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#7: The Industry Plant to Superstar Pipeline

#7: The Industry Plant to Superstar Pipeline

Adam Dash
March 03, 2025

Good morning! Welcome back to another edition of the SoundCentric newsletter!

The bright side of watching my Sixers punt their season away is that hip-hop keeps feeding us.

This week, we saw the accidental release of Saba and No I.D.’s next project on Audiomack—though it was taken down a few hours later. But lemme tell ya, it’s fabulous.

We also got another release from Boldy James, who is on an insane run. Plus, we finally got a full album from 1900Rugrat. Jim Lexacy is putting on for the UK underground and drooped a new great song called “Father.”

But what really got me angry this week? The annoying tweets about Doechii and the questions about her sudden success.

You could be reading anything in the world right now, and you're here with me. So, I appreciate it.

Let’s get to it!

Deep Dive

The Industry Plant to Superstar Pipeline

Oh, what a time to be alive—and to be an X user.

Every day, I wake up full of gratitude that I was born in the same era as a bunch of hip-hop burner accounts, run by 16-year-olds with Travis Scott and Young Thug profile pictures, who look out at a concert and see it as half empty instead of half full. An app full of people, some even brave enough to put a real face behind their thoughts, who would rather spin conspiracy theories than think critically.

God, I hope one day I cross the threshold of success that leads to being referred to by the two most powerful words for launching a modern music career: Industry Plant.

Doechii is the most obvious industry plant ever lol
— Rando $$$ (@Randojm_)
2:38 AM • Feb 3, 2025

The funniest thing about these conspiracy theorists is that they don’t realize their pessimism and hatred only make the artists who survive these minor bumps in the road stronger. The most recent victim of their antics? Tampa’s very own, the Swamp Princess herself—Doechii.

"I’ve never even heard of this girl before. How did she win a Grammy?"
"Why is this girl’s breathing all over my timeline?"
"Bro, she’s such an industry plant. I’ve never even seen this person before."

I remember a simpler time when discovering new music was encouraged—when it was actually fun. You’d see an artist randomly on your feed one day, look them up, and boom—you found a new favorite. I don’t understand this whole "I didn’t know this person, so their success must be manufactured" mindset. I’ve always preferred, "Oh cool, there’s clearly someone I haven’t been tapped into yet, and they’re apparently really good. Let me check them out."

I’m also confused by people who think an artist being promoted by blogs and media pages means they’re an industry plant. Excuse me, but what did you think signing to a label was for? Just the advance money? No—labels have connections and resources specifically to promote artists and their music.

"How is Doechii on Stephen Colbert?"

Well, my guess? There was a meeting at TDE where they brainstormed promotional ideas. The people in that room did so because that’s literally their job. They reached out to Colbert’s team, leveraged their resources (the very thing labels exist for), got her booked, and then further used their connections to spread the performance across different outlets.

I don’t get why everyone is so instantly pessimistic these days, always searching for some hidden agenda behind another person’s success—like maybe, just maybe, that artist worked hard and made the right moves. It’s even funnier because, in today’s world, artists leave a digital footprint.

Doechii didn’t come from nowhere. A quick YouTube search will show you she’s been posting content for over a decade. I guarantee she’s been honing her craft even longer than that.

But this hate? It only makes Doechii’s swamp stronger—filled with even more dangerous creatures by her side. You can see her performing alongside Tyler, the Creator, and there aren’t many fanbases you’d want more in your corner than Odd Future fans. Add to that the TDE loyalists, the SZA and Kendrick fans, and now the entire Dreamville fanbase riding for her.

I miss the days when discovering new music was encouraged. When it was cool to be put on to a new artist. When we enjoyed hearing stories instead of conspiracies. But it doesn’t matter. With every new industry plant accusation, the swamp only grows stronger.