought it was all over
What’s up, Doechii?
Hey, girl
You know it’s been a lil’ minute since you and I have had a chat
Has it really?
Probably since, like, your last EP, Oh The Places You’ll Go
Oh, wow, it’s been a minute (Yeah)
I’ve been gettin’ some calls
Oh?
People are a little bit worried about you
Not worried, okay
And I know that I was kinda that outlet for you, so
You were
Why don’t you just tell me what’s been goin’ on?
Okay

Verse 1
Remember old dude from 2019?
Nice clean nigga, did me dirtier than laundry (Than laundry)
Took a scroll through his IG
Just to get a DM from his wifey (What the fuck?)
I was so confused, what should Doechii do?
She didn’t know about me and I didn’t know ’bout Sue
I open up the messages and had to hit the zoom
Turns out the girl was really a dude? (Goddamn)
Nigga think he slicked back ’til I slipped back
Got my lick back, turned a nigga to a knick-knack (To a knick-knack)
I moved on, dropped a couple of songs
And then I went and got signed, now it’s 2021

Interlude
Okay, I just feel like this is the perfect opportunity for us to just
Take a second and kind off unpack what’s happened to you
You know, this guy cheated on you and—
Mm, nah, fuck it
Ow

Verse 2
“Platinum” record this, viral record that (That)
I’m makin’ so much money, I’m all over the net
I’m movin’ so fast, no time to process
And no, I’m not in a gang but I’m always on set (Yeah)
Wrist watch, drip drop, label want the TikToks
Now I’m makin’ TikTok music, what the fuck?
I need a cleanse, need a detox
But we ain’t got time to stop, the charts need us (And they do)
Fast forward, me 2023
I’m stackin’ lots of cheese and makin’ money
My grass is really green, and

Interlude
Honestly, I can’t even fucking cap no more
This is a really dark time for me
I’m goin’ through a lot
By a lot, you mean drugs?
Um, I wouldn’t—
Drugs?
No, it’s a—
No?
It’s a natural plant
No, I’m not judging
I’m not an addict
I’m just sayin’
I don’t think—
You wanna talk about it?
Uh

Verse 3
I mean, fuck, I like pills, I like drugs
I like gettin’ money, I like strippers, I like to fuck
I like day-drinkin’ and day parties in Hollywood
I like doin’ Hollywood shit, snort it, probably would
What can I say? The shit works, it feels good
And my self-worth’s at an all-time low
And just when it couldn’t get worse
My ex crashed my place and destroyed all I owned (Damn)
Whoopsie, made a oopsie
One-hundred thousand dollar “oops” made me loopy
I ain’t a killer but don’t push me
Don’t wanna have to turn a nigga guts into soup beans

Outro
Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah (Rurr), okay, Doechii
We don’t wanna revert back into our old ways
Sorry, okay
So, we’re gonna try a breathing exercise, okay?
Alright, word
When I breathe, you breathe
Okay
Alright? Let’s go
Uh-uh-uh, uh-uh-ah
Uh, uh, uh, ah
Uh, uh, uh, uh, ah
Uh, uh, uh, uh, woosah