The Pencess … Not The Princess
It’s always sweet news when two of your favorite artists announce that they are working together. And it’s that much sweeter when recent Dig cover story subject CakeSwagg is involved, this time with frequent collaborator (and another Dig fave) DJ WhySham. The pair first appeared with each other on “We Run This City” off WhySham’s Finally project in 2019, and this time they’re returning with a gallery of ace producers to stir up the pot.
Recorded in the summer and fall of 2021 at Boston Got Next Entertainment, where CakeSwagg and WhySham say they “learned each other’s creative artist styles,” the duo enlisted: Axestrumentals out of Boston, PapaRaw from Russia, Skev Beats from Philly, and Jon Glass out of Mass, the latter well known for his work with New England hitters spanning Lateb and Oblivious to Joyner Lucas and Token. It’s refreshing to see so much talent across the Bay State bridging via beatmakers, the long forgotten glue that binds any successful scene.
As for this mixtape, it’s top notch from the first pop to the final drop. CakeSwagg is a beast who’s capable of bleeding on the track or simply battering a beat for sport. With WhySham holding her down, there’s no telling where this could go from here.
djwhysham.bandcamp.com
A Queens, NY native who came to New England in 2004 to earn his MA in journalism at Boston University, Chris Faraone is the editor and co-publisher of DigBoston and a co-founder of the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism. He has published several books including 99 Nights with the 99 Percent, and has written liner notes for hip-hop gods including Cypress Hill, Pete Rock, Nas, and various members of the Wu-Tang Clan.
