"Stop trying to downplay my ability": Doja Cat defends rap skills ahead of pop-driven album "Vie"

Doja Cat is standing firm on her place in rap, even as she readies a pop-heavy new album.

Over the weekend, an X (formerly Twitter) user suggested fans should stop putting Doja Cat in “female rap conversations” once she releases Vie, her upcoming fifth studio project. Recalling, the artist described Vie as “pop-driven” but still heavy on rap verses through her V Magazine cover story.

The same commenter argued she couldn’t be “taken seriously as a rapper” without prioritizing “bars, punchlines, wordplay, and storytelling.” They even claimed to have asked Doja Cat’s fanbase for her best lyric, and got “CRICKETS.”

DOJA CAT

@DojaCat

You don’t listen to or read enough of my writing to be able to make this claim. I’m alright at what I do and sometimes I’m incredible. Please stop trying to downplay my ability it feels like you’re doling out criticism with no constructiveness based on something that’s deeper than just the topic of music.

Doja Cat finally shot back:

“You don’t listen to or read enough of my writing to be able to make this claim. I’m alright at what I do and sometimes I’m incredible. Please stop trying to downplay my ability… based on something that’s deeper than just the topic of music.”

When pressed for examples, she refused, writing:

“Part of me feels like you will immediately shoot it down… You have to listen. You have to read. If you don’t read or listen how will you know. I shouldn’t have to… give you a… dumbed down version of my writing for you to be able to hear what… millions of people are recognizing as adequate rap bars. You aren’t stupid. Listen to my music.”

DOJA CAT

@DojaCat

Now I understand you and you understand me and now I can respect where you’re coming from. Jay Z is a great writer and so is Rakim and Jeezy you have great taste. ;) Thank you for opening up about that. If you’ve listened to every single song off of every single album I’ve made I appreciate that. If you’ve haven’t been able to find a bar that you can connect with, thats more than okay, that’s your right. Thank you.

DOJA CAT

@DojaCat

If I give you any bars part of me feels like you will immediately shoot it down. What I intend with my work is for the listener to choose what they rock with and what they don’t. You have to give me a chance if you’re going to make criticisms about the entirety of my raps. You have to listen. You have to read. If you don’t read or listen how will you know. I shouldn’t have to sit here on twitter and give you a simplified, snipped, deconstructed, and without insulting you, DUMBED down version of my writing for you to be able to hear what hundreds of thousands and lets be honest, millions of people are recognizing as adequate rap bars. You aren’t stupid. Listen to my music.

The back-and-forth ended on a more cordial note after the user cited Rakim, Jay-Z, and Jeezy as their rap benchmarks. Doja responded:

“Jay Z is a great writer and so is Rakim and Jeezy you have great taste [wink emoji]. Thank you for opening up about that… If you haven’t been able to find a bar that you can connect with, that’s more than okay, that’s your right. Thank you.”

Internet sounds off as Doja Cat defends her rap skills in heated X exchange

X users clearly had a field day as they watched the back-and-forth between Doja Cat and the account @playeration. Some fans also urged the "Paint the Town Red" hitmaker to ignore the negativity.

"Scarlet so needed to happen. She’s confident in her artistry again. I prayed for times like this," one wrote.

"love her maturity but sometimes i wish she would just call them ret**ded and move on," another commented.

"Idk the argument chii bc I ain’t listen to scarlet but rules and need to know stay in rotation and personally I liked the bars," an internet user added.

"Finally she clocking b***hes about her raps," one said.

"Im not a doja Stan i dont listen to her often but I wonder why y'all question if she's a rapper When she has songs like Vegas,Tia tamera,Get into it yuh, Boss bitch, Attention," another chimed in.

"doja has made so much impact in the rap industry as of late, and i hate how her 'fans' are trying to discredit that," an online user tweeted.

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Meanwhile, Doja previewed Vie tracks “Take Me Dancing” and “Jealous Type” during her Outside Lands weekend, performing one onstage and sharing the other at an afterparty at San Francisco’s Oasis nightclub.

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