Doechii and SZA's "Girl, Get Up" Emerges as Empowering Anthem for Black Women in Music

Doechii has released "Girl, Get Up," a collaboration featuring SZA, positioning it as a powerful statement on navigating challenges in the music industry as a Black woman. The track, part of Doechii's growing catalog, draws from her personal experiences with rumors, misogyny, and racial bias, urging listeners to embrace self-awareness and faith.

In the opening verse, Doechii paints a vivid picture of her grounded yet triumphant mindset: "Sippin' my kombucha on a rooftop / Smokin' blue dream on my karma sutra / Life is but a dream for a dark skin bitch like me." These lines reflect on the complexities of being a dark-skinned Black woman in a society where appearance and identity intersect with opportunity. She continues, addressing direct attacks: "Life gets dark when you're dark like me / Times get hard with a heart this big / Mouths get fed when your ass this thick." This raw honesty sets the tone for rejecting external noise, as seen in "I don't read y'all tweets, I delete y'all threads."

SZA's chorus provides a soothing counterpoint, emphasizing spiritual transcendence: "I be in the back, levitatin' / Doin' meditation, leave me, girl, get up / Pickin' on non-confrontation / Fuck a limitation." The mantra-like repetition reinforces manifestation, with "Somehow, I know that I'll have everything that's mine" underscoring faith in destiny over forced outcomes. This section symbolizes mental elevation, prioritizing inner peace amid external pressures.

Doechii's second verse delves deeper into her journey: "I did eight years of failin', plus a lot of cold winters / Used to be a starvin' artist, now I want the whole dinner." She references her evolution from a "Nissan to a Bentley coupe" and credits Kendrick Lamar's cosign, "Got a cosign from K Dot," which bolsters her credibility in hip-hop circles. The verse culminates in a mission-driven close: "Help me reach the masses, all the black women gon' feel this shit," highlighting collective upliftment for Black women.

The song confronts specific criticisms, such as accusations of substance abuse or selling out: "Y'all can't stand my vibe 'cause I'm anointed / All y'all evil-ass hoes just annoyin' / Blame it on the fame, blame it on the coke." Doechii asserts her power from within: "Don't need weed to be ten feet tall / I don't need keys when I knock down walls / Been pushin' P since bathroom stalls / Why sell my soul when I know I'm God?" These declarations reject reliance on external validation or vices, emphasizing discipline and integrity.

From an LGBTQ+ perspective, the track resonates with queer Black women and non-binary artists who face compounded marginalization in hip-hop and R&B. Doechii, known for her bold expression of fluid identity, and SZA, a vocal supporter of diverse experiences, craft lyrics that affirm self-love across intersections. The song's rejection of "evil-ass hoes" and societal blame mirrors struggles against homophobia and transphobia layered onto racial misogyny, offering solidarity to transgender people and others in the community navigating similar biases. Reviewers note its timeliness in an era where Black queer artists like Doechii challenge norms, fostering spaces for authentic storytelling.

"Gay Times" describes the anthem as "powerful and introspective," capturing Doechii's rise amid industry politics. Stay Free Radio breaks down its layers, from perseverance through "eight years of failin'" to spiritual defiance, positioning it as essential listening for those seeking empowerment. The collaboration amplifies voices often sidelined, with SZA's chorus acting as a universal call to "get up" despite odds.

As Doechii continues her ascent, backed by endorsements like Kendrick Lamar's, "Girl, Get Up" stands as a testament to unapologetic Black womanhood. Its final affirmations leave listeners with calm confidence, reinforcing that true success stems from alignment and patience. For LGBTQ+ audiences, it serves as an inclusive beacon, validating diverse paths to self-realization in music and beyond.