Shad has long been known as one of Canada’s foremost MC’s. After a five-year hiatus, he’s finally brought back his playful flow and expert lyricism with “The Fool Pt. 1 (Get It Got It Good)”. The track introduces a character at the core of the upcoming record, A Short Story About a War. “The Fool Pt. 1 (Get It Got It Good)” is brimming with Shad’s trademark swagger while uptempo strings play off of slick bass lines; the beat works just as hard as the lyrics to captivate you.
The Fool’s positive attitude is his main weapon as he works his way through a war zone that typifies troubling real-world events (“They keep on killing us, we just keep killing it”). Shad shares some words of wisdom from his mother, who notes that healing won’t come through violence but through bringing down the systems that impose struggles upon us. This knowledge shields The Fool and provides him with a tangible vision to work towards. He exudes a righteous spirituality believing in the power of family, peace, and a higher purpose.
The big question Shad is trying to pose to his listeners is “What are you afraid of?” By embracing fear, rechanneling its inherent negative energy, and celebrating humanity in spite of it, “The Fool Pt. 1 (Get It Got It Good)” projects an unreserved joy and fearlessness to speak the truth. Shad’s timely return to music is a welcome respite in these dark times chock-full of bad news and negativity. Near the beginning of his comeback single, Shad emphatically states “Damn, it feels good to be back.” Given the positivity of The Fool’s message and urgency of the music, it’s hard not to agree.
