Shad
Shad – Inspiring Us All To Keep Shining
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“I used to want to find the love of my life. Now I’m just trying to live a life of love.”
-Shad
The Artist:
One of Canada’s most intelligent and outspoken rising artists, Shad is becoming one of the most thought provoking voices in conscious Hip Hop. He has defied labels of genre with his stylish and interesting collaborations with artists such as folk songwriter Dallas Green, aka City and Colour. Shad is never afraid to push the envelope with his words and music, always reaching out to connect with other artists and his listeners, confident in his ability to create positive change as an individual.
Born in Kenya to Rwandan parents in the early 1980s, Shad provides a unique perspective on the issues of social unrest and poverty that continue to devastate his native Africa. After hearing his music, it is not surprising to know that he comes from a very strong educational background, with a business degree from Wilfrid Laurier University and fluency in both French and English. Shad got his start in 2005 by using his winnings from a radio-sponsored talent competition to fund his debut album, When This Is Over. Less than two years later, Shad was signed to Black Box Recordings, which put out the Juno Award-winning and Polaris-nominated album The Old Prince. His latest album, 2010’s TSOL, provides further proof of Shad’s talents and ability to re-invent conscious Hip Hop to focus on today’s most important issues.
Shad’s song, “Keep Shining,” is the final track on the upcoming soundtrack for the dance film Beat the World, which also features international collaborations by some of Shad’s greatest peers in conscious Hip Hop, including KRS-One, K’naan, and Talib Kweli.
The Song:
“Shad’s brilliantly written and produced song, ‘Keep Shining,’ is one of the most inspiring Hip Hop tracks I have heard this year. With the production quality of a Jay Z joint and the lyrical consciousness and skills of Talib or Nas. I applaud our man from Kenya and his contributions to the growing conscientious sector of the global Hip Hop movement.“ – Frank Fitzpatrick
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