5 Things to Know About Doja Cat

Doja Cat is pretty much inescapable these days. From her music to her online presence (or temporary lack thereof), Doja is an artist firmly planted in the minds of the hip-hop-loving youth. If you’re less well-versed in the Doja-sphere, find five facts to know about the rapper, below.

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1. She started her career on Soundcloud

Years before she became one of the most talked about hip-hop artists of 2023, Doja jump-started her career with the help of SoundCloud. Many burgeoning rappers have made use of the platform as an avenue to get their music heard while being independent artists. The move was profitable enough for Doja to help her start on her path to superstardom.

2. A home video helped her to go viral

Doja’s real breakthrough moment came when a home video for her song “MOOO!” went viral online. The DIY video sees Doja dressed up in a cow, which is apt, given the simple lyrics: Bitch, I’m a cow, bitch, I’m a cow.

3. Her real name

Shockingly, Doja Cat is not the artist’s real name…She was born Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, which comes from her South African ancestry. Doja named her debut studio album after her real name, Amala.

4. She is a car connoisseur

Doja has a number of luxury cars, including a matte black Bentley Continental, a Lamborghini Huracan (which features in the music video for “Say So”), a Tesla Model X, a Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and more.

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5. How she got her stage name

You now know her real name, but do you know why she decided to call herself Doja Cat? The first part of her name comes from a strain of marijuana she liked to smoke in high school. “I was heavily addicted to weed and weed culture,” Doja once explained. “So when I began rapping I thought of the word ‘doja’ and how it sounds like a girl’s name.”

The second half of the name comes from her love of felines. “I just put cat cos I like cats,” she added.

Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for CELINE