I'll be honest...I have heard of SonReal on different occasions, but for whatever unfortunate reason he has gone under my radar. From the looks and sounds of things, this Vancouver native has been working hard over the past couple of years and it just keeps getting better. SonReal has released his new project One Long Day. A free mixtape, yes that's right, you don't have to illegally download it. Tracks feature the likes of Shad and Kardinall Offishall, as well as productions from Arthur McArthur and Rich Kidd to name a few. I didn't even finish the first track before deciding that the mixtape is worth the time and praise. There is no doubt it will be a success. All of this and the fact it sounds like an album is why you should appreciate it even more. Respect to those who support hip hop, Canadian hip hop and independent record labels. Check out and download SonReal - One Long Day(Mixtape) For more artist info and music downloads visit here Side Note: I'm hoping to make the Buffalo, NY show. Anyone else planning on going to a show?
At the top of my
list of Canadian Hip Hop artists is Shad. Shad is a little different from some
of the other artists I have posted and I think that everyone can appreciate his
music. I hope there are some of you who have heard of him and take pleasure in
such a great artist. If this is your first time you have even heard his name or
music, I believe you will enjoy it and may even find yourself continuing to
listen to him.
Shad or Shad K,
born Shadrach Kabang,
is a Canadian hip hop artist. He was born in Kenya and was raised in London,
Ontario. Shad’s music has been described as an ‘old soul.’ His sound resembles
that of some of the old school hip hop artists. He has stated that he grew up
listening to artists such as A Tribe Called Quest and Maestro and are influences on his style of music. He is a
lyrical genius. It is true that his music is thoughtful and reflective. Real
meaning and soul are put into all of his lyrics and sound. Interesting facts: he never uses the F-word in any of his songs and has a Master's degree in Liberal Studies from Simon Fraser University.
To learn a little bit more
about Shad watch here. This is a great interview of him at the CBC Hip Hop Summit in 2011.
Shad’s last album, TSOL, was released in 2010. You can find more of his music on his Myspace. The latest music from Shad can be heard on his Mixtape released in December 2011. Listen to it here.
He is on tour right now in Canada and will be coming to Toronto on March 22.
One of my favourite Shad song's 'Keep Shining.'
The day I
discovered he collaborated with another one of my favourite Canadian artists,
City and Colour (Dalls Green) was a great day. 'Live Forever' is always on repeat. The mixture between the two genres creates a perfect song. Listen to 'Live Forever' below. I'm hoping there is more of this to come.
A group that has
toured with Shad and other groups such as Bedouin Soundclash is Grand Analog.
They perform all of their instruments live, even the kazoo!
All of their songs are great…they even have one featuring Shad. Listen to 'Electric City' below.
