Music
Doechii brings the story of “DENIAL IS A RIVER” to life through the lens of ’90s sitcoms like Family Matters with its official music video.
Released on Thursday (Jan. 2), the visual was directed by Carlos Acosta and James Mackel. With cameos from Zack Fox (who plays “old dude from 2019” as referenced in the hit record), Rickey Thompson (who plays his lover), Teezo Touchdown, ScHoolboy Q, Earl Sweatshirt, SiR, Baby Tate, and DJ Miss Milan, the video is comical and dynamic.
It starts out with Doechii coming home to prepare a meal for her man until she catches him with his lover and tosses him out the house like Jazz on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The second verse welcomed a new look on set and for Doechii as she raps about getting signed and the chaos that came with her newfound fame. For the third verse, the “glow-up” is evident, but her world is still spiraling around her as she continues, “My grass is really green, and honestly/ I can’t even f**king cap no more, this is a really dark time for me.”
The camera later pans to the audience before the pandemonium ensues in the background while the shot stays focused on her. The cinematography is truly brilliant, and overall, the visual rollout proves that the phenom is exactly who she says she is.
While fans were led to believe that the “Denial Is A River” video was set to be an actual show, she shared two additional skits: “Doechii Slaps Brad Pitt” and “LA ROSA DE DOECHII.” The latter was a telenovela.
A third skit titled “Can I Hit That” was shared as a Comedy Central exclusive.
“DENIAL IS A RIVER” stems from her Grammy-nominated mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal. When speaking on the balance of comedy and vulnerability shared on the record, Doechii told Rolling Stone, “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’s also up for Best Rap Performance for “NISSAN ALTIMA” and Best New Artist.