A relatively surefire way to begin dominating the music industry around the country or the world is to build a rep where you’re at first, and Shad can check that step off of his list. His self-deprecating, socially-aware rhymes have made him stand apart from from other country successes like Drake and Kardinal Offishall, and his last album, 2008’s The Old Prince, garnered nominations for Canada’s Juno Awards and Polaris Music Prize. His new album T.S.O.L. is his first release in the United States, and it shows exactly why he’s such a hit in his home country.
On “Lucky 1s,” Shad proclaims, “I ain’t gotta say ‘real talk,’ ’cause all my talk is.” This theme runs throughout T.S.O.L.‘s entirety. While many emcees seem to build rep by being either exceedingly cocky or self-depreciating, Shad is relatable because he stays engaging without having to commit to one side or the other. His nimble delivery showcases confident inflections when necessary, and a more tempered cadence on songs that are contemplative. Even on songs that aren’t tightly-woven concepts from beginning to end, he alternates between braggadocio and philosophical quips with the same continuity. The first verse of “Rose Garden” deftly advises, “be weary of those cash prizes/same things that float your boat can capsize it,” while the second verse boasts, “I’m King Kong meets Vince Vaughn, and I play like a champion.” Likewise, “Call Waiting (Interlude)” plays like a stream of consciousness about education, poverty, and children, with personal lines like, “that dating game is chess, trying to find a mate/but what they say is harder for a pimp, is harder for a man of faith.”
But when Shad finds a concept to focus in on, the results are even more impressive. Instead of following through with his concepts while adding punchlines haphazardly, he uses his wordplay to further illustrate what he’s already saying. “Telephone” chronicles long-distance relationship woes with a series of telephone similes and metaphors—i.e., “phone tag, hide and seek with the PDA” or “She’s off the hook.” “Good Name” showcases storytelling skills by narrating the origins of his namesake. The triumphant “Keep Shining” salutes women with self-respect and goals; pays homage to different women in Shad’s life; and admits that his opinion is only partially valuable, because more women need to make their own minds heard in hip-hop. This is a considerable upgrade over the close-ended, obligatory “she’s got her own” tracks that permeate the radio these days.
The only potential problem with TSOL that works against it is that it isn’t background music at all. Despite the accessibility of the head-nodding, sample-heavy production that permeates the album, Shad’s lyrics are often so detailed that they’re difficult to pay attention to if the listener is doing anything else, unless the lyrics are memorized so well that they’re rapped along to no matter what. But that’s not a bad thing—because frankly, TSOL is an album that deserves all the attention that it can get.
Dope ass review
That was not a dope ass review. It’s a dope ass album, but how you gone say the only flaw to a rap album is the detailed lyrics? fuck is that?
Album of 2010 thus far. It will end up being the best of the year no doubt. Shad K is not to be slept on! HE’S IN MY TOP 10 EVER
Dope Album…Great Production And Lyrics
shit is cool, not 5-worthy.
can we get a canibus and 7l & esoteric review?
Amazing album from start to finish!
ALBUM OF THE YEAR!
Incredible album. 5 star worthy. Everyone go buy this.
beautiful
5/5. End of.
ya
You know an album is good when the only flaw is that the songs are too well written.
5/5 in my books, Shad is a king.
dope album! buy it!
Shad is Hip-Hop to Perfection.
sick album, definitly worth buying
shad better get big cause he deserves it! love how he doesnt have to swear or brag
SHAD IS AMAZING, however , there was an album released between the old prince and tsol, entitled “when it’s over” and it it pure genius “a story no one told ” is prolly the greatest song ever written
‘when this is over’**, is actually shad’s first album.
very good album as well.
Incredible metaphors and truly a grand mastery of the English language.
No one can touch Shad’s genius…5/5
We Myself and I, and Yaa I Get It… sick sick tracks.
Looks like the people know how to vote correctly 🙂
the album is good, but i’m not sure if its 5/5. to me personally, he tries to do to much and it slightly makes his lines seem a tad bit off… a perfect example would be how common sounded on the cypher at the bet awards.. everybody else flowed to the beat… he tried to do too much with the beat. in my opinion, when you are attempting to be floetic, lyrics don’t cut it… you have to flow with the vibe of the beat.. the kick of the drum, the high of the synth… to me he didn’t do that. if he wants to perfect his flow, he should listen to common’s like water for choclate… that when common learned what i’m talking about
5/5
Shad is in my top 5 of all time and this album perfectly shows why. This review is kinda wack though, the only problem is it’s not background music? wtf is that? and he quoted some of shad’s lines wrong, it’s supposed to be
“that dating game is chess, still checkin’ for a mate”.
anyways dope album, definitely the best of the year, and there’s been some good albums this year.
Haha, yeah I caught that too. How you gonna put quotes around it but butcher the lyrics? Dont quote it if you dont know the words, lol! That was funny but other than that nice article, it’s def good to see Shad getting recognition!
I bought this when it came out in Canada in May…I already had his last album “The Old Prince”. This is easily 5/5…album of the year!!! Don’t just buy this LP, get his entire catalog.
The album is definitely dope, and Shad deserves all 5 stars. The only problem is the general master on certain tracks (i.e. “Yaa I Get It”), the vocals are overpowered by the instrumental. Though overall dope music, dope album cover.
Are you Ruslan from TheBreax?
Greatest thing outta Canada till Quebec seperates
LOL got that right
montreal over any fucking lowlife town your from bitch
QFR: It’s a line from a Shad song; nobody’s ripping on Montreal. Chill, brother, it’s all friendliness here.
wow…
One of the best rappers in Canada, if not the entire game. Right up there with Classified. This album is consistently dope, and a classic. He moves into a slightly more commercialized sound but retains killers samples, and deep lyrics. Between TSOL, TOD, and WTIO, it’s pretty clear Shad deserves to be universally recognized.
Hahaha, he is way better than classified, what are you listening to?
Class’s older stuff is classic. Hitch Hikin Music is a classic. His newest is exceptional also
dope, didn’t know duke was canadian tho
you say drake and nicki minaj i say shad and jean grae.
fuck y’all commercial loving backward ass niggas. BET makes you stupid nigga!
5/5 EZ. “I can’t DERAIL, i TRAIN hard then relax on TRACKS”…this single line destroys 99.9% of mainstream music AND artists.
Dope album, Shad is the truth!
the best you’ve never heard of. SHAD
Album of the year
WHAT ? You give it a four ? It deserves a five, like his two other releases, hip hop needs more Shad.
“When I need help this female wont take my calls, It’s like pool, n that’s her que to break my balls.”
Ha, this dude is awesome.
That Old Prince is bananas!
Dude is being slept on!!!
this one really deserves a 5/5. just true hip-hop
One of my favorite rhymes on the album:
I never laughed and cried at the same time…/Until I heard a church pray for the death of Obama/and wondered if they knew they share that prayer with Osama/Blasphomy and Karma, the comedy of drama.
I always wondered this myself…..
This shit is incredible. Best album of 2010!
I’m down with Shad, all his music is refreshing. The lyrics blow my mind away, making me listen to the songs 5 times in a row because I keep rewinding to catch everything… and I don’t mind.
yet another review with virtually no criticism yet giving the album a lower mark than it deserves. easy four and a half or five.
Second best album this year besides “How I Got Over” by The Roots…but that’s just my opinion. They’re a ton of good albums to come out this year. This is easly the best year for hip hop in a good while to me.
album of the year, go get it!
Shad single handedly brought a breath of fresh air to hip hop in my opinion others can hate its fine :/ but to me this guy should be recognized for his brilliance To many more people I mean Todays music that you hear on the radio is just the same things over and over no female emcees no great lyrics non of that either all i hear is minaj. i mean minaj aint jack shit as soon as she takes off her weave its a wrap (just to add that) but other wise Shad is the start of the new Era of Mc’s in which we can appreciate and have them not talk about fuckin chicks and gettin money all that maybe fine here and now but that shit wont matter when your a 45 year old dude.
Debates i will accept cause if i know some of these Ethuggin niggas theyll try to talk dumbshit and say shit bullshit
Greatest album this year
And y’all thought Canada only had Saukrates, Maestro, Michie Mee, Kardinal Offishall, Drake and Choclair nope guess again. Keep doin your thing Shad you’re what we call a true Emcee and we need more of those in Hip Hop. To all you wack a** Rappers you could learn a thing or two from this guy eh. lol Just playin y’all, all Canadians don’t say eh and we do know our Hip Hop roots and where it started. So please don’t be ignorant.
One!!!!!
folks think im going to prison, cuz im talking bout this rap shieet with the most conviction – – – -SHADS ridiculousssss
didnt realise canada had mc’s like this!
Great MC
GOAT
great
amazing album. gotta love Shad
why isn’t this on the top 25 list?
can anyone recommend any other artists like shad?
amazing album
Shad is sick with it for sure. BLU’s “Below the Heavens”, Diabolic’s “Liar & a Thief”, Cunnin Lynguists “A Piece of Strange”, Tonedeff’s “Archatype” (sp), One Be Lo’s “S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M”, Louis Logic’s “Sin-A-Matic”/Misery Loves Comedy, Juice’s “Listen to the Words”/”Tip of the Iceberg”, ELZHI “Elmatic” (mixtape)/Europass (mixtape)/The Preface.
That’s a pretty ill list of albums
humm humm !!
Ill album check out Blame One- Endurance
i heard rose garden off about.com’s top 50 songs of 2010 for the 1st time today… downloaded the song off itunes and cant stop playing that tune, its banging… DX needs to give more albums like this respect, cos at the end of the day, its a hip hop site, and this is as real as it gets
i heard rose garden off about.com’s top 50 songs of 2010 for the 1st time today… downloaded the song off itunes and cant stop playing that tune, its banging… DX needs to give more albums like this respect, cos at the end of the day, its a hip hop site, and this is as real as it gets
@:woooooo
Other artists off the top of my head like Shad are: MURS, check out the album The End of the Beginning and MURS and 9th Wonder 3:16/ other artists with deep lyrical quality and great beats are Brother Ali, and some of the early stuff from Atmosphere, another unknown group from the Bay Area called Blackalicious and a random recommendation is Big K.R.I.T. he’s from the south but his lyrics are deep and his beats are super clean
Hope this helps
Finally got this album. Definite 5/5 in my book. Really hard to argue against it.
amazing!
sounds like a dope album. i have heard his last two and Thw Old Prince has to be one of my favoirte’s, I have to take a look at this one.
@ Wooooooooo:
Shad is sick with it for sure. BLU’s “Below the Heavens”, Diabolic’s “Liar & a Thief”, Cunnin Lynguists “A Piece of Strange”, Tonedeff’s “Archatype” (sp), One Be Lo’s “S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M”, Louis Logic’s “Sin-A-Matic”/Misery Loves Comedy, Juice’s “Listen to the Words”/”Tip of the Iceberg”, ELZHI “Elmatic” (mixtape)/Europass (mixtape)/The Preface.
That’s a pretty ill list of albums
5
definitely an album slept on by most, a lot of visitors probably wont even read this review, smh
The album is dope. The beats are tight, the rhymes are nice, and his wordlplay is marvelous. One is reminded of shootin’ hoops in the driveway growing up with the ol’ school Hip-Hop classics playin’. Shout out to Notorious, Tupac, Nas etc. Keep it real. Shad balances between introspective lyricism and grandiose-braggin’ on the trax. 4 stars!
Shad’s third full length album is a really good listen. One of the best rappers to come out of Canada, and it’s disappointing that he’s not more relevant.