Juno Award-winning rapper and visual artist Shad is returning to the tour scene in the spring of 2022 to perform his latest album Tao, and his tour has two stops in BC, one in Vancouver on June 7th and in Victoria on June 8th, 2022. The Canadian rap veteran has a 15-year career that’s also seen him hosting programs like CBC Radio’s Q and the Emmy Award-winning series like Hip-Hop Evolution on HBO.  

His newest album, Tao was released October 1st 2021 and is named after the Chinese concept of Tao. In the album, he explores ideas of what it means to be human and find a way to exist in the world. Ironically much of this album was already written and produced before the first wave of the pandemic even happened, but it’s proving to be a profoundly timely album with Shad also discussing themes of Black identity, spirituality, and the compounding negative effects of capitalism that seem to have been stripped bare by the realities of the pandemic. 

Acoustically speaking the album is amazing as well, the beats are KILLER and I found myself liking half the album on Spotify before I realized I needed to just download the whole album.

I really have a soft spot for rappers like Danny Brown, Run The Jewels, Kendrick Lamar and Amine, and Shad fits in so well with his inventive musical beds, thought-provoking lyrics, and use of found sound.

Some of my favorite tracks off this album are are “Garçon”, “Body (No Reason)” and “Storm” but don’t take my word for it, give Tao a listen because trust me it’s a real gem of an album and you will find yourself coming back to relisten.