Exploring Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake for Canon’s feature turned out to be an unexpected adventure. It involved twists, trials, and errors, but after three attempts, I felt like the recipe was solid. Special thanks to Sprinkle Bakes for her recipe inspiration I was able to incorporate with mine which finally worked. This Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake pairs perfectly with his music and be sure to check out the recipe below!

Currently residing in Phoenix, Arizona, but originally from Chicago, Canon has lived a rich and diverse life. His past includes stints in Nashville, Atlanta, and Memphis, where he went to college to study biblical studies and theology. Raised with strong Southern influences and growing up in a church led by his pastor grandfather, Canon ultimately focused more on his personal relationship with God than formal religious studies. He comes from a musically gifted family, with a brother who plays drums and a father skilled in jazz fusion and various instruments. His extended family includes singers, producers, chefs, and athletes, fostering his early exposure to creativity and art, starting from church. While he grew up immersed in church culture, his passion for hip-hop led him to embrace and lean more toward hip-hop culture. Combining these influences, Canon focuses on changing the world through his art and music, aiming to inspire and encourage his fans with a unique and influential voice.

At 14, Canon joined a hip-hop-influenced church called The House, aimed at fostering positive community change. The pastor, Phil Jackson, uniquely integrated lyrics from Lauryn Hill, Mos Def, and Nas into his sermons, effectively connecting with the congregation by speaking their language and culture. The church’s motto, “Follow me in love, not in hate,” emphasized that personal change was not necessary to love and follow God. This approach profoundly influenced Canon’s music style and his approach to religion and his relationship with God.

Canon’s deep connection to his cultural roots and music reflects his commitment to speaking to fans in a relatable way. He believes that his purpose in music is to provide a platform where listeners feel seen, heard, and understood, emphasizing the transformative power of music to change atmospheres and bridge divides. Raised in a church and coming from a Christian background, Canon values his morals over material success, advocating for authenticity and reality in his music over wealth. He stresses that happiness is fleeting when based on material things and seeks to use his music to lift burdens and inspire genuine connections, whether inside or outside the church.

Money wont make you happy …I don’t need money when I have wealth in perspective.

Having moved beyond just performing in church settings, Canon aims to reach those who may feel disillusioned by religion or church culture. He encourages his audience to continue exploring their faith and understanding of God, recognizing that everyone’s relationship with the divine is unique and still evolving. Through his music, Canon wants to challenge listeners to think outside conventional frameworks to discover their true purposes, hoping they feel understood and less alone in their journeys.

Canon deeply cares for people, especially those who are hurting. His natural inclination is towards servant leadership; he thrives on helping and serving others through his craft, which he sees as essential to truly connect with and understand them. Through his music, Canon aims to provide a sense of comfort and love, offering the emotional support that fans might not find elsewhere. His music reflects not only positive vibes but also his own emotional states – joy, pain, anger- capturing a wide range of human experiences.

I may not have the right words for you but just know you’re loved.

Musical genres and titles are something Canon believes that neither define him or matter to God. He considers his music a genre of its own, where his character and faith are evident. His goal is to speak to everyone, striving to dismantle the “us-versus-them” mentality and focusing on unity and things that truly matter in life.

Canon’s current music lineup features his latest single “Stand by Me,” released this year, and “Hold Me Back” from 2023, which focuses on not letting anyone hinder his full potential, despite challenges from the church and music industry.

Another 2024 release, “Home Run,” is his favorite track, emphasizing persistence in battling mental health issues, trauma, and depression, encouraging fans to keep trying until they succeed.

He’s also gearing up to release “Loose Canon Vol. 4” a continuation of the series that began during the pandemic. His upcoming album represents a rebirth for Canon, reflecting his personal evolution and maturity after feeling lost amidst social tensions and personal frustrations. Now residing in Pheonix, he views this move as a chance to reset and focus anew on his music, symbolizing a fresh start and renewal, much like a phoenix rising from ashes. Fans can look forward to this album, which promises a stronger and wiser Canon. I’m eagerly looking forward to Canon’s upcoming album and more inspiring music from him as he continues to connect with fans and spread positivity. Be sure to follow at the link below for more on Canon’s music.

getthecanon on IG

When it comes to food Canon loves fried chicken, especially the versions made by his mom and sister. He’s a big fan of soul food, indulging in his favorite Chicago-style fried chicken with lemon pepper and hot sauce from Uncle Remus whenever he gets a chance to visit Chicago. He always picks Uncle Remus chicken over Harold’s Chicken despite the tough competition between the two. He loves Uncle Remus chicken so much that he’ll eat there three times during a two-day visit to Chicago.

Favorite foods for Canon extend beyond fried chicken to other Chicago staples as well. He’s a fan of JJ Fish & Chicken for wings and rib tips. For pizza, he prefers thin crust from Home Run Inn and deep dish from Giordano’s. He also enjoys Italian beef dip with peppers from Portillo’s . While Canon praises MacArthur’s for their mac and cheese and sweet potatoes, he holds his sister’s baked casserole-style mac and cheese as the best, describing it as a cheesy, brick-like dish that epitomizes Chicago-style comfort food.

Canon’s dessert preferences are clear and delightful, with lemon raspberry cheesecake topping his list, followed by key lime pie, raspberry sorbet, and lemon Italian ice combined with raspberry sorbet. He loves anything with fruity and citrus notes, enjoying a variety of juices daily and favoring tart or sour flavors. Apart from his sweet tooth, Canon’s culinary tastes are diverse, spanning Colombian dishes inspired by his wife and her family like arepas and empanadas to soul food and smash burgers. His love for such vibrant and distinct flavors inspired me to make a lemon raspberry cheesecake in his honor, capturing his favorite tastes in a single dessert, perfect for any occasion or just a special treat at home.

I drew inspiration from a Sprinkle Bakes recipe that featured a cheesecake inspired by the Cheesecake Factory with a vanilla cake base, homemade raspberry coulis for dipping lady fingers, a lemon cheesecake layer, and a topping of fresh lemon whipped cream. Opting for a twist, I used madeleines instead of lady’s fingers, upgraded a vanilla box cake mix, and chose to top my dessert with a simple vanilla whipped cream to allow the lemon flavor of the cheesecake to really come through. The flavors in this recipe are light and fresh, and the result is absolutely delicious. Check out the recipe below!

Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake

Ingredients

Vanilla cake layer

one box of vanilla cake mix of choice
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup pure cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, room temperature
1 1/3 cup whole milk, room temperature
2 tablespoons coconut oil (may use vegetable oil instead if preferred)
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
2 teaspoons Madagascar vanilla extract

Lemon cheesecake

2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup pure cane sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon extract
5 drops of yellow food color
3 large eggs, room temperature

Raspberry Coulis & Layer

1 ounce fresh raspberries
3/4 cup pure cane sugar
12 madeleines

Whipped cream topping

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla extract

Directions

In a saucepan, add the raspberries and sugar and cook on medium heat until the sugar is completely melted. Set aside to cool to put in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture through a mesh sieve into a bowl. Make sure to throw away the solid berries pieces and seeds left in the sieve. Cover the smooth berry coulis and refrigerate until its time to dip the madeleines.
Preheat the oven to 350°F for the vanilla cake layer. Grease and line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
Combine all dry ingredients and whisk together.
Add wet ingredients and mix until combined with hand mixer on low for about 2 minutes.
Only pour half the batter into springform pan and bake for approximately 50 minutes. ( you can bake the other half of the batter as well in another cake pan it just won’t be needed for this cheesecake)
Cool in the cake pan on a wire rack for about 10minutes and then turn the cake out onto wire rack to cool completely. When the cake is completely cool, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the lemon cheesecake part of the cake, preheat the oven to 325°F. Set a 9×13-inch pan filled half full of water on the bottom rack of your oven.
Grease and line the same springform pan used for the cake layer with the parchment paper.
In a hand or stand mixer, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
Then beat in the heavy whipping cream, lemon juice, flour, lemon zest, lemon extract, and yellow food coloring.
Add the eggs into the cheesecake batter on low speed and mix until combined well.
Pour the mixed cheesecake batter into the springform pan and place on the middle rack of the oven.
Bake for about 65 minutes.
Turn the oven off and prop open the oven door. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for an hour with the oven off.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven to a wire rack and cool completely. Once the cheesecake is cooled, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate in the cake pan overnight.
The next day, remove the springform collar from the cheesecake and transfer the cheesecake to a plate but don’t remove the parchment paper. Then pop the cheesecake back into the refrigerator.
Then wash and dry the springform pan for full cake assembly.
Place the vanilla cake layer back into the springform pan.
Then cut the edges of each madeleine to evenly cover the cake and dip each madeleine into the raspberry coulis. Then place each of the dipped madeleine cookies on top of the vanilla cake.
Remove the cheesecake layer from the refrigerator and transfer the cheesecake layer with the parchment paper side facing up onto the layer of dipped madeleines.
Remove the parchment paper round from the cheesecake and cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight again.
The following day, take the collar from the springform pan and transfer the cake to a serving plate/cake stand of choice.
Then whip the heavy whipping cream in a bowl with either hand or stand mixer until thickened. Gradually add in the powdered sugar and vanilla and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
Immediately top the cheesecake with the vanilla whipped cream.
Top with extra raspberries, lemon slices, or lemon zest, and serve.