Shad Makes A Point

When one thinks of hip hop communities one does not generally think of Vancouver much less Canada but after listening to Shad's album TSOL maybe that should be reconsidered. Shad is another amazing artist in the long line of Decon artists who craft hip hop the old fashioned way and actually have something to say. This witty, intelligent Canadian rapper has a fine sense of humor as well as a fine sense of intelligence and song craft and he places in each and every song he writes.

TSOL is a sharp record that drops names faster than Donald Trump, and has the spirit of the underdog that only someone taking on the American music industry could. Shad is awesome at flowing all sorts of words that never show up in hip hop records and then wrapping those words and dictations in a fine selection of well crafted beats that seem as though they've come from some of the finest easy listening, soul, and jazz breaks in living memory. TSOL is a great record because it sounds so fresh, so idealistic, so uplifting that you can't help but pay attention to every word that Shad has to say. The guy has so much talent that it's oozing over the border faster than a bunch of NAFTA businessmen. He might be Canadian by birth but his flow and rhymes will hit home with anyone who listens.

Whether it's the struggle of day to day living or peace in Darfur, Shad brings a originality, creativity, and a gifted sense of social consciousness to this record and it's gripping. Whether it's the downtempo vibe of, "Lucky 1's," or the reaffirmation of, "Keep Shining," Shad really isn't capable of writing a cliche or bad hip hop song. There's a reason why indie hip hop is so much better than commercial stuff and Shad shows why over and over again. Here's a guy with a forum and a mind that's unafraid to share his thoughts and hopes with you and the world and it's his honesty and candidness that really sets him apart. TSOL is the kind of record you wish more hip hop artists would make but they just don't know how. Thankfully, Shad is here to save us from the cliche.