Shad Exiting As Host Of CBC Radio’s q
The rapper hosts his final show on Tuesday.
Shad will soon leave q, the daily CBC Radio arts and culture program, he has hosted since April 2015. The rapper was a high-profile replacement for the program's former long-term host Jian Ghomeshi, who was fired by the CBC following the emergence of sexual assault allegations. Shad's final show will air this Tuesday, when he'll be replaced by longtime CBC Radio 2 host Tom Power.
CBC also reported that Shad's tenure from June 2015 was marked by a significant drop in listenership, as well as public criticism of his interviewing style and the show's general direction.
The Polaris Prize-nominated rapper was q's first host since the firing of Ghomeshi, who was acquitted in one trial with three defendants, while another case was dropped when Ghomeshi signed a peace bond and publicly apologized.
Shad, who recently released a soft-pop album under the alias Your Boy Tony Braxton, shared a statement on Facebook today. He thanked listeners and his crew, called his time at q "an honour and a JOY," and mentioned that a new show could be on the way: