Today we’d like to introduce you to Shaka D Cakes.
Hi Shaka D, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Hi! I’m Shaka D. Cakes, and I’m a Musical Artist, Problem and overall fun guy.
I was born in Corona, California, and I’m the youngest of four kids. My family has always been incredibly musical. There was always something playing in the house—Earth, Wind & Fire, Sly & the Family Stone, Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, and so many others. Music wasn’t just entertainment; it was part of everyday life.
Growing up, I knew I didn’t want to make conventional music. I wanted to create something different, and honestly, that’s kind of been the story of my life.
When my parents divorced, my dad’s soundtrack became blues, hard rock, and Jimi Hendrix. To this day, I can sing “Red House” bar for bar. That chapter of my life gave me a lifelong love for loud guitars, controlled chaos, and music with raw emotion.
My brother had a N.O.R.E. tape that I’d sneak and listen to while my dad was at work. I fell in love with Pharrell’s production and N.O.R.E.‘s cadence. Around the same time, my other brother—who was a DJ—introduced me to Kanye West through “Touch the Sky.” Lupe Fiasco’s verse completely changed the way I looked at rap. I was so inspired that I had to learn how to do it myself.
After years of trial and error—and, if I’m being honest, spending a little too much time being irresponsible—I finally started finding my own voice. Instead of chasing trends, I began embracing everything that had shaped me: hip-hop, rock, blues, soul, funk, anime, video games, and orchestral music. My goal has never been to fit into one lane. I want every song to feel like its own world.
I don’t make music to sound like everyone else. I make music that sounds like me.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not even close. Laughs. I don’t think I’ve ever taken the smooth road.
For a long time, the biggest obstacle was myself. I had the talent, but I didn’t always have the discipline. I’d start things and not finish them, chase too many ideas at once, or let life pull my attention away from what I really wanted. Looking back, there were opportunities I probably wasn’t ready for simply because I hadn’t matured yet.
I’ve also had to deal with disappointment. Friendships ended, creative partnerships didn’t work out the way I hoped, and there were moments where I questioned whether I was investing my energy into the right people. Those experiences hurt, but they also taught me to protect my peace and be more intentional about who I build with.
Financially, being an independent artist isn’t glamorous either. You’re funding your own music, equipment, videos, and marketing while still trying to live your everyday life. People see the finished product, but they don’t always see the sacrifices behind it.
The biggest lesson, though, has been learning that consistency beats talent if talent isn’t disciplined. These days I’m less interested in proving people wrong and more interested in proving to myself that I can become the artist I know I’m capable of being.
I don’t regret the hard road. Every setback became part of the music, and every lesson helped shape the artist I am today.
And on top of that the energy I’ve gained throughout is immaculate
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I wear a lot of hats. I’m a recording artist, songwriter, producer, composer, and storyteller. At the core of everything I do is one goal: I want to make music that feels like an experience instead of just another song. I think this is shown most prevalently in my Album “Mighty Morphin Thundabolt”
I don’t really believe in genres. Gospel and hip hop are my foundation, but I pull from rock, blues, funk, soul, orchestral music, gospel, anime soundtracks, video games, and film scores. If a song needs distorted guitars, it’s getting distorted guitars. If it needs strings, choirs, or a trap beat underneath all of that, I’m not afraid to put those worlds together. I’ve never been interested in fitting into one lane.
What I’m probably most proud of is that I’ve built my own creative universe. Whether it’s my music, visual concepts, or the stories behind my projects, everything connects. I don’t just make albums—I build worlds that people can step into. Every project has its own identity, characters, emotions, and atmosphere.
Another thing that sets me apart is that I genuinely love the craft. I can spend hours talking about songwriting, production, sound design, arrangement, and why a single snare hit or guitar chord changes the emotion of a record. I’m a student of music before I’m an artist.
I think what separates me from other artists is that I’m not chasing what’s popular. I’m chasing what’s honest. Every influence I’ve ever had—from Earth, Wind & Fire to Jimi Hendrix, Pharrell, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, and beyond—shows up somewhere in my work, but it never sounds like imitation. It sounds like me.
I also believe that all the Greats where doing something no one else could really do so I want to continue that Trend as an Artist.
If I had to describe my music in one sentence, I’d say this: it’s organized chaos with a purpose. I want people to laugh, headbang, think, cry, and leave every record feeling like they just watched a movie instead of simply listening to a song and I think that’s what sets me apart from most people.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
One day, I heard somebody playing drums somewhere in my neighborhood. I followed the sound until I found a house with the garage door cracked open. Being the curious kid I was, I literally crawled underneath it.
That moment changed my life.
Inside, I met a Guitarist named George—an underrated legend in my eyes—and a guy named Stephen Taylor, who would eventually become my brother in every way that matters. We weren’t related by blood, but music has a way of creating family.
That garage became more than a place to hang out. It became a classroom. We spent countless hours playing, learning, experimenting, and pushing each other to get better. Looking back, I realize some of the most important lessons I ever learned about music didn’t come from school—they came from that garage, surrounded by people who simply loved creating.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s.h.a.k.a.d_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Eeqo61yMy/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@zapscottbub
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/WYgK5YbnObQ6WPCzQ2
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/32P1QABYK7yLrFxkbAMu3E
