Doechii Greeted by Dance Team — and Marching Band! — as She Returns to Her High School During Tour

As if being nominated for four Grammy Awards wasn’t enough, Doechii received a heartwarming homecoming at her alma mater.

Ahead of a very special tour stop in Tampa, Florida, the 26-year-old rapper stopped by Howard W. Blake High School to hold an assembly for the students. In a recap posted to her socials, Doechii was greeted by the school’s marching band and cheerleaders, the Yellow Jackets, and immediately danced along with them. 

“Wow, all of y’all are so incredibly talented and it feels so good to be back. Thank you for welcoming me like this!” she said. “I know y’all like the military, y’all can’t say nothing but good job, everybody!”

Students cheered for her as she walked across the school grounds into the assembly. Dancers and choir members also performed for Doechii.

“I haven’t been to Tampa in a really long time and it feels really warm to be back in this theater,” she told students.

The “Persuasive” rapper then opened up the floor for questions. When one student asked if she ever felt like she wanted to “give up,” Doechii promptly answered, “100%. There was a moment in my career where I did feel like giving up. What changed that was staying surrounded by people who were good to me and who I was, and grounding myself back in the fact that I love music." 

She continued, “I think that when you’re a true musician, music always follows you and you can’t escape it no matter how hard you try."

In the caption, she further reflected on her musical journey, writing, “I remember showing up to audition for the Chorus program with no training and no ability to read or compose music. I remember my chorus teacher asking me if I came with sheet music and all I had was the ‘At Last’ instrumental from YouTube (the Beyoncé version of course) and a aux chord.”

“I was accepted into the program b/c of my talent and because my mentors saw a seed and watered it. By the time I left performing arts school I was writing and reading music. More than ready to go independent as an artist!”

For those who couldn’t hear her talk, Doechii shared some of the wisdom she bestowed upon the students of Howard W. Blake High School: “Take advantage of the resources available to you right now (because it costs allota money to get training when you’re older lol) get to class on time, practice at home while others are sleeping and collaborate with your peers.”

Doechii is up for four Grammy Awards, including the best new artist category. Her third mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal, was released in August, with the accompanying tour wrapping up later this month in New York City.