Canadian rapper Shad on spirituality, profanity and the right for Black people to be average

When Canadian rapper Shad began producing his latest album, he thought about a skit where Chris Rock pokes fun at the idea of Black excellence.

Rock, in his 2008 comedy special, talked about the three Black people who live in his neighborhood — Mary J. Blige, Jay-Z and Eddie Murphy. But the white neighbor next door? He’s a dentist.

“He ain’t the best dentist in the world. He ain’t going to the dental hall of fame. He don’t get plaques for getting rid of plaque. He’s just a yank-your-tooth-out dentist,” Rock said. “See, the Black man gotta fly to get to something the white man could walk to.”

Rock’s joke was the jumping-off point for Shad’s