Queen Elizabitch

Queen Elizabitch
Studio album by
CupcakKe
ReleasedMarch 31, 2017 (2017-03-31)
GenreHip hop[1]
Length38:52
Label
CupcakKe chronology
Audacious
(2016) 		Queen Elizabitch
(2017) 		Ephorize
(2018)
Singles from Queen Elizabitch
  1. "Cumshot"
    Released: February 24, 2017

Queen Elizabitch is the second studio album by American rapper CupcakKe. It was self-released on March 31, 2017. The album was preceded by its leading single "Cumshot". However, the album's track "CPR", got attention from the video-sharing app, TikTok. The song received over 100 million streams on the music-streaming app Spotify.

Background and release

On March 28, CupcakKe revealed the album cover and track listing.[2] Queen Elizabitch was self-released on March 31, 2017, in distribution to TuneCore.[3]

On April 8, the album was briefly removed from streaming services due to a production discrepancy, but returned days later.[4]

Composition

According to Pitchfork writer Briana Younger, album opener "Scraps" features "disquieting keys and decaying synths".[5] "33rd" has been described in The Fader as an "all-out pop banger".[6] Pitchfork's Younger also described "Biggie Smalls" as a body-positive song about beauty standards and eating disorders, and its production as a "jungle-like trance".[5] She pointed to "Tarzan" as a drill track,[5] while she and The Fader, as well as Stereogum, referred to the album closer "Reality Pt. 4" as an a capella track reflecting on CupcakKe's life and politics.[5][6][7]

Promotion

Singles

"Cumshot" was released as a digital download on February 24, 2017 as the album's lead single.[5][8]

Music videos

"Cumshot" received a music video on March 10, 2017.[9] "Reality Pt. 4" received a black-and-white music video on April 19, 2017. The visual was described by Pranav Trewn of Stereogum as "dark".[7][10] "Quick Thought" received a music video on May 14, 2017. It was directed by Brandon Holmes. According to Peter Helman of Stereogum, the video features CupcakKe as the leader of a "colorful stick-up crew armed with bright red guns".[11][12] "CPR" received a music video on May 29, 2017.[13] "Biggie Smalls" came out with a music video on June 16, 2017.[14] "33rd" received a video on July 2, 2017.[15] "Barcodes" received a music video on July 17, 2017.[16] "Scraps" received a music video on August 8, 2017.[17]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Pitchfork7.6/10[5]
Vice (Expert Witness)B+[18]

Pitchfork writer Briana Younger wrote of the album thus: "The amazingly explicit Chicago rapper has begun to embody the totality of her experience on record. Social issues, violence, and wild sex are all approached with the same fiery conviction."[5]

The album was included on Rolling Stone's "40 Best Rap Albums of 2017" list at position 17.[19]

Track listing

Queen Elizabitch[3]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Scraps"Elizabeth Eden HarrisHarris3:24
2."33rd"HarrisDef Starz3:40
3."CPR"HarrisHarris3:28
4."Author"HarrisHarris3:24
5."Quick Thought"HarrisHarris3:25
6."Biggie Smalls"HarrisDef Starz3:51
7."Barcodes"HarrisDef Starz3:01
8."Cumshot"HarrisDef Starz3:29
9."Civilized"HarrisHarris3:01
10."Toys "R" Us"HarrisHarris2:29
11."Tarzan"HarrisHarris3:05
12."Reality, Pt. 4"HarrisHarris2:34

References

  1. ^ "40 Best Rap Albums of 2017". Rolling Stone. December 22, 2017. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  2. ^ Wass, Mike (March 27, 2017). "CupcakKe Unveils The Cover Of New LP, 'Queen Elizabitch'". Idolator. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Queen Elizabitch by cupcakKe on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  4. ^ Lee, Christina (April 8, 2017). "Cupcakke's 'Queen Elizabitch' Taken Down From Streaming Services". Idolator. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Younger, Briana. "CupcaKke: Queen Elizabitch". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  6. ^ a b Dandridge-Lemco, Ben (March 31, 2017). "Listen To CupcakKe's New Album Queen Elizabitch". The Fader. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  7. ^ a b Trewn, Pranav (April 19, 2017). "CupcakKe – "Reality Pt 4" Video". Stereogum. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
  8. ^ "Cumshot – Single". iTunes. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
  9. ^ "CupcakKe - Cumshot (Official Music Video)". March 10, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2017 – via YouTube.
  10. ^ "CupcakKe - Reality Pt 4 (Official Music Video)". April 19, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2017 – via YouTube.
  11. ^ "CupcakKe - Quick Thought (Official Video)". May 14, 2017. Retrieved May 14, 2017 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ Helman, Peter (May 14, 2017). "CupcakKe – "Quick Thought" Video". Stereogum. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  13. ^ "CupcakKe - CPR (Official Music Video)". YouTube. May 29, 2017. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
  14. ^ "CupcakKe - Biggie Smalls (Official Music Video)". June 16, 2017. Retrieved June 16, 2017 – via YouTube.
  15. ^ cupcakKe (July 2, 2017). "CupcakKe - 33rd" – via YouTube.
  16. ^ cupcakKe (July 17, 2017). "CupcakKe - Barcodes" – via YouTube.
  17. ^ cupcakKe (August 8, 2017). "CupcakKe - Scraps" – via YouTube.
  18. ^ Christgau, Robert (January 11, 2019). "Expert Witness". Vice. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  19. ^ "40 Best Rap Albums of 2017". Rolling Stone. December 22, 2017. Retrieved February 4, 2018.