Cakes da Killa

Rapper Cakes Da Killa delivers his searing lyrics, effortless flows, and a personality defined by confidence and fearlessness over beats that blur the lines between rap, house, ballroom, and other styles of dance music. He began rapping in the early 2010s as part of a scene of other artists exploring both themes of queer liberation and the intersections of electronic dance styles and hip-hop. Cakes’ style evolved from the raw brashness of early mixtapes like 2013′s The Eulogy into the more refined production and occasional moments of emotional reflection on the 2022 album Svengali. Black Sheep, reflecting the rapper’s difficulty fitting in with a particular style or scene, appeared in 2024. Cakes Da Killa was born Rashard Bradshaw and grew up in New Jersey. He began rapping around 2011 and released his first mixtape, Easy Bake Oven, Vol. 1, that year. In his earliest days, Cakes was part of a scene of New York-centered LGBTQ artists like Mykki Blanco and Le1f, all of whom were experimenting with bringing together elements of house and hip-hop. His acclaim grew throughout the 2010s with both critical praise and support from a devoted fan base. Consistently active, he released multiple EPs and mixtapes before delivering his first studio album, Hedonism, in 2016 on the Ruffians label. Cakes relocated to Atlanta, and his second LP, Svengali, arrived six years later with help from special guest Sevndeep on the single “Sip of My Sip.” Following the 2023 singles “Sex Drive” and “Cakewalk,” his third full-length, Black Sheep, arrived in 2024, with guest appearances from Dawn Richard, Wuhryn Dumas, and STOUT. ~ TiVo Staff