Flying Colours 
Shad
Released by Black Box
In an age where recycled beats and financially obsessed MC’s are increasingly characteristic of popular rap music, a Canadian rapper is providing the genre with a much-needed breath of fresh air with each release.
Shad, an MC hailing from London, Ont., released his fourth album Flying Colours in late October.
Receiving praise for his humourous yet socially-conscious lyrics and his creative instrumentation, Shad’s 2010 album TSOL famously beat out Drake’s Thank Me Later for Best Rap Album at the Juno Awards of 2011.
The follow up to TSOL, Flying Colours boasts appearances from well-established Canadian artists such as k-os, Lights, and Broken Social Scene’s Lisa Lobsinger.
After only a few seconds into Flying Colours, it very quickly becomes apparent that the album is capable of following in the critically-acclaimed footsteps of its predecessor.
Backed by a powerful string section on the opening track, Shad wastes no time in setting the tone of the album by boldly comparing himself to Jay-Z before laying down a few tenacious stanzas of poetic flurry.
The musical versatility demonstrated by the London product on Flying Colours certainly justifies this risky assertion. John Legend-style piano riffs sparkle on the tracks “He Say She Say” and “Dreams” while rock-like drum symbols dominate the emotional “Progress (Part 1 American Pie, Part 2 The Future is Here)” and the euphoric “Epilogue: Long Jawn.”
For a rap album, Flying Colours features a uniquely large number of original compositions, however, Shad stays true to his hip-hop roots by working in old school-style samples on the tracks “Grace (Interlude)” and “Thank You.”
A particular musical and lyrical highlight of the album is the especially colourful track “Stylin” which is driven by a fuzzy guitar riff and Shad’s masterful poetry.
The energetic track features some of Shad’s wittiest raps yet, as he litters the track with countless alliterations and clever acronyms, all while joking around in his trademark style.
Although the rapper manages to keep most of his songs positive and upbeat, Shad’s social awareness is at the lyrical core of Flying Colours. Most notably, he addresses the issues of immigration and the affairs of First Nations on the politically-charged “Fam Jam (Fe Sum Immigrins)” and critically discusses issues such as homelessness and gang violence on the eight-minute epic “Progress.”
The aptly-named album provides an entire spectrum of both musical and lyrical content. Flying Colours features some of Shad’s hardest-hitting lyrics and his most ambitious musical compositions.
Traditional rap fans might criticize Shad’s lyrical fixation on human rights and the accessibility of his songs, however, his undeniable compositional and poetic talents make it hard for any music fan to regard Flying Colours as anything less than brilliant.
The Canadian product is certainly representing his country well, and many of his colleagues could certainly benefit from an extended listen of Flying Colours.
