Maybe it’s just that we Americans have been so starved for good news this year that the wave of left-of-Democratic figures gaining traction places like NYC and Minneapolis has begun to feel like a revolution, the hard-reset button many of us have been begging for since the first Trump era revealed just how inadequate the resistance party was. Ever the optimist, Toronto-based emcee Shad leans into this sense of eagerness to rebuild on his first new album since 2021’s TAO.
Once again proving he’s one step ahead of his peers, the rapper’s latest project Start Anew focuses on the cycle of life, death, and, most importantly, rebirth on these 13 songs that attest to the power of community in their lyrics, as well as by simply featuring a massive list of guest rappers and musicians—some of whom Shad is working with for the first time, others he met nearly 20 years ago when he was first getting his start. The new album’s title doesn’t necessarily apply to Shad’s approach here; instead, you can hear him building upon two decades of experience as an always-verbose rapper as well as displaying the impressively wide variety of beats he’s grown to feel comfortable rhyming over.
Given the importance of its subject matter and the laundry list of individuals who helped Shad set these songs to tape, we asked the rapper to elaborate on both facets of the release as he breaks Start Anew down track by track. Stream the album in full below, and read on for his commentary.
1. “Intro”
This song really sums up what was on my mind as I was making Start Anew. It’s about the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. The lyrics describe how this cycle plays out in our bodies and in nature, but also in all our man-made institutions and systems. The lyrics describe the challenge for us as we live through these cycles. The challenge of confronting mortality is evergreen, but also feels timely in this period of late-stage capitalism, climate crisis, and other rapidly shifting realities. The beat was produced by John Smythe from New Jersey, who’s worked with Anderson .Paak and others. Very talented guitarist and producer.
2. “Slanted”
“Slanted” is a song concept I’ve had in my head for a while. It’s about the proverbial “slippery slope” as it plays it out specifically in terms of economic and political power. The image I had in my mind as I was writing this was of a town with a slight, almost imperceptible slope. Where the land appears to be flat or even, but nevertheless things mysteriously flow and accumulate in a certain direction. This felt like an apt metaphor for how advantages and wealth accumulate in the hands of a few despite our supposedly fair, meritocratic system. The chorus plays with this metaphor of even land as a way of describing justice, taken from the Old Testament Book of Isaiah 40:4: “Every valley filled in and every hill made low.”
The beat was produced by Phil Beaudreau—brilliant multi-instrumentalist based in LA. I met him at DJ Jazzy Jeff’s Playlist Retreat in 2019. He’s played, produced, and arranged on many projects including Laylah Hathaway, Phonte, and Justin Bieber. He plays in a progressive jazz group called Catpack with Jacob Mann and Amber Navran of Moonchild.
3. “Happiness”
“Happiness” is about how deep contentment is often just on the other side of loss—loss of ego, giving up old grudges, abandoning old prejudices, etc. The chorus “Happiness is right in front of you” contrasts with many of the lyrics, especially those in the second verse, which are all about this kind of loss or letting go: “Every album I’m trying to die,” etc. This song features jazz/gospel singer Chantae Cann from Atlanta and was produced by my frequent collaborator TLO based on a jam with him playing drums and samples, Max Zipursky on synth bass, and myself on guitar.
4. “Rain”
“Rain” is another song concept I’ve had in mind for a while, but it found a home under the theme of this album. The image I had in mind for this one was of an ocean within me that threatened to drown me unless I let the water out. To my mind, it’s a kind of a simple metaphor for the importance of sharing our creativity rather than keeping it trapped inside. The chorus emphasizes the purpose of the rain, the purpose of our creativity: “Don’t need to reign like a royal, we just need rain on the soil”—meaning it’s not about our aggrandizement, but about nourishing the earth, so to speak. The lyrics go in a few different directions, and the song is generally upbeat and fun, but it always lands with the chorus on that deeper meaning. “Rain” was produced by BIG KILL from Vancouver, who also produced work from my last album, TAO. BIG KILL were formerly 2/3 of prop-pop group We Are the City, whom I toured with back in 2013.
5. “K.I.S.S.”
A fun song and a playful acronym that’s also in line with the album’s theme of embracing the basic realities of life: “Keep it simple, stupid. This is music. Give your two cents. Then keep it moving.” This beat was made by Dom Dias, who’s worked with Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Cartel Madras, Just John, and others. He also produced “Body (No Reason)” from TAO.
6. “Islands”
This song was inspired by a concept a friend introduced me to called “islands of sanity.” The concept refers to communities that model new, alternative ways of being and caring for one another during times of crisis or collapse. These communities are “islands of sanity” in times of chaos. They might not successfully sustain or rebuild the existing, crumbling order, but in the aftermath, it’s these models that survive and predict what will come next. This beat was made by Datsunn from Windsor, Ontario, a producer, drummer, and singer with a strong online presence who recently toured with jazz up-and-comers Carrtoons and Keifer.
7. “Bars and BBQs”
“Bars and BarBBQs” began as a lyrical exercise a couple of summers ago, but turned into a fun and kind of rich concept. The first verse is all playful lyricism, but the second verse adds some layers of meaning—from the positive sides of bars (lyrics) and BBQs (food and community) to the more negative sides of those words: “Sickness in every cell and there’s more addiction / From what’s stored in kitchens to us stored in prisons / That’s bars and BBQs.” The beat was produced by Sndtrk from LA. Sndtrk is known for his innovative sample flips and has produced for Lefty Gunplay, Larry June, Rapsody, Pharoahe Monch, and others.
8. “Discern”
“Discern,” as the name suggests, is about the challenge of choosing wisely as we all navigate the natural cycles of starting, ending, and starting anew. “When to turn, when to remain on the same path.” This beat was made by Theory Hazit, who’s based in Portland, Oregon. He produced “Slow” from TAO, and recently produced a couple of tracks on the latest Rodman album.
9. “Look Pt. 1”
“Look Pt. 1” is about accepting reality—specifically the reality that almost all things come to an end. We live in a society that worships the ideas of eternal youth and of constant growth, even though these things are impossibilities and, in fact, dangerous obsessions. It’s very challenging to face these realities for all of us, so the chorus says, “Sometimes it’s hardest to see what’s in front of your face but look.” This track features Raz Fresco, do-it-all DIY rapper and entrepreneur from Toronto. I performed on his song “Fickle” in 2022, so we reconnected for my album. The beat was produced by Wes Allen—a singer, songwriter, and producer from Toronto who performed bass on and toured Daniel Caeser’s debut album—with drums by The Kount, a popular producer also based in Toronto. The chorus includes a sample from an unreleased soul song that I wrote and recorded.
10. “Look Pt. 2”
“Pt. 2” is the brighter side of “looking.” If “Pt. 1” is about looking at the harder realities of life, “Pt. 2” is about looking at and celebrating the good: our progression, our successes, our survival. The same unreleased song sampled on the chorus of “Pt. 1” was flipped to create this beat. NewSelph from Edmonton created the track from this sample. He also produced “TAO Pt3” from my last album. The song also features a frequent collaborator, Phoenix Pagliacci, who both sings and raps on the track.
11. “Don’t”
This song is meant to be sort of provocative in the idea of telling listeners not to listen to my music in the future, but it’s ultimately about embracing the ephemeral nature of much of life, including music. At the same time, it highlights how genuine inspiration doesn’t die, it’s passed on: “Nothing lasts forever, that’s a damn shame / But if it did, nothing can change.” “Don’t” is based on a sample of another unreleased song of mine. This time, TLO was commissioned to flip the sample. Max Zipursky, my touring keyboardist and someone I’ve recorded with since Flying Colours in 2013, added layers of synths and came up with a slightly different chord structure for the second verse, as well. The song also has background vocals from Phoenix Pagliacci, Grace Marr, and Matthew Sobers.
12. “Sacrifice”
“Sacrifice” also connects to this overarching theme of starting, ending, and starting anew. It’s about how sacrifice is always the cost of achieving something greater, something meaningful. Sacrifice features Homeboy Sandman from Queens. I’ve appeared on a couple of his songs over the years—one in 2016 and another just last year. He’s a staple of the underground, releasing projects independently or through labels like Stones Throw and Mello Music Group. This beat again flips an unreleased song of mine, this time a disco experiment. NewSelph created the beat with James Rostad providing new live bass. I added some acoustic guitar.
13. “Fear of Death”
Like the intro, the last song focuses squarely on the album’s theme of beginning, ending, and starting anew. This song was produced by Ric Notes, whom I’ve worked with on every album I’ve made since The Old Prince in 2007. The track also includes synth bass by Ian Koiter and lead synth lines by Max Zipursky. And the outro is yet another unreleased song that I wrote and recorded a few years ago.
