Toronto-based rapper Shad’s latest album TAO, released last year, takes listeners through the thought processes of Taoism beliefs and social awareness. C.S. Lewis’ 1943 book The Abolition of Man and Shoshana Zuboff’s 2019 book The Age of Surveillance Capitalism are used as references by Shad to provide context to dystopian changes in society over music that has a traditional hip-hop sound infused with samplings and lyricism from funk, soul, and jazz.
The driving force for Shad to revolve his music around sociological issues comes from his use of art. He processes aspects of his life through his music to better understand them.
“The way I thought about writing the album was writing about a bunch of different aspects of our lives as human beings—our relationship to work, nature, technology, and other human beings,” says Shad. “I thought about all these different aspects of who we are, because it occurred to me that each of these different aspects of our life as human beings seem to be under threat.”
This musical organization of Shad’s thoughts allows his audience to form their own philosophical ideals. He stresses that people are responsible for the changes in our society, and says that they must take an active role in their future.
“If we can pause and actually track the changes, we can escape this trap of thinking that the way things are are the way things have always been,” he says. “It is not an inevitability or a process that we don’t have control over. Ultimately, it is our decision.”
Throughout the history of hip-hop, artists have imbedded matters of sociological unease into their work. For Shad, artists such as Lauren Hill, 2Pac, and A Tribe Called Quest exemplify this, as well as having a complete personality with a range of character.
“If you think about representations of young Black people, it wasn’t common and still isn’t that common to get these really complete pictures of human beings,” he says. “That inspired me and I hope to pass that on as well, the sense of ‘You can be all these things, and you can be a fully complex human being, and you can show all of that.’”
By incorporating these influences into his work, Shad inspires and passes the metaphorical torch of hip-hop.
“I try to inject as much humour, bounce, energy, and excitement as I can into the music,” he says. “So, even when it does get ruminating or contemplative I hope that’s included in a way that’s helpful, and uplifting.”
Shad creates a relatable and thought-provoking sense of insight with his music, and the effect of that can been seen in his live shows.
“Club shows are this really special mix of fun and a lot of smiles on faces, and bodies moving,” he says. “Also, there’s a lot of depth to it, and really connecting around the art and words and ideas. It’s this really special mix of those things coming together.”
With his live performances and his musical content, Shad brings his audience together in celebration of life.
“I hope that they come away with some feeling of hope and inspiration; that’s always the most important thing,” he says. “And I hope that they laugh and think along the way, that their mind is expanded a little bit and that they’re provoked to think differently. And that it’s an enjoyable ride.”
Shad
Wednesday, June 8
$22.50, Capital Ballroom
thecapitalballroom.com