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As<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>she<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>waited<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>for<\/span>\u00a0her\u00a0<\/span>widely<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>publicized<\/span>\u00a0album\u00a0VIE,\u00a0<\/span>already<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>causing<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>buzz<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>for its\u00a0<\/span>unapologetic<\/span>\u00a0pop disco\u00a0<\/span>rhythms<\/span>, Doja Cat has\u00a0<\/span>been<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>battling<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>maintain\u00a0<\/span>her place in rap, one tweet at a time.<\/span><\/p>\n The Grammy-winning\u00a0<\/span>musician<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>whose<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>career\u00a0<\/span>has\u00a0<\/span>been\u00a0<\/span>built\u00a0<\/span>upon<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>blending<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>styles<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in chart<\/span>\u2013<\/span>toppers<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>was<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>at\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>center<\/span>\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>bitter<\/span>\u00a0online\u00a0<\/span>war<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>of words\u00a0<\/span>when an X user (@playeration) suggested her\u00a0<\/span>new<\/span>\u00a0project\u00a0<\/span>highlighted<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that\u00a0<\/span>she\u00a0<\/span>ought<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>be excluded from conversations\u00a0<\/span>regarding<\/span>\u00a0female rap\u00a0<\/span>in general<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHopefully after Doja drops pop disco album of the century her fans can stop trying to force her into female rap conversations,\u201d the user posted<\/a>. They doubled down with another tweet<\/a>: \u201cSorry to inform you guys but you can\u2019t be taken seriously as a rapper without ever prioritizing bars, punchlines, wordplay, and storytelling: the very things that make rap what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n Doja Cat<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>struck<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>back<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>swiftly<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>nastily<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Paraphrasing<\/span>\u00a0the accusation, she\u00a0<\/span>replied<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou can continue to copy and paste this theory but the truth is is I do tell stories, use punchlines regularly, and prioritize wordplay frequently. This is what rapping is by definition. You agreed that I rap. If I rap on 95% of my music what does that mean in your mind?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n But the critic was\u00a0<\/span>less<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>certain<\/span>. Claiming\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>have<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>gone<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>out and gotten\u00a0<\/span>four of Doja<\/span>\u2018<\/span>s fans<\/span>\u2018<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>opinions<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>on\u00a0<\/span>her\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>best bar<\/span>\u201c<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>gotten<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>CRICKETS<\/span>,\u201d<\/span>\u00a0the user\u00a0<\/span>wanted<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>know if\u00a0<\/span>she had\u00a0<\/span>ever<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>actually<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>dropped<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>knock-out\u00a0<\/span>rap\u00a0<\/span>moment.<\/span><\/p>\n Doja<\/span>\u2018<\/span>s reply\u00a0<\/span>did<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>not<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>hold back<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t listen to or read enough of my writing to be able to make this claim. I\u2019m alright at what I do and sometimes I\u2019m incredible. Please stop trying to downplay my ability\u2026 it feels like you\u2019re doling out criticism with no constructiveness based on something that\u2019s deeper than just the topic of music.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The critic pressed\u00a0<\/span>again<\/span>, asking Doja to\u00a0<\/span>name<\/span>\u00a0her\u00a0<\/span>own<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>go-to<\/span>\u00a0bar. Her answer\u00a0<\/span>was<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>blend<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>of creative\u00a0<\/span>pride and\u00a0<\/span>irritation<\/span>\u00a0at\u00a0<\/span>being<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>required<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>provide\u00a0<\/span>instant verification<\/span><\/a>:<\/p>\n \u201cIf I give you any bars part of me feels like you will immediately shoot it down\u2026 I shouldn\u2019t 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 let\u2019s be honest, millions of people are recognizing as adequate rap bars. You aren\u2019t stupid. Listen to my music.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n In a plot twist\u00a0<\/span>befitting<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>a reality show reconciliation, the X user\u00a0<\/span>disclosed<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>that\u00a0<\/span>they had\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>fact\u00a0<\/span>listened to her entire discography, even\u00a0<\/span>singing<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>praises about\u00a0<\/span>deep cuts like\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>Jealous Type<\/span>\u201c<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>Take Me Dancing<\/span>,\u201d<\/span>\u00a0but\u00a0<\/span>clarified<\/span>\u00a0that when\u00a0<\/span>critiquing<\/span>\u00a0rap, they\u00a0<\/span>measure<\/span>\u00a0artists\u00a0<\/span>against<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>legends<\/span> like Rakim, Jay-Z, and Jeezy.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBy that metric, wordplay, punchlines, bars, I just don\u2019t rate you as highly. That\u2019s not hate, it\u2019s just a difference in what I look for in rap.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\nDoja Fires Back: \u2018I Do Tell Stories\u2026 I Rap on 95% of My Music\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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The Demand for Proof and Doja\u2019s Refusal to \u201cDumb Down\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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A Surprising Turn From Criticism to Respect<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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