Critiques CD: Shad | TSOL

Who would’ve thought that, in the midst of Drake’s stratospheric rise to the top of the rap game and Knaan’s inescapable global world cup exposure, there would be room for one more Canadian rapper to shine this summer? Shad may not have the sex appeal of the former or the mass appeal of the latter, but he’s a better lyricist than both of them combined. With a nonchalant multi-syllable flow and an honest good dude persona, he charms the listener one song at a time, like on “Rose Garden” or “A Good Name,” and proves that he’s not just a rhyme spitter but mostly a very seasoned songwriter.