Rewind to early 2006, at the Kool Haus. First real concert for myself – and I’m proud to say it was for a Common show. It was also the first I learned about the heavy weed smoking done at concerts (particularly of the hip hop variety) – as well as the tendency for them to start on the later side (particularly of the hip hop variety). These lessons have undoubtedly proved invaluable in my later concert-related endeavours.
But probably the most important thing I’ll take from that night is how awesome this dude is. Shad was the opening act that night, and although he had a relatively short set, he arguably stole the show. His debut album, When This Is Over, is probably the first $10 I’ve ever invested into a Canadian music artist and definitely the first on a Canadian Hip Hop artist (in fact that album is still on my mp3 player today). I started seeing signs of his rise to mainstream fame, after the release of his 2007 album The Old Prince, when I was able to pick up his album from an HMV, saw him performing on MTV Live, and headlining the Much Music Rap City countdown for his video for Brother (Watching). Interestingly enough, his garnered success finally hit me when I found his latest album out on your favourite torrent source – I guess nothing else can confirm that you’ve finally made it. But if you’re going to spend $10-15 on any album, particularly a hip hop album right now, I don’t think there’s a better alternative. Check your local HMV or iTunes store.
If you’re in the neighbourhood of one his shows, it’s definitely worth the trip and price of admission.
The contributors to Wikipedia have compared his musical style to that of k-os and of Common – I could see where that comparison can be made, but Shad’s material is definitely on a more basic, relatable and approachable level. Simply put, if you enjoyed The College Dropout, you’ll definitely feel right at home with either of his albums.
But I’ll his latest video speak for itself: Shad – The Old Prince Still Lives At Home, from The Old Prince album.
PS. If you’re in Toronto on the night of September 17, you can catch him live with Hey Ocean at the Mod Club.
Filed under: music | Tagged: canada, canadian music, common, hip hop, k-os, kanye west, mod club, music, rap, shad, shad k, shadk, the old prince, when this is over
