If you hadn't heard of Doechii, you probably have now.

Why it matters: The Tampa-born rapper's rising star went meteoric at Sunday's Grammy Awards, when she became the third woman ever to win best rap album — and every Tampeño should know her story.

State of play: "Labels: Go to Tampa. There's talent there," the self-proclaimed Swamp Princess said in her acceptance speech, and soon the love was flowing both ways.

• "IN THE 813! THIS MY LEGACY!" the Bucs posted on X. "SALUTE TO THE SWAMP PRINCESS, TAMPA'S VERY OWN!" Tampa Mayor Jane Castor also weighed in.

Catch up quick: Doechii, 26, broke through on TikTok with her 2020 single "Yucky Blucky Fruitcake," which helped land her record deals with Top Dawg Entertainment and later, Capitol Records.

• But before that, she was hustling around Tampa, playing house shows and "every single venue in Ybor," she told the Tampa Bay Times in 2023.

Flashback: Born Jaylah Hickmon, she grew up in a family of "country Southern people," she told the Times. “Like, typical boiled peanuts, frozen cups, candy lady, pickled eggs."

• She changed her name in sixth grade after years of bullying, writing "I am Doechii" in her diary, she told Vulture in 2022. "Jaylah might've been getting bullied, but I decided Doechii wouldn't stand for that s--t."
• She went to the arts magnet at Howard W. Blake High for choral singing and dabbled in choreography, jazz and guitar.

Between the lines: Her Floridian upbringing inspires her music — just look at the album that won her last night's Grammy, "Alligator Bites Never Heal," featuring Doechii on the cover with an albino alligator in her lap.

• Another source of inspiration is the LGBTQ+ community and her own queerness, she wrote in Billboard last year for Pride month.

What she's saying: "My creative work is heavily influenced by both my Florida roots and the vibrant LGBTQ+ community," she wrote.

• "I draw inspiration from my memories of resilience and artistry of drag queens in Ybor City and the energy of ballroom culture in NYC."

Fun fact: The albino alligator from her album cover is real, and her name is Coconut, the rapper told Variety in December.

What's next

It's Black History Month and there are tons of ways to celebrate in Tampa Bay.

💥 Black History Trivia Night: Play as an individual or with a team at this free event testing your Black history knowledge. Prizes are available for winning teams.

• Feb. 5, The Woodson African American Museum of Florida, St. Petersburg.
• Register here.

👟 Black History Month Walk for Education and Community Festival: This 5K run/walk and festival is hosted by and helps raise money for the United Negro College Fund, which funds college scholarships for Black students.

• Feb. 8 at Perry Harvey Sr. Park, Tampa.
• Register for the 5K here ($35 or $20 for students 18 and under). The community festival to follow is free.

🎭 Black History They Don't Want You to Know: This theatrical production rooted in spoken word and hip-hop seeks to reveal lesser-known moments and figures in Black history. Feb. 12 and 13 at Stageworks Theatre, Tampa.

• Tickets start at $20 and can be purchased here.

🥬 Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival: This free festival in partnership with The Woodson will feature a collard green giveaway and cook-off, more than 200 vendors, live music, cooking demos and more.

• Feb. 15 at Ninth Avenue South and 22nd Street South, St. Petersburg.
• The inaugural Inclusive Pages Book Fair will also kick off at the festival. To participate in the book fair or cook-off, or for more information, click here.

More: Freedom festival, live music

It's a three-peat!

State of play: Tampa just barely snagged a win over St. Pete in our poll about which side of the bay has a better restaurant scene. The margin came down to just seven votes out of more than 360.

• That means, according to Axios Tampa Bay readers, Tampa has the better downtown, water attraction and now food scene.

Yes, but: ChatGPT crowned St. Pete the better city overall, and, of course, the Pinellas-side beaches crush Hillsborough's into pulp.

The bottom line: We have a lot to love in Tampa Bay.

Tell a foodie

💰 Gov. Ron DeSantis, amid a feud with GOP lawmakers, is seeking $510 million for immigration enforcement in his proposed state budget, as well as a sales tax holiday on gun purchases. (Tampa Bay Times)

🌳 Herman Massey Park in downtown Tampa is getting $2 million in renovations. Changes include a new raised deck, added electric and plumbing service and dog park upgrades. (WFLA)

💦 St. Petersburg officials are scrambling to respond to thousands of complaints about unusually high water bills. Possible causes include leaks and other damage from last year's hurricanes. (TBT)

A larger share of Tampa Bay-area rental listings in 2024 offered concessions — like a free month of rent, waived application and pet fees, free parking, utility discounts, or event gift cards, according to a new Zillow report.

Why it matters: Concessions may be a marketing tactic, but they also help ease renters' financial burden.

The big picture: We can thank the multifamily construction boom for these deals, Zillow economist Kara Ng says. Renters have plenty of apartments to choose from, so property managers need ways to win them over.

What's next: These deals will likely dry up by December, Ng says.

• Permitting activity has slowed, meaning fewer new units will hit the market this year and beyond, she explains.