30 September 2022 |
Raised on the buzzy streets of New Jersey, queer hip-hop/house innovator Cakes Da Killa has been throwing the scene into a tizzy – but only because he’s a rhythmic wizard of the highest regard. His high-energy sound is addictiv – like a lush, sonic pseudo-drug of sorts – as he spits fiercely witty, rapid-fire tongue twisters over pulse-pounding, genre-blending beats that we can guarantee are gonna make you wanna dance.
His long-overdue sophomore album Svengali, dropping October 28, circumnavigates the highs and lows of a love affair from the fiery initial hookup, to the bed-bound breakup, and every oscillation in between. Irreverent and honest, Svengali has a sensitivity to it that Cakes has never before explored. It’s vulnerable and intimate, charting the vicissitudes of love both in and out of the discotheque. But don’t worry, that manic, rave-till-dawn energy we all love is alive and very, very well.
It’s time to have your cake and eat it too because here, we catch up with Cakes da Killa ahead of the record’s release for a quick fire round of VIQs (that’s very important questions, baby). Bite in!
1. So where does the name Cakes Da Killa come from?
“I started calling myself Cakes as more of a Club Kid moniker because I have a big butt and a baby face. When I started making music I couldn’t be called just Cakes because I knew if someone was interested in finding my music they would most likely be directed to a bakery. So, “Da Killa” was added. I had no idea my recording career would actually take off the way it did so not much thought but here I am.”
2. Svengali charts a love affair from hookup to breakup, was this a personal relationship? What can you tell us about it?
“The record is inspired by a few relationships and situationships I’ve had in my past lives. Most of the “skits” you hear are real messages from lovers. Love is inspiring to me because it can be heaven one second and hell the next. I’m compelled to share stories of black men who love on black men because our stories are deeper than what I see played out in the media.”
3. What lyric from the album means the most to you?
“I can’t pick! I’ve always had a very distinct voice and style as a recording artist. This project is special because it showcases how my songwriting has progressed overall. I’m more interested in hearing what lyrics mean the most to the listener.”
4. What musicians have influenced your sound?
“I’m eternally inspired by people like Alice Coltrane, Sa-Ra, J*Davey, Betty Carter, Moodymann and Q-Tip, to name a few. I love a lot of styles of music pioneered by Black people like house, disco, club, rock and sometimes even just silence.”
5. How did you get into this mixed hip-hop genre?
“I write and oversee all my music so what you’re hearing is a mashup of my taste. Coming up in nightlife, being queer, being Black, growing up in the ’90s while loving art and fashion means I’m inspired by everything. I’m also honest. It’s the job of artists to be and push genres forward, not copy and paste what’s hot.”
6. If your sound came with a scent, what would it smell like?
“A muslim oil called Golden Sand.”
7. Who is one artist you’d love to work with?
“Rochelle Jordan. I’m obsessed with her last album Play With The Changes. It feels like the music I missed out on at the Garage or Sound Factory without feeling throwback. I’d like to think my music has the same vibe; familiar but progressive.”
8. What was the wildest show you ever played?
“I closed out Copenhagen Pride this year, which was a pretty wild show. I’ve performed in front of large crowds before but there is something about where I’m at now in life where I have a true confidence I didn’t have before. A confidence that’s not influenced or reliant on alcohol or ego. It’s just: ‘Here I am, a mic and a beat, now watch me blow your mind.’”
9. What does your post-performance wind-down routine look like?
“Wiping off the sweat as I head to my greenroom saying, thank you as people congratulate me on how good the show was. Once I’m back in the greenroom I fix myself a drink and sit very still. Then I get up to see what the rest of the party is pushing.”
10. What do you have in store for the rest of 2022?
“My sophomore album Svengali will be out October 28th via Young Art Records. I’m also working on a collection of poetry, a book and my summer release with longtime collaborator Sam Katz. I’m staying busy.”
Photography by Ebru Yildiz.
Top image by Bijan Small. Stream ‘Svengali’ on all major streaming platforms October 28.
