INTERVIEW WITH SHAD
First thing first, who is Shad?
That's what I try to figure out.
What got you interested in hip hop and what made you decide to pick up the mic?
I got into hip hop because it was natural for me. An easy way to express myself and entertain people in a creative way.
You don't need expensive equipment or any musical training, you just do it.
Who are some of your biggest influences, musically and personally?
A lot of things influence my ideas: God, friends, life experience, my environment. All the things that shape me as a person
and my worldview. Musically I've been influenced by so many artists - from Common and Lauryn Hill to say anything and feist...
You're debut album, "When This Is Over," came out nearly two years ago. How was it received?
I was real happy with how it's been received. People seemed to understand it more than I thought they would. I thought it was
more of an underground heads type really niche thing but it seems to have had a broader appeal than I thought.
You're based out of London, describe the hip hop scene there for those who may not be familiar with it?
The London scene is pretty dope. There's some underground cats that have been making good music for a while now like Toolshed
and Fritz and Thesis. Definitely Triad, Strik, Dutch, all cats that have been holding it down in London for a while. There's
some good young cats too like Okay City, Ngajuana, Casper. Talent's there. Londonhiphop.net is a site my boy Sean started a
while ago to keep the community connected and there's a couple places to play shows so its small but it's got a decent amount
of things in place.
You've done quite a few shows over the last year, and performed alongside a few bigger name artists as well. Is there any
one show that sticks out in your mind? Any funny stories?
Opening for Common will always standout for me cuz he's my favourite emcee of all-time. That was a trip, he came out wearing
my promo shirt in his encore. That was pretty surreal for me, that opportunity. The way it came about. The experience; it was
all really special and encouraging for me.
You're known for performing with a live band and playing the guitar yourself. What is it like performing with a band versus
playing with a DJ?
Well I perform with both a band and a DJ so it helps me mix things up and keep the show interesting for the audience. It's all
about connecting with the audience and putting on a fun engaging show for them. That's something I love to do.
This past spring you signed on with Black Box Recordings. How did that come about?
They just contacted me and we started discussing the possibility of working together and it seemed like a good fit so we
moved forward with it.
 What have you noticed to be the main difference in working on and releasing an album independently and with a label?
With a label, it becomes more of a business-type situation. There's more people with a vested interest involved in the project
so that makes some things easier and other things harder because on one hand you have a bigger team so there's more that can
get done, but on the otherhand, everything requires a higher level of organization which can be difficult and can make the
whole process of making music and connecting with your audience feel less organic and real at times.
Tell us a bit about "The Old Prince."
The Old Prince is an interesting album I think. It has some humour, some social commentary, some personal stuff. It's a pretty
personal album. Overall if there's one theme in there it's about the struggle to stand up and become a leader in a world that
desperately needs some.
Anything else you'd like to add?
Thanks for the time, man.
Check Shad out online at myspace.com/shad
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