The Eulogy

Cakes da Killa

In celebration of Pride Month, the albums featured during the month of June will feature LGBTQ+ artists. Please support LGBTQ+ creators.

It wasn't that long ago that you could easily stumble upon homophobic lyrics in hip-hop. Slights on the gay community can be traced way back to the very beginnings of the genre. In fact, just today I learned that there's a line in the full version of Rapper's Delight that refers to Superman as a 'fairy' for wearing a tight and brightly coloured suit. Acceptance of the LGBTQ+ in rap is making headway thanks to well respected artists like Frank Ocean, and more recently Tyler, The Creator, but there is still a ways to go. By the early 2010s, there were a handful of openly LGBTQ+ rappers emerging in the scene, and one of them was Cakes da Killa, a rapper who was definitely not afraid to express his sexuality on record.

In 2013, he released his breakout mixtape The Eulogy, a 32 minute offering that was full of raunchy raps. The thing is though that Cakes does it so incredibly well. The lines are witty, he has a commanding voice with tons of swagger and confidence, and an impeccable flow. Just listen to the first verse on this project. It honestly makes me blush listening to it, but he finishes it off by saying "I spit that shit that make a homophobe a hypocrite." You may feel put off by what he's saying but his talent and skill is undeniable.

The instrumentals are all great as well. There are a few different flavours presented here: some jazzy, some a little eccentric, and some that are certified club bangers ready to get everyone moving on the dance floor. The thread that ties this record together are the drums and the tempos. The pacing is quite lively and the drum patterns are quite busy, reminiscent of Chicago juke. The only track that might feel out of place is the closing track The Eulogy, which has a jazzy, New York, boom-bap feel to it. Cakes da Killa does hail from New York if I'm not mistaken, so the fact that he sounds at home on this track makes total sense.

At the end of the day, I'm just thrilled to have the LGBTQ+ represented by Cakes da Killa in hip-hop. Someone who isn't afraid to put every part of themselves on to a song regardless of any hate or discrimination that might come their way. If you want to see what being comfortable, unashamed, and proud sounds like, then queue this one up for a listen.