Rashard Bradshaw, better known as Cakes da Killa, is an American rap artist who fuses genres of hip hop, house, and electronic dance music. He came to prominence in the "queer explosion" of hip hop music stemming from New York in 2012 and is among the credited performers for the current trend of acceptance of LGBT people in the rap community. Bradshaw is currently based in Atlanta and his second full-length studio album Svengali was released on October 28, 2022.
Career
2011: Career beginnings and Easy Bake Oven Rashard Bradshaw started rapping in high school for fun before considering it as a career. He first began writing tracks to instrumentals he found on the internet and posting them to Facebook. In 2011, his homemade demos came to the attention of an executive producer named Stixx, who invited Bradshaw to appear on the mixtape Downtown Mayhem Vol. 1 alongside Rip The Ruler. Bradshaw then went on to release his own debut mixtape Easy Bake Oven, Vol. 1 through Stixx' Downtown Mayhem label.
As an emerging artist in the hip hop genre—along with fellow LGBT artists such as Le1f, Mykki Blanco, and House of Ladosha—Bradshaw gained popularity through media interest in LGBT figures and themes in hip hop and rap, having been written about in a Pitchfork article about said "movement".
Bradshaw cites Erykah Badu, Busta Rhymes, Remy Ma, Lil' Kim, Foxy Brown, Cam'ron, Nicki Minaj, and Bette Midler as influences.
2012–2015: The Eulogy, Hunger Pangs, and mainstream success Released for free on Mishka NYC's website, Bradshaw's second mixtape The Eulogy was released to overwhelming popularity when it was reviewed positively by Pitchfork. Miles Raymer of Pitchfork compared his raunchy style to Lil' Kim and praised the production of the mixtape. According to an interview in Paper Magazine, the mixtape's title originally referred to Bradshaw's plan to end his musical career after its release, but he's since changed his mind.
Prior to making his rap career full-time, Bradshaw was an intern at Paper Magazine and worked in the nightlife industry, promoting parties and working doors in New York City. In May 2013, Bradshaw completed his bachelor's degree in fashion studies at Montclair State University. In September 2013, Bradshaw released an EP for his hit single "I Run This Club", which samples M.I.A.'s song by the same name from her 2010 mixtape Vicki Leekx. He later released a Remixes version of this EP which included features from Fat Tony, Siyoung, and Spank Rock on the title track.
In June 2014, Bradshaw released a nine-track mixtape titled Hunger Pangs. To promote this mixtape, Bradshaw appeared on the Hot 97 radio show Ebro in the Morning where he freestyled live on air. Throughout the interview, Bradshaw's sexuality kept being a topic of discussion, with Ebro calling him a "gay rapper" and Bradshaw correcting him to call himself "a rapper that happens to be gay".
In 2015, Bradshaw released a 5 track EP titled #IMF (In My Feelings), which chronicled a modern-day tale of star crossed lovers from inception to resolution.
2016–present: Studio albums In October 2016, Bradshaw released his highly anticipated debut album Hedonism on Ruffians. In October 2019, Bradshaw appeared on the Netflix reality competition Rhythm + Flow, where he auditioned in front of Cardi B, Jadakiss, and Fat Joe. Following this appearance, Bradshaw has released a handful of singles in 2020, most recently "Don Dada" off his EP Muvaland, which was released in November 2020.
In 2022, Bradshaw released his second studio album, Svengali. His third album, Black Sheep, was released on March 22, 2024. He released New Bitch, a collaborative EP with DJ Miss Parker, in July 2026.
Discography Albums
Title Album details Ref. Hedonism Released: October 21, 2016 Label: Ruffians Format: Digital download, CD, LP Svengali Released: October 28, 2022 Label: Young Art Black Sheep Released: March 22, 2024 Label: Young Art
Extended plays Title EP details Ref. I Run This Club Release: September 16, 2013 Label: Hot Mom USA Format: Digital download I Run This Club (Remixes) Release: May 12, 2014 Label: Hot Mom USA Format: Digital download #IMF Release: February 10, 2015 Label: Mishka NYC Format: Digital download Muvaland (with Proper Villains) Release: November 13, 2020 Label: Classic Music Company Format: Digital download Muvaland, Vol. 2 (with Proper Villains) Release: July 16, 2021 Label: He.She.They Format: Digital download New Bitch (with DJ Miss Parker) Release: July 24, 2026 Label: Magic City Format: Digital download
Mixtapes Title Album details Ref. Easy Bake Oven, Vol. 1 Release: October 21, 2011 Label: Downtown Mayhem, LLC/DTM Records Format: Digital download The Eulogy Release: January 29, 2013 Label: Mishka NYC Format: Digital download Hunger Pangs Release: June 18, 2014 Label: Mishka NYC Format: Digital download
Singles + List of singles, showing year released and album name Title Year Album Ref. "Streets Talkin" (Bobby Lyte$ featuring Cakes da Killa) 2013 Non-album single "Give It to Me" (Astrolith featuring Cakes da Killa) 2014 Muscle Memories "Mirror Mirror" (Moonbase Commander featuring Cakes da Killa) 2015 Southpaw "Drop Top" (DJ Shiftee featuring Cakes da Killa) Non-album single "Serve It Up" (with Moonbase Commander) "Carry On" (Astrolith featuring Cakes da Killa) 2016 "Up Out My Face" (featuring Peaches) Hedonism "New Phone (Who Dis)" "Shots Fired" 2017 Shots Fired X Thirst Trap "Thirst Trap" "Catch the Beat" (Honey Dijon featuring Cakes da Killa) The Best of Both Worlds "Talkin' Greezy (Remix)" (with Injury Reserve) 2018 Non-album single "Don't Make Cents" (with Proper Villains) "Bed Rest" (with LSDXOXO) "Luv Me Nots" 2019 "You Could Neva" (with Astrolith & Ripparachie) "Pop Shit" (Rafia featuring Cakes da Killa) 2020 "Free to Be" (with davOmakesbeats) "Don Dada"Muvaland "What's the Word" (with Proper Villains) 2021 Muvaland, Vol. 2 "Taste Test" (with Proper Villains)
Guest appearances + List of guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name Title Year Original artist(s) Album Ref. "MayDay" 2011 Rip The Ruler Downtown Mayhem Vol. 1 "Black Madonna" 2012 Big Momma Batteries Not Included "380" 2013 Mommie Dearest "Whistle" (remix) DJ Kilbourne The Club Giant Squid "Menea" P3culiar Role Play "Truth Tella" LSDXOXO Softcore "Saki Bomb"2014 Saint Muscle Memories "A Minute with Cakes" Mykki Blanco Gay Dog Food "Bind That Bitch" L S D X O X O W H O R E C O R E "Cold Wintour" 2015 sacanagem "Hot F*ck No Love"2016 Clipping. Wriggle "What's Goodie" Injury Reserve Floss "Look at Me" 2018 Madeaux Burn "Catch the Beat" (Derrick's Black Catcher Vocal) Honey Dijon Xtra "Catch the Beat" (Honey Dijon's I'm Carrying Remix) "GTFU"2019 Injury Reserve Injury Reserve "Ultimate One" (Remix)2023UriasHer Mind (Blossom Edition)
Filmography
Television + List of television appearances, showing year released, role, and director Year Title Role Notes Ref. 2014 Cakes Da Killa: No Homo Himself Short film, directed by Ja'Tovia Gary 2019 Rhythm + Flow Episode 2
Music videos + List of music videos, showing year released and director Title Year Director(s) Ref. "Whistle (Beat It Up)" 2012Alana Peters "Cuntspiracy" 2013 Sean Anthony "Goodie Goodies" Ja'Tovia Gary "I Run This Club" 2014 ZU "Truth Tella" Minister Akins "Give It To Me" (Astrolith featuring Cakes da Killa) Mark Lovato & Gella Zefira "Living Gud, Eating Gud" Jason Ano "Mixed Messages"2015 Mark Lovato & Gella Zefira "Get 2 Werk Remix" (feat. Rye Rye) Unknown "New Phone, Who Dis?" 2016Noah Breakfast"Talkin Greezy"Nico Bovat"Been Dat Did That (360 VR)"Mark Lovato & Gella Zefira"Gon Blow" (featuring Rye Rye) 2017Unknown"Luv Me Nots" 2020 Ohoto NYC"DON DADA" dayday
See also LGBT culture in New York City List of LGBT people from New York City NYC Pride March
References
External links Cakes da Killa on Facebook Cakes da Killa on SoundCloud Cakes da Killa on Twitter Cakes da Killa on Tumblr