This year’s Utah Pride Festival is already shaping up to be unforgettable, but one announcement has tongues wagging and fans buzzing louder than ever: Chicago rapper and queer icon CupcakKe is set to take the stage during the “Radical Love” weekend on June 7 at 8 p.m.

Known for her unapologetically explicit lyrics, sex-positive stance, and deep love for the LGBTQ+ community, CupcakKe — born Elizabeth Eden Harris — is far more than a shock rapper. She’s a boundary-pushing artist, a fierce ally, and a pop culture disruptor who’s carved out space for queer liberation in mainstream hip-hop. And when she hits the Utah Pride stage, it’s not just a performance — it’s a statement.

It’s hard to think of a better match for this year’s Utah Pride theme, “Radical Love,” than CupcakKe. Whether she’s rapping about female pleasure, dismantling purity culture, or celebrating LGBTQ+ lives, love is at the center of her work. Not the Hallmark card version, but the raw, radical kind — the kind that’s loud, proud, queer, and messy.

CupcakKe’s music is often described as NSFW — and it is, gleefully so — but to reduce her to her raunchiest bars misses the point. Her work is built on the idea that sex and self-expression are not just natural but worthy of celebration. Her lyrics don’t just titillate; they liberate.

“I rap for the people who’ve been told they’re ‘too much,’” CupcakKe has said in interviews. “Too loud, too gay, too sexual, too different. I’m here to say, ‘Hell yeah, be all of it.’”

CupcakKe first went viral in 2015 with tracks like “Vagina” and “Deepthroat,” earning her instant notoriety in the music world. Over the years, she’s evolved into a deeply respected independent artist, releasing albums like Queen Elizabitch, Ephorize, and Eden, all packed with razor-sharp lyrics, humor, and cultural commentary.

But for queer fans especially, CupcakKe has long been more than an artist — she’s an ally who shows up. From LGBTQ+ shoutouts in her songs (“Crayons,” for instance, is a joyous pro-gay anthem) to using her platform to support queer youth, her love for the community runs deep. She’s donated to LGBTQ+ organizations, advocated for mental health awareness, and even once offered to pay for a hotel for a young man who was kicked out of his house for being gay.

Her performances are also a safe haven — a place where queerness isn’t just accepted but celebrated at full volume. And with Utah’s queer community constantly pushing back against conservative culture and political hostility, CupcakKe’s presence at Pride this year may be the perfect rallying cry.

CupcakKe’s set at Utah Pride 2025 is a bold move. In a state where drag performances have been under scrutiny and anti-LGBTQ+ legislation has been passed, bringing in an artist as audacious and openly affirming as CupcakKe sends a clear message: this festival is about joy, visibility, and resistance.

Her arrival comes at a time when queer people across the country are being forced to defend their right to exist, let alone celebrate. CupcakKe’s Pride performance will no doubt be a little scandalous, but it will also be powerful.

In her world, pleasure and protest go hand in hand.

If you’re unfamiliar with a CupcakKe show, be warned: this is not your average Pride performer. Expect twerking, tongue-twisters, and tracks that’ll make your jaw drop in the best way. From her viral hits like “Squidward Nose” and “CPR” to deeper cuts with emotional grit, her setlist is likely to run the gamut of filth and feeling.

She’s also known for interacting with the crowd, whether it’s calling out fashion choices mid-verse or jumping into the audience to dance with fans. Don’t be surprised if she turns Washington Square into one big, sweaty, queer lovefest.

Whether you’re a die-hard fan who can rap every lyric of “Duck Duck Goose” or just Pride-curious and looking for a good time, CupcakKe’s set is guaranteed to be a highlight of this year’s Festival. And for a community that’s been fighting hard for joy, visibility, and space, there’s something downright revolutionary about dancing under the Salt Lake sun to a woman who raps about loving yourself loudly, lustfully, and without apology.