In the crowded landscape of viral TikTok hits and instantly forgettable pop confections, Doechii’s “What It Is (Solo Version)” from early 2023 has remarkably stayed in steady rotation.
The track’s irresistible hooks, clever sampling, and Doechii’s magnetic presence have allowed it to transcend one-hit-wonder status and remain a fan favourite over a year after its release.
As we approach the one-year anniversary of What It Is dropping, it’s the perfect time to revisit what made this solo version such a standout smash.
Doechii flipped expectations by fusing nostalgic R&B samples with her unique hip-hop flavour and undeniable swagger.
The result is a song that pays homage to the past while feeling utterly fresh and modern.
Mainstream Appeal With Underground Credibility
From its first notes interpolating TLC’s iconic “No Scrubs,” “What It Is (Solo Version)” had the attention of both pop fans and hip-hop heads.
Despite the simultaneous release of an original version featuring Kodak Black, it was Doechii’s solo rendition that truly took off. She proved she could craft an insanely catchy earworm hook while keeping her lyrics defiantly raunchy and uncompromising.
Doechii celebrates her love for “block boys” and “thugs” in a way that feels authentic to her Tampa roots, not pandering.
This duality of mainstream marketability and underground credibility is a big part of what has given What It Is such longstanding appeal and cultural relevance.
In an era where many artists struggle to cross over, Doechii achieved the rare feat of dominating on TikTok and rap playlists alike with a single track.
In total, six variations were released, including sped-up and slowed-down versions.
An Irresistible Blend of Old and New
Produced by J. White Did It and Brian Kennedy, What It Is is a masterclass in how to sample and flip classic songs in an ingenious way.
The slick production elegantly weaves together the iconic melodies of TLC’s “No Scrubs” and Trillville’s “Some Cut” into a tapestry that sounds both nostalgic and completely original.
Rather than lazily looping the familiar hooks, Doechii makes them her own with fresh lyrics and flows.
On the chorus, her sugary yet commanding vocals put a new spin on Trillville’s “Some Cut” refrain:
“What it is, ho? What’s up?
Every good girl needs a little thug
Every block boy needs a little love
If you put it down, I’ma pick it up, up, up”
By flipping the perspective and playing with the gender roles, Doechii revamps the source material into an empowered anthem about desire and the thrill of an edgy romance.
Her confidence and swagger elevate the song from a mere throwback to a modern statement.
Lyrics Breakdown and Analysis
Throughout the verses, Doechii doubles down on celebrating the appeal of “block boys” and hip-hop masculinity.
She paints vivid scenes of badness and street life, from lyrics about having guns tucked away to giving oral euphemisms like “If you put it down, I’ma pick it up.“
Yet she makes it clear that her love for these gritty archetypes goes beyond just a physical attraction.
On the bridge, Doechii proclaims, “I don’t care if you run the streets, long as you’re comin’ home to me.”
There’s a nuanced tenderness beneath the raunchy bravado, an affirmation that loyalty and partnership matter just as much as the thug persona.
This interplay of celebrating masculine posturing while also subverting patriarchal norms is a big part of what makes What It Is so captivating lyrically.
Doechii revels in lusting after the “block boy” aesthetic but firmly establishes herself as the one in control of the dynamic and comfortable, claiming her own desires shamelessly.
A Star-Making Moment
While Doechii had been earning underground buzz for a couple years prior, What It Is represented her explosive mainstream arrival.
The runaway popularity of the track—it peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has racked up over 100 million Spotify streams to date—kicks open doors for Doechii to go from an industry secret to becoming a household name.
One year later, she has capitalised on that momentum to become one of the most critically acclaimed and uncompromising new voices in hip-hop and R&B.
Her debut album ‘She / Her / Black Bitch’ was a top-10 hit and showered with widespread praise for its boldness and genre-blending experimentation.
In many ways, the success of What It Is set the template for Doechii’s current stardom.
By fearlessly fusing styles and samples into an intoxicating concoction of rapping, singing, nostalgia, and cutting-edge flair, she has cemented herself as a true vanguard for the future of popular music.
An effortless ability to straddle the mainstream and underground worlds is her signature, and it all started with the breakthrough of What It Is.
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Doechii What It Is (Solo Version) Lyrics
Chorus: Doechii
What it is, ho? What’s up?
Every good girl needs a little thug
Every block boy needs a little love
If you put it down, I’ma pick it up, up, up
Verse 1: Doechii
Can’t you just see, it’s just me and you?
Panoramic view, that’s my point of view, bae
All about me, that’s the energy
That’s that lemon pepper thing, I’m a ten-piece, baby
Pre-Chorus: Doechii
Bedroom bully in the bando
He gon’ make it flip, do it with no handles
Never switchin’ sides, only switchin’ angles
Ooh, we go crazy like Rambo
Chorus: Doechii
What it is, ho? (What it is?) What’s up? (What’s up?)
Every good girl needs a little thug (Thug)
Every block boy needs a little love (Love)
If you put it down, I’ma pick it up, up (Ayy), up (Ayy)
What it is, ho? (What it is?) What’s up? (What’s up?)
Every good girl needs a little thug (Thug)
Every block boy needs a little love (Love)
If you put it down, I’ma pick it up, up (Ayy), up (Ayy)
Verse 2: Doechii
Hit ‘еm up, hit ’em up
In the truck, got it tucked
Hе get it up, like it’s stuck
All night, I like
You ain’t gotta say it when you know it’s on site
Pre-Chorus: Doechii
Bedroom bully in the bando
He gon’ make it flip, do it with no handles
Never switchin’ sides, only switchin’ angles
Ooh, we go crazy like Rambo
Chorus: Doechii
What it is, ho? (What it is?) What’s up? (What’s up?)
Every good girl needs a little thug (Thug)
Every block boy needs a little love (Love)
If you put it down, I’ma pick it up, up (Ayy), up (Ayy)
What it is, ho? (What it is?) What’s up? (What’s up?)
Every good girl needs a little thug (Thug)
Every block boy needs a little love (Love)
If you put it down, I’ma pick it up, up (Ayy), up (Ayy)
Bridge: Doechii
I don’t care if you run the streets
Long as you’re comin’ home to me
I love the way you walk and the way you speak
He gon’ keep it real, that’s the deal, that’s the reason that I speed down, down (Down, down, down, down)
I put that all on my name (All on my name)
Yeah, that’s an even exchange (Tell me what it is)
Stay on your deal, we gon’ tell ’em, we gon’ tell ’em what, babe
Chorus: Doechii
What it is, ho? (What it is?) What’s up?
Every good girl needs a little thug (Needs a little thug)
Every block boy needs a little love (Needs a little love, yeah)
If you put it down, I’ma pick it up, up, up
What it is, ho? What’s up?
Every good girl needs a little thug (Needs a little love)
Every block boy needs a little love (Needs a little love, thug)
If you put it down, I’ma pick it up, up (Ayy), up (Ayy)
Outro. J. White Did It
Back it up and do, and do it like that, yeah (What it is? What’s up?)
Back it up and do it like that, yeah (Ho)
Back it up, back it and do it like that, yeah
Back it up, go’n and do it like that, yeah (Woo)
Hey, what it is? Hey, what’s up?
J. White Did It (Yup, yup)
More is on the way (Yup, yup, yeah)
We need a lil’ love, you know what I mean? (Yeah, ayy-ayy, woo)
Ride out, woah