Shuga Cain Explained

Shuga Cain
Birth Name:Jesus Martinez Jr.
Birth Date:20 November 1977
Birth Place:Oakland, California, U.S
Education:University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire (BM)
DePaul University (MM)
Known For:RuPaul's Drag Race (season 11)

Shuga Cain is the stage name of Jesus Martinez Jr. (born November 20, 1977), an American drag queen and baker who came to international attention on the eleventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race.

Early life

Martinez was born in Oakland, California and as a child moved to Northern California, where he grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood. His father was Salvadoran, and his mother was Apache with Spanish ancestry.[1] He received a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire and a Master of Music degree from DePaul University, both in applied voice.[2]

Career

In 2011, Martinez starred in a production of Xanadu, portraying Sonny Malone.[3]

Martinez started drag full time in 2017, quitting a corporate job with the Scholastic Corporation to pursue it.[4] In March 2018, Shuga Cain was a part of Max Emerson's Drag Babies series, hosted by Bob the Drag Queen. She was a Drag Mentor, alongside Peppermint and Chi Chi DeVayne.[5]

Shuga Cain was announced to be one of fifteen contestants competing on season eleven of RuPaul's Drag Race on January 24, 2019.[6] In episode 3, she was a part of the historic six-way lip-sync (the first time in the show history in which more than two contestants had to lip-sync to avoid elimination), which she survived.[7] Shuga Cain lipsynced once again in episode 5, where she sent home Ariel Versace to Whitney Houston's "I'm Your Baby Tonight".[8] Despite never winning a challenge, Shuga Cain placed in the top during the season's Snatch Game challenge, where she portrayed Charo.[9] She was eliminated in the 10th episode after lip-syncing to "No More Drama" (2001) by Mary J. Blige against Vanessa Vanjie Mateo. Shuga Cain finished the competition in 7th place.[10] During her time on the show, she released Shuga in the Raw, where she recapped every episode of season 11.[11]

From March 26 to September 6, she was a part of the rotating cast for RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 11 Tour, presented by Voss Events and World of Wonder, and hosted by Asia O'Hara.[12] The show kicked off in Los Angeles on May 26 during the RuPaul's DragCon LA wrap party (hosted by Drag Race judge Michelle Visage) and concluded with a final bow on September 6 in New York City (also hosted by Visage) at the top of RuPaul's DragCon NYC.

Shuga Cain was announced to host Gimme Some Shuga, a six episode mini-series on WOWPresents Plus. The series focuses on Cain and ace baker Justin Salinas creating cakes inspired by RuPaul's Drag Race legends.[13] She was announced as part of the cast for A Drag Queen Christmas, a Christmas-theme drag show presented by M&P, hosted by Nina West. Other queens in the lineup include Shea Coulee, Willam, Latrice Royale, Thorgy Thor, Manila Luzon, and Lady Bunny.[14]

Personal life

Martinez is currently engaged to Tim Carswell.

Filmography

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2019RuPaul's Drag RaceHerselfContestant (7th Place)
Companion show to RuPaul's Drag Race
Tales of the CityDrag queenExtra

Web series

YearTitleRoleNotes
2018Drag BabiesHerselfDrag Mentor[15]
2019Queen to QueenWith Scarlet Envy and Kahanna Montrese[16]
Da FuqGuest, hosted by Honey Davenport[17]
I've Never Had a...Guest[18]
Countdown to the CrownSeason 11[19]
Whatcha Packin’Guest[20]
Cosmo QueensCosmopolitan Series[21]
Charo's Pink RoomWith Charo[22]
Shuga in the RawHost[23]
Take a Look BackSeries by Yuhua Hamasaki[24]
Gimme Some ShugaHost[25]
Bootleg OpinionsGuest, hosted by Yuhua Hamasaki[26]
2020Out of the ClosetGuest[27]

Music videos

2020"Sweet Love"[28]

Discography

Singles

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Whatcha Packin': Shuga Cain, Season 11 Episode 10, RuPaul's Drag Race. YouTube. 2020-03-31. 2020-03-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20200325135902/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0huTKuNCD-0&gl=US&hl=en. live.
  2. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesusmartinezjr/ LinkedIn – Jesus Martinez Jr.
  3. Web site: 'Xanadu' rolling into The City. SFExaminer. 4 December 2011. 2011-12-04. 2019-05-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20190505084548/https://www.sfexaminer.com/entertainment/xanadu-rolling-into-the-city/. live.
  4. Web site: Why Shuga Cain Gave Up A Six Figure Job to Do Drag Full Time. Out. 8 May 2019. 2019-09-13. 2019-10-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20191019030431/https://www.out.com/drag/2019/5/08/why-shuga-cain-gave-six-figure-job-do-drag-full-time. live.
  5. Web site: Instagram Star Max Emerson's "Drag Babies" Set to Premiere. Metrosource. 7 March 2018. 2019-09-13. 2019-10-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20191002164851/https://metrosource.com/max-emersons-drag-babies-set-premiere/. live.
  6. Aquaria & Adam Rippon to Announce 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 11 Cast in Upcoming 'Ruveal'. Billboard. 2019-05-22.
  7. Web site: 'Stink. Stank. Stunk!' Disastrous performance leads to herstoric 6-way elimination on 'RuPaul's Drag Race'. Yahoo. 15 March 2019 . 2019-09-13. 2019-03-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20190322053654/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/stink-stank-stunk-disastrous-performance-leads-herstoric-6-way-elimination-rupauls-drag-race-025953167.html. live.
  8. Web site: RuPaul's Drag Race season 11, episode 5 GIF recap: Clever girl, spooky bitch. EW. 2019-09-13. 2019-07-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20190706231320/https://ew.com/recaps/2019/04/02/rupauls-drag-race-season-11-episode-5-recap/. live.
  9. Web site: 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 11: Snatch Game and a lip-sync for the herstory books. Chron. 19 April 2019. 2019-09-13. 2019-09-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20190901191325/https://www.chron.com/entertainment/tv/article/RuPaul-s-Drag-Race-Season-11-Snatch-Game-and-a-13777935.php. live.
  10. Web site: 'RuPaul's Drag Race' 11 episode 10 recap: Which queen didn't make magic on 'Dragracadabra'? [UPDATING LIVE BLOG]]. Gold Derby. 3 May 2019. 2019-09-13. 2019-05-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20190505030258/https://www.goldderby.com/article/2019/rupauls-drag-race-11-episode-10-recap-live-blog-news/. live.
  11. Web site: The Week in Drag: Blair St. Clair, Shuga Cain, Willam & More. Socialite Life. 21 April 2019. 2019-09-13. 2021-05-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20210508191712/https://socialitelife.com/the-week-in-drag-blair-st-clair-shuga-cain-willam-more/. live.
  12. Web site: RuPaul's Drag Race sets season 11 tour dates with all 15 queens. Nolfi. Joey. Ew. en. 2019-09-13. 2019-04-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20190402181329/https://ew.com/tv/2019/04/02/rupauls-drag-race-season-11-tour-dates/. live.
  13. Web site: Miss Vanjie becomes dessert in Shuga Cain's Gimme Some Shuga preview. EW. 2019-09-13. 2019-08-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20190821175940/https://ew.com/tv/2019/08/05/gimme-some-shuga-wow-presents-plus-preview/. live.
  14. Web site: 'A Drag Queen Christmas' coming to El Paso in December. KFoxTV. 10 September 2019. 2019-09-13. 2019-09-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20190916035542/https://kfoxtv.com/news/local/a-drag-queen-christmas-coming-to-el-paso-in-december. live.
  15. DRAG BABIES: Project #1 "What The Hell Are We Doing?". YouTube. March 13, 2018. September 13, 2019.
  16. Queen To Queen: Scarlet Envy, Shuga Cain & Kahanna Montrese RuPaul's Drag Race Season 11. YouTube. May 22, 2019. September 13, 2019.
  17. Honey Davenport - Da Fuq S1 EP1 with Shuga Cain!. YouTube. March 8, 2019. September 13, 2019.
  18. News: Watch 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Stars Try Truffles, Snails, and Caviar for the First Time . May 29, 2019 . Munchies Staff . October 25, 2019 . . . https://web.archive.org/web/20190913213217/https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/gy4wwq/watch-rupauls-drag-race-stars-try-truffles-snails-and-caviar-for-the-first-time . September 13, 2019 . live.
  19. "Impressions" COUNTDOWN TO THE CROWN: RuPaul's Drag Race Season 11. YouTube. May 21, 2019. September 13, 2019.
  20. Whatcha Packin': Shuga Cain Season 11 Episode 10 RuPaul's Drag Race. YouTube. May 3, 2019. September 13, 2019.
  21. Web site: Shuga Cain's Shimmery Makeup Look Is Sweeter Than Dessert. May 8, 2019. Cosmopolitan. September 13, 2019. July 25, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190725161758/https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/a27409687/shuga-cain-makeup-transformation-cosmo-queens/. live.
  22. Charo's Pink Room EP 1: Charo & Shuga Cain. YouTube. June 5, 2019. September 13, 2019.
  23. Shuga In The Raw Episode 1. YouTube. March 7, 2019. September 13, 2019.
  24. YuhuaHamasaki . July 3, 2019 . "TAKE A LOOK BACK: Part 1 Cast RuVeal & What + Why Drag?!" . YouTube video . July 12, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190712153318/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2EVdqRxo3M . July 12, 2019 . live.
  25. Gimme Some Shuga with Shuga Cain & Justin: Miss Vanjie Cake - Coming Soon To WOW Presents Plus!. YouTube. July 30, 2019. September 13, 2019.
  26. SHUGA CAIN joins Drag Race UK x Bootleg Opinions Season 1 Episode 7!. YouTube. November 18, 2019. November 18, 2019.
  27. Web site: Shuga Cain's Chaotic Organization S3 E5 RuPaul's Drag Race Out Of The Closet. YouTube. 2021-11-19. 2021-11-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20211119182710/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkW0vR6lMkc&list=PLGwZKkKxJCics2QSTPlQrKoqgkMfeYrS-&index=10. live.
  28. News: Instinct Premiere: Shuga Cain Masks Up For Her Sickening New Single 'Sweet Love' . September 2, 2020 . Cook . Michael . Instinct . September 3, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200903033349/https://instinctmagazine.com/instinct-premiere-shuga-cain-masks-up-for-her-sickening-new-single-sweet-love/ . September 3, 2020 . live.