In the eyes of many, self-aggrandizement and hip-hop have become more or less synonymous. Mainstream rap has become bogged down with material excess, as rappers brag about fame and wealth while shying away from any moments of vulnerability that might show a crack in the facade. While Kenya-born/Canada-raised emcee Shadrach Kabango (usually known simply as Shad) has been known to boast about his rap skills, this bravado is always tempered by ironic humour and self-depricating wit. On the 2007 track "The Old Prince Still Lives at Home," Shad makes fun of his own penny-pinching ways, while the new single "Yaa I Get It" dwells on his inability to achieve commercial success.

Shortly before he performed on the Main Stage at the TWSSF, I sat down with the one-of-a-kind rapper in his hotel room in the Whistler village. As he relaxed on his bed with his laptop computer open in front of him, he spilled the beans on his love of Arrested Development (the band, not the TV show), his feelings about Lost (the TV show, not the band) and his plans during the festival.

Alex Hudson: I wanted to start off by saying that "The Old Prince Still Lives at Home" is the only rap song that I've managed to convince my mom is a good song.

Shadrach Kabango: Okay, nice, nice. [Laughing]

AH: So props from me and my mom.

SK: Sweet, sweet. 

AH: You've done some crossovers with bands like Hey Ocean! and Said the Whale. What makes you want to align yourself with the indie rock crowd?

SK: It's not really a conscious decision. They both just approached me to do a song with them, and we're just friends, so it makes sense. Both of those songs were fun to do with them. I lived with [Hey Ocean! bassist] Dave Vertesi for a long time and that's how I got to know the Said the Whale guys and stuff. I mean, it's always fun when you can do something musical with your friends.

AH: Today you're on the same bill as Arrested Development. Were you a fan of them growing up?

SK: Definitely, yeah. So it will be fun to see them play. My DJ [TLO] has an Arrested Development cassette that he's going to get signed, so yeah, we're pretty excited.

AH: How does it feel to be playing alongside a group that has managed to last in the hip-hop game for twenty years?

SK: Very cool. I saw them play in California and it was cool. They have a younger crowed, they have an older crowd that was into them back in the day. And just to see them -- they're really positive people, and it's just good to see people that are still making music and still having fun. Everybody in their crew just introduces themselves and says hi. That's just cool to see, y'know? Because you do hear about some bands that play for a long time, but the bands you do hear about that play for a long time, usually you hear not so nice things about. Kind of how they are with the support and everything.

AH: How did you first hear Arrested Development?

SK: Probably the radio when I was like nine.

AH: You've lived in London [Ontario] for most of your life, but now you're based out here in Vancouver. How's life on the west coast?

SK: Sweet, sweet. It's beautiful here. I like it, I like it out here. I still feel like that part of the world is home, but I also feel sometimes like I'd be pretty stupid to leave here, so I don't know, we'll see what happens.

AH: You have a new album coming out in May. What can fans expect?

SK: I think they can expect much of the same. I tried to do something that was upbeat and fun, but I don't think it will be anything that's too much of a departure from my usual style.

AH: Is the title TSOL a reference to the punk band True Sounds of Liberty?

SK: It isn't, no. I hadn't heard about that band until some people brought that up.

AH: So what's your TSOL? 

SK: A lot of different things. It's 'lost' backwards. True Sounds of Liberty fits as well. It's a lot of different things.

AH: Is 'lost' backwards a reference to the TV show?

SK: No, it's not. I did watch season one and two or something. But I think I got out of it at a certain point. I'll go back and watch them. But that show makes me feel weird.

AH: The finale's in just a few weeks.

SK: Yeah, I know, that's what I hear. So people will ruin it for me I'm sure. But I just can't watch more than three episodes in a row without feeling weird, so I kinda stopped watching it.

AH: Weird, how so?

SK: It's just weird, y'know? All this weird stuff happens and, just, I don't know. It just puts me in a weird mood. I had to stop watching it.

AH: Your new single ["Yaa I Get It"] talks about being broke. You've rapped about that before. It seems to be an issue close to your heart.

SK: [Laughs] It's something I have fun with. That song goes in a lot of different directions, lyrically. But overall, it's just kind of having fun and rocking pretty hard.

AH: It's a bit ironic, given how most rappers focus on the bling and the excesses of the lifestyle.

SK: Yeah. Well, for a lot of them, that's what they have. Not me. 

AH: Are you going to have a chance to kick back at all here at the Ski and Snowboard Festival, or is it all work?

SK: Hopefully I'll get to hang out. We play at like nine tonight. So after our set, get to hang out and come back in the morning. It won't be too bad. I don't ski or snowboard or anything, so I'm not sad that I'm missing any of that. So it should be fun. Just get some pizza and walk around. 

-Alex Hudson