Silence Magnifies Sound: Shad

Shad, birth name Shadrach Kabango, is a hip-hop artist from Canada. Shad apparently still lives at home and has released two albums (Third one arriving in May!) and currently has ~200,000 plays on Last.fm. His favorite MC is Common and one hears a lot of that in his music.

Shad's sophomore album, The Old Prince is made up of jokes, lessons, and a highly refined boom-bap style similar to what Murs and 9^th Wonder were doing in '04, but even more humble. Through the songs, Shad makes it known that he's just an overall content guy doing what he likes-- even if it doesn't pay well. And it's true, it never does, but Shad also expresses a deep hope in his fans. He's willing to keep making music as long as someone is willing to listen. “Awww” goes the listener. “This isn't bad. That wacky 'Old Prince Still Lives at Home' song was pretty funny”

But Shad isn't limited to comedy.

“Out of Love, Pt. 2” is the in the very middle of the album. As the title suggests it's very much so a reflection on his song “Out of Love” from his first album, When This is Over. But it's also the outcast's anthem, a song for the loner talking with his friends. It's a sad balance of loneliness and hope. Describing the feelings of the guy who isn't angry, just alone. Out of Love, Pt. 2 also kicks off the home stretch of The Old Prince. “Man, this guy raps about about sincere things? Very impressive”.

But Shad isn't limited to rapping.

In, “ I Heard You Had a Voice Like an Angel” Shad is caught softly narrating a story of racism in the music industry. In “Compromise” he's found gasping between pleas of “In this life, I hope you don't compromise / In this world, man, we just can't compromise.” And finally ending the album with a sum of the album in spoken word over strings. “God damn this album rules.”

Shad is going to break out soon, he's too talented and in love with his music not to, and it's going to be awesome and/or sad looking back on The Old Prince and seeing which of his styles he decided to run with.