Doechii gives Kai Cenato a great book recommendation from an HBCU student

Rapper Doechii joined the growing cultural conversation around literacy and self-growth after encouraging popular streamer Kai Cenato to read the works of legendary author Toni Morrison as he embarks on his journey to becoming an avid reader. The proposal comes amid Cenat’s recent efforts to read more publicly, an initiative that has resonated with his millions of followers and sparked widespread discussion online.

Grammy Award Winner said rapper In a post on X, Cenat recommends Morrison’s work and shares how the acclaimed author has personally influenced her own growth as a reader.

“Try the Toni Morrison books friend,” Doechii tweeted. “It expanded my vocabulary, my descriptiveness and just softened my heart a little bit. She pulls out words you’ve never heard of and uses them in ways you can’t imagine,” she added, tagging Cenata.

While many users agreed with Doechi — praising Morrison’s work for its ability to strengthen vocabulary and deepen understanding — others balked, arguing that Morrison’s dense prose and complex wordplay could discourage readers who are still developing their skills.

“This is terrible advice,” wrote one user X. “It’s so crazy to me how people don’t realize how learned reading is. You don’t just accept Toni Morrison. This will only lead to discouragement because of the density and syntactically complex sentences.”

Doechii later doubled down on her stance, defending Morrison’s accessibility and stressing that challenging literature can still be useful for readers who are willing to learn.

“Oh bro…reading the police?” she replied. “Toni Morrison was available in high school libraries. Her books are not only amazing stories, but great writing and can definitely improve your vocabulary if you’re willing to learn new words. You actually CAN just pick up Toni Morrison. And you should!”

After a short break from social media, Cenat was candid about refocusing about personal development. In addition to exploring interests such as fashion design and learning to sew, the streamer revealed that he has committed to reading for at least 20 minutes every day. According to Cenat, his newfound commitment to reading stems from recognizing the difficulty of articulation at important moments.

“To be honest, I wanted to articulate myself better,” Cenat said. “I noticed that people didn’t take me seriously when I got into discussions and had to make a point. I would get anxiety, stutter and lose my train of thought,” he shared in a statement reported by Complex.

Toni Morrison remains one of the most prolific and celebrated black authors in American history. A Howard University alumna, Morrison graduated in 1953 with a degree in English. Rising to prominence in the late 1960s, she became known for confronting the realities of racism, identity, and the black American experience. Her most notable works include The Bluest Eye, Sula, Song of Solomon, Tar Baby, and The Beloved, which was adapted into a film in 1998. Morrison has received numerous prestigious awards throughout her career, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Humanities Medal, and the Nobel Prize in Literature and the Pulitzer Prize.