Shadrach Kabango, more commonly known as Shad, was born in Kenya in 1982 to Rwandan parents, and raised in London, Ontario. Shad has been active in the music scene since 2005, having released six studio albums. In 2005, Shad won $17,500 from the Kitchener radio station 91.5 The Beat’s “Rhythm of the Future” talent competition. The prize money from the competition was used to finance his self-released album “When This Is Over,” which concentrates on social causes such as an examination of the Rwandan Genocide in “I’ll Never Understand.” Shad has been nominated for numerous awards throughout his career, including a 2008 Juno nomination for Rap Recording of the Year for “The Old Prince,” recipient of the 2011 Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year for “TSOL,” and a 2014 Juno nomination for Rap Recording of the year for “Flying Colours.” In 2013, Shad was named the second greatest Canadian rapper of all time by CBC Music, and hosted the docuseries “Hip-Hop Evolution,” featured on both HBO Canada and Netflix.