Shad

Shadrach Kabango born July 18, 1982, credited as Shad or Shad K., is a Canadian hip hop artist. Born in Kenya, of Rwandan parents, Shad was raised in London, Ontario. His mother worked in London as a hospital lab technician; his father, as a machinist. He attended London Central Secondary School. His debut album When This Is Over (2005) was self-made, financed with the $17,500 he won from 91.5 The Beat’s Rhythm of the Future talent competition during his time as an undergraduate student at Wilfrid Laurier University. The album was recognized for Shad’s self-deprecating lyrics, which are atypical of the current rap scene and focusing on social causes—for example, the track «I’ll Never Understand» examines the Rwandan genocide and includes poetry written by his mother, Bernadette Kabango. In 2007, he was signed by Black Box Recordings and released his second album, The Old Prince. In 2008, The Old Prince received a Juno Award nomination for Rap Recording of the Year, and was nominated for the 2008 Polaris Music Prize. The album was also nominated for two MuchMusic Video Awards. Shad released his third album, TSOL, in 2010. TSOL was nominated for the 2010 Polaris Music Prize, a 2011 MuchMusic Video Award, and won the Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year at the 2011 Juno Award. On September 2, 2010 it was announced on MTV News Canada that Shad had been in the studio with City & Colour (Dallas Green) working on an original song to be released as a single (entitled «Live Forever») along with a remix of TSOL’s «Listen». Music critics have compared his style to that of k-os and of Common, and also to a «London (England) sound circa 1990». Shad has also appeared as a guest musician on songs by Wax Romeo («Boom Ha»), Grand Analog («Electric City»), Dirty Circus («Into the Sun»), Blue Scholars («The Dawn Song»), Hey Ocean! («Vagabond»), YouTube sensation Mike Tompkins («Only Girl»), and Lights («Everybody Breaks a Glass» and «Flux and Flow»). In 2010, Aux TV followed Shad for a year, documenting his recording and release of the album TSOL. This coverage was culminated into the documentary Aux Presents: Shad, in 2012.