Doja Cat is one of the most exciting talents of our time, and it’s partly thanks to her refusal to stick to one sound. A triple threat, the artist sings, raps and dances with a vigor that’s resulted in seven Top 10 hits and 16 GRAMMY nominations.
But due to the overwhelming popularity of her mainstream pop-forward smashes — including the twice-GRAMMY nominated "Say So," the SZA-assisted "Kiss Me More" (which scored the ladies their first win for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance last year) and her feature on Post Malone’s "I Like You (A Happier Song)" — Doja's rap skills often get overshadowed by her other talents.
Yet Doja Cat is no mere pop star. Her bars are too solid to be negated, and she currently has five 2023 GRAMMY nominations to prove it. Doja's Elvis original motion picture soundtrack cut "Vegas" earned a Best Rap Performance nod, while Planet Her single "Woman" (which fuses sensual Afrobeats with sharp hip-hop rhymes) has three nominations including Best Pop Solo Performance, Best Music Video and Record Of The Year.
In celebration of Doja Cat’s rap prowess, we’ve gathered her best rap songs, from solo album cuts to unforgettable guest features.
"Vegas" (2022)
What makes Doja Cat’s artistry so mesmerizing is the ease in which she floats from singing to spitting. On "Vegas," the surefire highlight from last year’s Elvis soundtrack, her delicate vocals play a supporting role in amplifying her fiery bars. Her rapping is the star of the show as she unleashes fury at an ex-lover who did her wrong: "Had your ass sittin' first class with your burnt ass out in Abu Dhabi / Coulda been what we shoulda been but you lost a bet."
"Vegas" is a perfect marriage of historical homage (it chops up Shonka Dukureh’s cover of Big Mama Thornton’s original rendition of "Hound Dog") and millennial s— talking that led to a Best Rap Performance nomination at the 2023 GRAMMYs.
"Do It" Remix - Chloe x Halle (2020)
Chloe x Halle gathered an all-star lineup of women rappers for the remix to their sultry hit single "Do It." While the City Girls and Latto brought their own heat, Doja Cat stole the show. Appointed the opening verse, the artist rides the twinkling beat effortlessly but also brings her signature cheeky energy (she literally coughs in the middle of the verse). It leaves you wondering why Doja wasn’t secured for the original version in the first place.
"Tia Tamera" feat. Rico Nasty (2019)
What makes Doja Cat so endearing is that she isn’t afraid to get weird. So when she called upon fellow rapper Rico Nasty for "Tia Tamera" — a track on the deluxe edition Amala, her debut album — we knew we were going to be in for a wild ride. The pair balances their kitschy flows and sheer silliness (Doja is comparing her breasts to the iconic ‘90s twins) with impressive wordplay ("Dug in the guts and I skeet her") to remind you how much they take their rapping seriously.
The Roxana Baldovin-directed video revs up the raucous factor with a neon-colored, ‘90s-inspired explosion featuring homages to "Sister, Sister," Lisa Frank and Nickelodeon’s "Double Dare" game show.
"Rules" (2019)
Doja Cat’s rapping often gets compared to Kendrick Lamar for her ability to twist her vocal stylings to invent new effects. On "Rules," Doja Cat’s timbre creates an earworm rollercoaster, leaping from a helium-like tone to velvety seduction.
The Hot Pink song is also one of her most serious, which forces you to pay attention to her lyrical adaptability. "Said play with my p—y/ But don’t play with my emotions," she commands over a Western-inspired production. And better believe listeners obliged.
"Need To Know" (2021)
The GRAMMY-nominated Planet Her was an adventure into Doja’s kooky world, and "Need To Know" was the spaceship to launch us into the stratosphere. Doja Cat transforms into a full alien as she rides on icy synths and crashing snares. It’s maddening how she confidently jumps from cocky ("I don’t play with my pen / I mean what I write") to erotic "Oh, wait, you a fan of the magic? / Poof, p—y like an Alakazam" while never losing her sense of humor. It comes as no surprise that "Need To Know" earned a Best Melodic Rap Performance nomination at the 2022 GRAMMYs.
"Up And Down" (2021)
Doja Cat loves teasing her fans on social media, often sharing songs that she’s working on but likely won't release. Luckily, she gifted listeners with "Up And Down," which she first previewed during an Instagram Live in 2018. She recorded the song in real time, but fans had to hold their breath for three years to hear the official version on the deluxe edition of Planet Her. The wait was worth it, of course, as Doja’s staccato flow and signature cheekiness ("Y'all ain't s— but I flush") still sounded fresh.
"Pu**y Talk - City Girls (2020)
City Girls and Doja Cat are all known for unapologetic praising the power of the woman, so it was only a matter of time when they linked up for this raunchy banger. There is nothing subtle about the song, as Miami-based City Girls explicitly stating how wealthy they need their sexual partners to be. Doja Cat holds her own, dishing a platter of R-rated afterhours innuendos that would make Lil Kim' proud.
"Best Friend" - Saweetie (2021)
You know the musical chemistry is undeniable when it scores you a GRAMMY nomination for Best Rap Song. That’s the case for Saweetie and Doja Cat, whose "Best Friend" was filled to the brim with feel-good energy. The single is all about celebrating friendship and sisterhood, and the song poses the two in an unofficial competition on who can give the other the most compliments. Doja Cat serves double-duty on the twerk-friendly chorus and a verse that shows she’s a ride-or-die friend: "That's my best friend, if you need a freak / I ain't dumb, but motherf—er, she my Tweedledee."
"Make That Cake" Remix - LunchMoney Lewis (2019)
LunchMoney Lewis’ "Make That Cake" single didn’t gather much attention when it first dropped in the summer of 2019, but that all changed when he called upon Doja Cat for the remix not too longer after. Often credited as the artist’s most underrated guest features, it’s the best showcase of her clever and technical wordplay. "Mark my words, hit a billion like I'm Mark Zucker / Big news, Takanawa, Tom Tucker," she spits, making a handful of pop culture references (the Facebook CEO’s wealth, Family Guy news reporters and "zucker" translating to "sugar" in German) in a single bar.
"Get Into It (Yuh)" (2021)
Nicki Minaj is a big influence on Doja Cat’s love for rap. After their "Say So" remix earned both of them their first No. 1 hit, Doja Cat continued to pay homage with "Get Into It (Yuh)."
Minaj is known for her frenetic and unpredictable style, and on the Planet Her highlight Doja Cat channels her inner Barb. Her quickfire flow is downright dizzying, taking brief pauses to catch her breath before hopping right back into her quirky wordplay. "Thank you, Nicki, I love you," she sweetly exclaims in the song’s outro. There’s no doubt she made the millennial Queen of Rap proud.
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