Cupcakke
CupcakKe | |
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CupcakKe in 2016 CupcakKe in 2016 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Elizabeth Eden Harris |
Born | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Instrument | Vocals |
Years active | 2012–present |
Website | Official website |
Elizabeth Eden Harris, known professionally by her stage name as Cupcakke (usually stylized as CupcakKe or cupcakKe), is an American hip hop recording artist from Chicago, who is best known for her 2016 singles, "Deepthroat" and "Vagina".
Cupcakke began her career as a rapper by releasing material through the internet in late 2012. In 2015, two of her songs, "Deepthroat" and "Vagina", went viral on video sharing websites such as YouTube and WorldStarHipHop, where they amassed tens of millions of views.[1] The songs were later included on her February 2016 debut album, Cum Cake.[2] Her hyper-sexualized and often comical lyrical content has gained her songs notoriety across the internet, and she has since developed a strong online fanbase whom she nicknamed "slurpers".[3][1]
Her second album, Shelters to Deltas (S.T.D.), was listed in Rolling Stone's June 2016 listing of the "Best Rap Albums of 2016 So Far".[4] She has also received recognition and acclaim from other well-known music publications such as Pitchfork,[5] Complex,[6] and The Fader.[7]
Early life
Cupcakke was born in Chicago, Illinois and was raised on King Drive, near Parkway Gardens. Being raised by a single mother, CupcakKe spent nearly four years in Chicago’s homeless shelters starting at age seven.[8] She grew up and went to school with other established Chicago rappers such as Lil Reese and Chief Keef. She got an early start into music and poetry at the age of 10 by her involvement in her local church. It was also there that she got her start in performing, where she would perform for her local pastors by reciting poetry about her Christianity and faith.[9]
When she was 13, she met a fellow church-goer who encouraged her to turn the poetry into rap music, and she became infatuated with the new art form. She cites 50 Cent, Lil Kim, & Da Brat as early influences to her musical style.[10][9]
Music career
2012–2014: Early output
CupcakKe released her first music video, "Gold Digger" onto her official YouTube channel in August 2012, which went viral on the internet. She was only 14 at the time of its release—the original video has since been deleted.[11] Over the next few years, she continued to release original music, as well as freestyles using beats from other artists, through her Youtube channel, where she has amassed over 100,000 subscribers.[12]
2015–present: Cum Cake, Shelters to Deltas, and Audacious
In October 2015, the official music video for her song "Vagina" was released onto YouTube through YMCFilmz. One month later, another original song entitled "Deepthroat" was released onto her own channel. Within weeks, the two videos went viral on YouTube, Worldstar, and Facebook due to their overt sexual nature and raunchiness. The songs later became singles for CupcakKe's debut studio album, Cum Cake, in February 2016. The album was also supported by further singles such as "Juicy Choochie", "Tit for Tat", and "Pedophile". The album went on to receive general acclaim, with Pitchfork calling it a "well rounded introduction to a skilled writer" and calling its songs "about love, loss, and hardship with its more explicit tracks to create a full profile of the up-and-coming Chicago rapper".[5] "Pedophile" was also specifically noted for its powerful lyrics and blunt commentary on sexual assault.[13]
In June 2016, CupcakKe released her second album, Shelters to Deltas. The album was preceded by the single "Best Dick Sucker", and other album tracks such as "Doggy Style" and "Motherlands", were also later released as singles. Much like her debut album, Shelters to Deltas also received general acclaim, and even received a listing on Rolling Stone's "Best Rap Albums of 2016 So Far".[14]
In October 2016, CupcakKe released her third album, Audacious.[15] The album was preceded by its popular singles "Picking Cotton", with other tracks in the album such as "Spider-Man Dick" and "LGBT" later be released as singles, which received recognition from The Dartmouth and MTV, calling the single "a statement for racial justice"[16] and "a protest song about racist cops".[9] She has since announced via Twitter that once the music video for her single "LGBT" reaches 1 million views on YouTube, she will release a new album. In February 2017, she released "CumShot", which serves as the first single to be released from her untitled fourth studio album. [17]
In March 2017, English singer-songwriter Charli XCX released her song "Lipgloss", which features Cupcakke. The track was exclusively premiered on BBC Radio 1, and will be featured in Charli XCX's upcoming mixtape Number 1 Angel.[18]
Discography
- Cum Cake (2016)
- S.T.D. (Shelters to Deltas) (2016)
- Audacious (2016)
See also
References
- ^ a b Song, Sandra (February 12, 2016). "Listen To Raunchy Chicago Rapper Cupcakke's Anti-Predatory Anthem "Pedophile"". PAPERMAG. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
- ^ "40 Best Rap Albums of 2016". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
- ^ Breihan, Tom. "On the Triumphant Nastiness of CupcakKe". Stereogum. Retrieved March 5, 2017.
- ^ Weingarten, Christopher R. (June 28, 2016). "Best Rap Albums of 2016 So Far". Rolling Stone.
- ^ a b Pearce, Sheldon. "9 Great Rap Mixtapes You Might Have Missed This Year". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
- ^ Drake, David. "Bout to Blow: 10 Dope Songs You Should Be Hearing Everywhere Soon". Complex.com.
- ^ Zeichner, Naomi (June 27, 2016). "Best Rappers to Watch 2016". TheFader.com. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
- ^ Smith, Josh. "Concert preview: Chicago rapper Cupcakke brings her "Vagina" monologue to MINT". columbusalive.com. Columbus Alive. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
- ^ a b c Smith, Josh (November 24, 2016). "The True, Freaky Originality of CupcakKe - MTV". Retrieved January 19, 2017.
- ^ Drake, David (April 7, 2016). "A Conversation With CupcakKe, Whose Explicit Sex Raps Are Just the Tip of the Iceberg". Complex.com. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
- ^ Smith, Josh. "Listen To Raunchy Chicago Rapper CupcakKe's Anti-Predatory "Pedophile"". papermag.com. PAPER Magazine. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
- ^ "cupcakKe - YouTube". Youtube. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
- ^ Song, Sandra (February 2, 2016). "Listen to Raunchy Chicago Rapper Cupcakke's Anti-predatory Anthem "Pedophile"". Retrieved July 18, 2016.
- ^ "40 Best Rap Albums of 2016". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
- ^ "CupcakKe Announces New Album "Audacious"". Fader.com. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
- ^ "Tracks from artists you may not know". The Dartmouth. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
- ^ "CupcaKKe - CumShot (Audio)". YouTube. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
- ^ "Charli XCX Announced Number 1 Angel Mixtape, Shared Three New Songs". The FADER. Retrieved March 7, 2017.