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One of the Hip Hop Sweet Shop's specialty brownie shakes, the Oreo Always on Time. | Photos by Kathryn Harrington

If you’re hankering for something to satisfy your sweet tooth, the Hip Hop Sweet Shop will get the job done. The newly renovated shop sitting at 1805 W. Jefferson St. offers a wide variety of treats including cheesecake parfaits, cookies, cupcakes, slushes, milkshakes, cake shakes, banana pudding and more.

Along with the delicious treats, the Hip Hop Sweet Shop also delivers, you guessed it, hip-hop. Vibrant graffiti art by local artist Braylyn “Resko” Stewart covers the inside of the shop and customers can also find many of hip-hop’s greatest performers lining the walls and collaged on the tables.

While owner Lafesa Johnson just recently renovated the space, she’s been in the baking game since 2005 when she started her first business called Edible Creations. In 2018, she bought a school bus and turned it into a mobile bakery that she named the Hip Hop Sweet Shop.

The newly renovated shop was originally a commissary kitchen for the school bus. Since she didn’t run the bus during the winter, Johnson decided to further expand the space on W. Jefferson to create seating  for customers. She also plans to eventually rent out the space for events, parties and game nights.

A former resident of the Russell neighborhood, Johnson always planned to have her business in the area to build another ambition of hers, mentoring at-risk girls. Johnson aims to host professionals in various fields to teach as well as inspire young women. Homeless and pregnant at 13, Johnson recognizes the importance of a support system and teaching girls what they need to know to succeed.  “I didn’t have anybody in my corner, I didn’t have anybody to guide me, I didn’t have anybody to protect me, I didn’t have anybody. So I always wanted to be that for somebody else,” she said.

The renovated Hip Hop Sweet Shop now has seating for customers. Kathryn Harrington
Customers have a wide variety of treats to select from. Kathryn Harrington
Art by Braylyn “Resko” Stewart. Kathryn Harrington
A customer favorite, the Bangin’ Banana Pudding. Kathryn Harrington
Owner Lafesa Johnson created the collages on the tables featuring many of the greatest in hip hop. Kathryn Harrington
The Hip Hop Sweet shop specializes in personal servings of a wide variety of confectionary goodies. Kathryn Harrington
Customers have a wide variety of treats to select from including specialties like cake and brownie shakes. Kathryn Harrington
One of the customer favorite cheesecake parfaits. Kathryn Harrington
Treats for the senses.
The walls of the Hip Hop Sweet Shop are covered with vibrant graffiti art by local artist Braylyn “Resko” Stewart. Kathryn Harrington
Johnson hand painted bricks on the walls of the newly renovated space. Kathryn Harrington

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This article appears in September 29, 2021.

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