Album Notes

Shad (Shadrach Kabango) is a bright, up-and-coming emcee from the unlikely city of London, Ontario.

In August of 2004, Shad emerged emphatically onto the scene during the annual Rhythm of the Future unsigned talent competition put on by 91.5 FM “The Beat” -- Kitchener/Waterloo's most popular urban music station – winning 1st prize in the solo male category. The contest, judged by esteemed representatives from Universal Records and the Canadian Urban Music Association, awarded each winner an impressive prize of $17 500 to be put towards recording time and resources. In the following months, Shad worked diligently to oversee all aspects of his independent debut release, entitled When This Is Over, while completing the final year of his undergraduate degree.

Shad’s debut has already garnered rave reviews for its honest and clever lyrics and its distinct musical aesthetic from such well-respected publications as NOW magazine, Exclaim, Eye Weekly, and the Globe and Mail.

The young rapper currently maintains a healthy schedule of performances to promote the album. His reputation as a performer has grown rapidly based on recent sold out shows spanning the nation from Vancouver to Halifax, including impressive opening spots for such artists as Common, Lupe Fiasco, Kardinal Offishall, Sadat X, Classified, The Slip and long list of others.

His engaging and dynamic performances showcase an energetic live personality, entertaining freestyle skills, and the unique ability to play guitar and rap simultaneously. Shad's on-stage abilities were lauded at the 2006 Canadian Music Week Festival, where his showcase performance received a score of 96 from the influential Chart Attack magazine CMW report cards - the second-highest rating of any artist in the festival.

As Shad continues to establish a strong foundation across Canada, and with increasing buzz surrounding his surprising debut record and memorable performances, the future certainly appears bright for this charismatic and creative emcee.