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Shad K.‘s upcoming album, The Old Prince, proves he deserves all of the attention and more. As if a busy summer tour wasn’t enough of an offering, Shad K. has decided to release a new album early this fall. This spring he signed with a new label, Black Box Recordings, and it’s the label’s first foray into the world of hip hop. During a recent conversation with Ian Stanger over at BBR I got a chance to listen to the new tracks…if this was a joke by Riv, and Shad K. had an alexadex stock of life, he’d be on the ‘mover and shaker’ list.

Shad K. recently performed at the S.C.E.N.E. Music Festival, Wakestock, Hillside and the Cutting Edge Music Festival. Impressive mileage from a humble artist from London, Ontario. The fall looks to be just as busy with shows in Toronto on September 23nd and London on the 22rd. Having toured with a diverse set of bands including The Dears, Moneen, De La Soul and Alexisonfire, Shad has attracted a diverse following.

After one listen I was hooked on the new tracks ‘Cheap’ and ‘Compromise’. My iTunes play count tally is embarrassingly high, so I won’t publish it here. For good reason though…Shad’s new album is kind of a big deal. The lyrics are funny, thoughtful and catchy. The rhythms are full and always well timed. Tracks vary from soft ballads to fast-paced raps…and he plays guitar. This offering plays comfortably with albums from larger names in hip hop on your Shuffle.

What I really like about Shad K. more than anything is that he feels honest. His songs overflow with his life experience and his take on those experiences. To me, that’s well worth the price of admission. I’m really looking forward to seeing more of Shad K. this fall. His new tracks have hooked me. Check it out if you get a chance!

Posted on Thursday, September 6th, 2007 at 1:53 pm by loyalj and is filed under MuchRadar.

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