New York-based rapper, Shah, preaches how security is not synonymous with success, using his life’s own fusion of art and academia to ground the argument. Having graduated from the University of Toronto with a bachelor of commerce and a doctorate in medicine, Shah’s drastic decision to put his craft rather than his credentials into practice has resulted in his debut album, Today, which will be released on November 1. Shah’s ’90s-born, assertive, story-telling lyricism — which he sets to minimalist, ethereal production schemas — reminds modern rap mavericks that a degree shouldn’t be a distraction from riskier, underlying passions.
The Varsity: What was it like, making the radical switch from medicine to music?
Shah: I always stood out in med school because I looked like the guy who didn’t belong there. I would show up to class in my hoodie and my fitted and only be there to write the exam, then watch the rest of the lectures on video from home. The boat came and went for basketball, so rap was all I had left. I don’t think I surprised too many people with my decision to pursue music.
TV: Did you find that your degree distracted you from your passion at all?
S: I did things a little differently. You should never take your passion and make it anything less than your main pursuit. In my case, I wanted to secure all my risks before taking the jump, so I finished my degree at U of T, but music was something I was always obsessed with and best at. If I could do it again, I would have dropped school altogether. I realized I needed to be having fun everyday. There, I had limited options.
TV: When and how did you first realize that rap was the route you had to take in music?
S: I used to rap in high school. I grew up on Nas and Wu-Tang, and the ’90s were definitely their prime. From there, I grew up and started a non-profit organization at U of T, teaching kids how to read and write through rap music, but that only got me closer to the industry. It didn’t put me in it, which is where I both wanted and needed to be. Making the music seemed like my last and only choice.
TV: What is it like being a Canadian rapper trying to make it in New York? Are you responsible for your own production?
S: One thing you’ll find here is that people want to support other people. It’s that culture of bringing up the entire state with a rapper when he goes platinum. I love Toronto, but there’s an issue with dishonesty. That’s why our mixing process especially is so involved. I have a lot of influence over the creation of the beat, but I can’t execute those pieces. I’m like a four-year-old who found a keyboard.
TV: Who made the greatest impact in how you honed your skill?
S: I look up to the big guys: Michaelangelo, Julius Caesar, NASA Space Exploration. I always kept in mind that doing things on a grand level can be done by anybody. Napoleon? Short guy, but he made it happen. They remind me that there’s always a better version of myself, but it’s going to be discovered off the beaten path, not that it’ll stop me. I’m an adventurer, discovery is the theme I’m addicted to.
TV: What are you trying to achieve through your music, having been in the academic stream and now pursuing an art?
S: My music was engineered to appeal to people who want to relax to a sick beat, but without compromising the depth in the lyricism. There’s always that hype that doesn’t require intense analysis, but everything in my work is very intentional. In terms of today, I would say Kendrick Lamar is the closest sound I could compare myself to. Him and his endless love for cyphers, I respect that.
TV: Were there doubts starting out, or have you had that moment that put things into perspective?
S: There was never a moment where I wanted to give up, but there were moments of frustration where I would ask myself why it was taking so fucking long. The reason it’s taken so long is because I’m proudly a perfectionist, and so is my team. You put people from medicine, finance, and fine art together, you get a varied dynamic and great results.
