Shad is a hip hop artist from London, Ontario, Canada. His debut CD is titled When This Is Over. “Shadrach’s debut album, When This Is Over, is a delightful display of artistic excellence combined with a fascinating array of human emotion humbly displayed for the listener. Avoiding an insincere and flashy intro, Shad gets down to business with “New School Leaders”, an introspective conversation between a struggling artist and a successful rapper – both of whom dwell inside our humble emcee. The track is produced by Dert of Tunnel Rat fame and the sole producer of the newest KRSOne project to be released later this year. Shad picks up the pace with the lead single “I Get Down”. Demonstrating a supreme confidence, Shadrach engages in creative wordplay that will leave heads spinning and others grinning. While other rappers brag about countless women, Shad presents “Out of Love”, the portrait of a good intentioned male who wrestles with loneliness, fear and cynicism. The emcee also displays his guitar skills on “Rock To It”, a delightful live band jam that allows Shad to flex his lyrical muscle and communicate a desire for authenticity. This trait is a consistent feature of the record, epitomized by the haunting “I’ll Never Understand”, featuring Rwandan poet (and mother) Bernadette Kabango. Indeed, Shadrach’s mom paints a haunting picture of the emotional aftermath following the Rwandan genocide. Shad gladly allows his mother’s recollections to dominate the track, while the emcee ponders the ramifications from a child’s eyes. This is definitely the sleeper hit of the album, and a dazzling example of what hip-hop is like outside of the conventional box. More information on Shad can be found at (www.myspace.com/shad) and (www.shadk.com).