Cakes Da Killa on Clubbing, Labels and His Shanghai Debut – That’s Online (registration)

Anybody whos itched for a night out and a cathartic sweep on the dance floor, whether its to shake off the stress of work, get over a breakup, or just catch a DJ theyve been meaning to see live, can relate to Cakes Da Killas rallying cry at the end of Hedonism (Intro), the opening track of his debut studio album, Hedonism.

Lets take it to the clubs, he says, with the last word reverberating over and over in a looming echo. The sentiment keys up the rest of the album nicely, pulling the listener onto the dance floor and into the pounding bassline of the second track, Keep It Going, featuring fellow New York vocalist Calore.

A lot of my catalogue is made for club settings, says Cakes da Killa. I have a deep appreciation for underground clubs in New York and dance culture in general. I think lately there is a huge disconnect between the dance community and hip hop music, which to me is essential to the sound.

Originally from New Jersey, Cakes started rapping in high school, and released several mixtapes throughout college. As he found a fan base for his vibrant sound, he started touring and then began work on Hedonism. His music struck a chord precisely because its bridging a gap between club music and hip-hop, while blending in layers of queer dance signifiers and Jersey club beats. His invigorating, ultra-hard style of MCing adds a further layer of intrigue to the tracks.

My style has always been very fast-paced, he says. I think when you have your own flow, certain characteristics become standard, so my tempo is just something that comes naturally to me. A lot of my beats are fast because thats just what I gravitate to: beats where you can shake your ass and dance.

"The whole narrative needs to focus less on my sexuality and more on the music."

Much of Cakes reputation as a controversial or incendiary artist comes not from his beats, but from his identity as a gay man, and the queer narratives that feature heavily in his lyrics. This has led to media coverage and buzz that lumps Cakes together with other queer rappers of color, like Mykki Blanco and Le1f, under the 'gay rap' label. Cakes is enthusiastically part of the queer community of rappers thats currently thriving in New York and works regularly with other queer rappers (he recently finished an expansive DIY tour of the US with Mykki Blanco), but he believes the label serves to pigeonhole queer artists and oversimplify their output.

That label specifically can sometimes overshadow my talent, he says. Whether Im gay or straight, I like to think my music has been my main source of stability because of my hard work, not because of a buzz article. It makes all my hard work seem smaller then what it is, when me and my peers are really doing something revolutionary and fresh.

Cakes collaborated with several other queer artists on Hedonism, spitting lithely and lightening-fast over the clubby beats he shares with gender-bending icon Peaches on Up Out My Face, and on the aforementioned Keep It Going with Calore, a major member of the NYC queer club scene. But the album draws from a deep well of different influences, including 90s basement rap, R&B and the club music of Cakes native New Jersey.

The whole narrative needs to focus less on my sexuality and more on the music, he says. People find that complicated, though, because my sexuality is such a huge theme in my music. But that still shouldnt be the overall takeaway.

And theres no reason why he cant straddle multiple communities, serving as an inspiration and scene-builder for fellow queer artists, while also building a mainstream reputation as a club-focused musician with undeniable skills as an MC. As one of the first major international acts to play at ALL, a new Shanghai club by the management of now-defunct underground epicenter The Shelter, hes setting the tone for one of Shanghais most essential nightlife spaces. This matches well with the themes and tone of Hedonism, and all of Cakes varied influences seem to come together on the dance floor.

The club is a sort of safe haven, especially for alternative people, Cakes says. Just about anything can happen here; its like a paradise. Thats how the album starts. But the older I get, I realize its at 8am [after leaving the club] when reality, or in my case adulthood, makes me face the daylight until the next time.

July 7, 11pm. RMB100. ALL Club, see event listing.

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Cakes Da Killa on Clubbing, Labels and His Shanghai Debut - That's Online (registration)