Shad: The Perfect Gentleman on a Saturday Night
Kicking off the summer of endless shows, Kenya-born and Ontario raised rapper Shad (or Shad K) and producer, DJ TLO hit the half way mark of their cross Canada tour this weekend and swell the Opera House tonight before they’re launched into festival season.
With the release of his third studio album “TSOL” last month on Blackbox Records, Shad is stoked to be on the road again this summer and tonight’s show is bound to be tight as ever and thick with the same charming poetry and culturally relevant vibe that’s earned him Juno and Polaris Prize nominations for sophomore album, “The Old Prince” in 2008.
Including a collaboration with local hip hopper DSisive and balling with singles “Yea I got it” and “Rose Garden”, Shad spits, “[the album] is better, it’s got more energy and is more concise than my previous record.” With comparisons to rap music way pavers K- OS and Common, Shad feverish tone and practiced flow are not to be ignored.
Charismatic in delivery and a confident lip shift any glare from the crowd. Taking time off from a Masters degree at Simon Frasier University, this guy’s a packaged deal. Just 27, he’s cut from the philosophical stone of early Nas and blends the production of top jigga beats. Without sounding bias, Shad’s thermostat shifts forty degrees above heat. It’s so hot, you’ll nail your date into his jeep. Slam.
Words Katherine Alicia Snack
About the Author
Kay
Kay Laser or Kay Vandertramp as she sometimes goes by, uses a lot of big words and loves live, REAL, music. She submitted her own bio but we couldn't decipher it. What we can say is that she's very poetic and has an alternative voice. We can also tell you she's mad cool, we're glad to have her on the team and her interview with A-Trak hit it out of the park. - Kate Snack