Start Anew

Description

Shad has long been one of Canada’s most thoughtful and consistent hip-hop voices, balancing sharp lyricism with sincerity, wit and heart. On his seventh album Start Anew, he tackles the emotional and societal barriers that keep us from growth, exploring how real change often lies just beyond fear or loss.

A natural continuation of a socially conscious trilogy begun with 2018’s A Story About A War and 2021’s TAO, Start Anew draws from Shad’s own multi-faceted journey — from award-winning rapper to TV and radio host to university professor. The record blends soulful, easygoing production with his trademark insight, delivering reflections on inequality, perseverance, and joy with clarity and warmth.

Guests include Toronto talents Jon Kabongo, Raz Fresco and Phoenix Pagliacci, alongside Chantae Cann(Atlanta) and Homeboy Sandman (Queens). Tracks like ‘Happiness’, ‘K.I.S.S.’ and ‘Bars and BBQs’ showcase Shad’s ability to wrap complex ideas in accessible, engaging rhymes. Both musically inviting and thematically bold, Start Anew finds Shad doing what he does best: spreading love and wisdom through deeply personal, socially aware hip-hop.