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This is another album I did a more in-depth review of when it first came out, which you can read here.  Not much has changed since then, as this album still sounds fresh when I play it.  Shad delivered more of what we loved on his previous albums while pushing his own boundaries and improving in some aspects.  His rhymes and wordplay are still sharp as ever, his song writing still presents fresh ideas, and his flow has gotten more versatile.  My only issue with this one was the production got a little dull at times, but it’s not a big deal if you’re really tuned-in to Shad’s lyrics.

With Shad releasing one album every three years on average, every album needs to be well balanced to maintain replay value over time and to keep fans hungry for more music.  This album is just as well balanced as any of his previous ones, as we get some personal, introspective tracks, some thought-provoking concepts, some party tracks, and of course “that for-the-love-of-spitting rap“.  One moment Shad could be winning with relatable topics, or even just his friendly everyman personality, then the next moment it could be with a showcase of high-density rhyme patterns and exceptional wordplay.

Overall, this is another addition to an increasingly strong discography, as Shad continues to rise and become one of the all-time greats when it comes to Canadian hip-hop.  Just when you think he can’t top his own work, he’ll come out with something new to add to his arsenal.  There’s also no reason to dislike him either, as his talent speaks for itself and he doesn’t need to say anything controversial to create shock-hype.  Hopefully he doesn’t take another three years to record the next album 🙂

My Joint:

My Grade (based on how well I connected with it, no disrespect if your experience was different): A-

Come back to my blog tomorrow to see which album or mixtape came in at #4 on the countdown!