I've definitely mentioned Shad a number of times, sang the praises of the Polaris Jury for including the Old Prince on the 10 album short list, and complained when Andorra won over it. Not that I necessarily thought that it was the most deserving album, at the time... I suspect you see where I'm going with this...
I'm not sure that I'd quite go as far as arguing that it was the album with the most "artistic merit", although I typically equate artistic merit with weirdness or least conventional, but tOP was definitely creative (e.g. his Fresh Prince parody (725,000 views!) where, of course, he stops the beat halfway through the track). But I think anyone who's going to really try and sell you on Shad, and that he deserved the 2008 Polaris, is going to point to how clever his rhymes are (see the header above), while really saying something about his place in the world.
And to me, its not so much what he says, but how he says it. He's bright, but he understands that he doesn't have all the answers; and he's clever, but seems secure enough that he doesn't need you to laugh or reassure him. Its heartfelt, and just so friggin' catchy.
In short, its climbing my all time list and probably one of my 3-4 favourite rap albums... ever... and if you haven't heard it, stop what you're doing and go pick it up.
[mp3] Shad - Intro/Quest for Glory
[mp3] Shad - Compromise
Shad Freestyle
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