Interview: Shad Talks Hosting CBC’s Q, Internet Controversy, and New Music

By: Curtis Sindrey –

Toronto rapper Shad, the new host of CBC’s Q.

Shadows loom over CBC Radio’s arts and culture show ‘Q’, but this week the flagship production announced their new full-time host – JUNO Award-winning rapper Shad, promising a fresh voice behind the microphone.

In our new interview with the 33-year-old hip-hop artist, Shad candidly discusses his thoughts on Q’s role in Canadian culture, the process that brought him to the helm of ‘Q’, and the impact that his new role will have on his music.

What went through your mind when CBC chose you to host ‘Q’?

The first thought that crossed my mind was “okay, I think my life is going to change.” A big change. Moving not just to a new job, but also moving from Vancouver to Toronto.

How did you prepare for your guest host role?

They don’t have a three-week training program for that sort of thing, so I just came in and observed, and the team is super supportive, but it was super quick, and I just had to hop in there and try to learn by doing and have fun in the process.

What were the most important lessons you learned while guest hosting?

There were so many! It was difficult to process it afterwards. I learned so much about storytelling, what to listen for, and try to drill down into in conversation. I also learned how to approach guests and to be not just interested in them, but to find something I really like about them, and to just get over myself, any of my own fears, and any defences I put up, and try to like the guest first.

There was something of a manufactured controversy on social media about supposed slang you were using on the show. What did you learn about controversy and outrage on social media?

I don’t know if there’s any hope for discourse on the Internet. The show is about culture, and that brought out an interesting conversation online and hopefully offline too where discourse is more civil, but it’s an important conversation to have, but I’m not much of a social media guy for precisely that reason.

How would you describe ‘Q’s role in Canadian culture?

‘Q’ is such an important show and I think that’s why the [Jian Ghomeshi] controversy reached the height that it did because people care about this show, and it matters to their lives.

Shad’s newest album, Flying Colours, was a shortlisted nominee for the 2014 Polaris Music Prize.

As an artist who’s done a great deal of press over your career, what are your biggest challenges now that you’re reversing roles?

It’s learning a new job. And learning to be present everyday and to have the space within myself to receive these really interesting, important, and personal stories, and to meet the guests with my full self.

What kind of effect will your hosting duties have on recording, touring, songwriting, etc?

I think I’m going to sleep a lot less. But the CBC fortunately are really generous and want me to continue to have a music career and were very prepared to accommodate that so it’s just nice to start on the same page as far as that’s concerned, and I think that they wanted a host that is working in the arts, and not just with a background in it, but also continually going forward.

Are you working on a Flying Colours follow-up? How’s that going?

Not yet. Not seriously yet. I’m not deep into the process yet, but I’m always writing and always thinking about what might be next, and what I have to say.

You’re playing Massey Hall on March 27. What does playing at that venue represent to Canadian musicians? What does playing there represent to you?

It’s a cool series they’re doing to get some newer acts in there, and kudos to them for doing that, and trying to get new audiences into that room, and it’s a special moment in my career for sure.

You’re a free agent insofar as your music is concerned. What are the key qualities you’re looking for in your next label?

I don’t know yet. I had a great time working with Black Box, and we made three albums together, and we’re both proud of that relationship, and going forward it will depend on the music, and that’s why I haven’t signed with anyone at this point because I don’t know where the music is going yet in terms of where I want to go next with my music.

‘Q’ is largely about music and popular culture, but it’s much more than that. What topics and themes are you hoping to shed more light on as host?

The mandate of the show is going to stay the same in terms of being a show about the human condition, and obviously arts and culture, but mainly the human condition and values, and I don’t think that’s going to change because that’s a big part as to why I’m attracted to the job, and inspired by the work, because it’s bringing out stories that show those things and about the times we live in, and they show excellence in arts and culture, and they continually bring in guests that are excellent at their craft, and also the things that art has to show us like truth and beauty and goodness, stories that are underrepresented that aren’t heard as much as they need to be, Canadian talent that deserves a platform, all those things I’m really excited to showcase, and I’m really inspired by that mandate.

What would you consider to be some under-the-radar issues?

The first to come to mind would be First Nations rights and dignity, and the rest of Canada’s relationship with that, and all of that hopefully through the lens of art and culture, we can do our part to shed light on that issue, which I think is the most important in Canada now.

Who are some of your dream guests?

It all comes back to the mandate of whoever has the most compelling insight into the human condition, and the times we live in, whoever is excellent at what they do, all through that lens. The first people who come to mind are comedians. For some reason, comedy is striking a chord with people and the best comedians like Louis CK, I think they have something unique to offer, certainly in their work.

What does ‘Q’ represent to you as a Canadian?

It’s a show that you can be proud of in terms of its excellence, because it’s one of the best cultural affairs shows going, not just in Canada, but period. I think that it’s something to be proud of, and since the previous host’s departure, the show has continued to be excellent, and has actually grown in its listenership, so I think that’s something to be proud of especially with the team behind the show, who have made something that Canadians can be proud of. It also carves this nice balance between shining a light on Canadian talent, and bigger, broader conversations around art and culture that extends beyond these borders.

Buy tickets to Shad’s March 27th Massey Hall concert here, and buy tickets to his debut on CBC’s ‘Q’ here.