Biography

Since being described by Complex as Trap’s Newest Star, Toronto rapper Shah's audience and influence has grown globally. Shah's career was launched in Atlanta by the city's culture defining institutions, including Magic City and DJ Swamp Izzo, who had previously launched the careers of artists such as Gucci Mane, Future, and Migos. Shah's emergence continued to resemble the trail blazed by these Atlanta rap superstars as his local success spurred his popularity in nearby cities like Miami, where Buzzfeed named him one of Art Basel's most influential rappers. 

The summer of 2019 provided Shah's first viral moment, showing the incredulous response of New York City Dominicans to Telemundo, his first record where he raps in Spanish. Telmundo became an internet sensation and Shah was embraced by New York's Latinx community, leading to moments such as performing Telemundo for hundreds of thousands of revellers at New York's annual Dominican Day Parade. Telemundo was his first major success outside of the southeast and demand to see Shah live in concert grew internationally. Later in 2019, Shah completed his first European tour and headlined international music festivals such as Northern Touch in Canada and Live At Heart in Sweden. He also performed at numerous American music festivals, including New York City's Mondo and Atlanta's A3C. 

Shah’s momentum led to him being one of the first artists of any genre to be announced for SXSW 2020, which was to be followed by an 18 city US tour, all of which arose despite the absence of any major label support. While the pandemic ultimately derailed these shows and the majority of his 2020 concerts, this period did allow for him to engage in endeavours that might otherwise not have been possible. Shah, an unwavering feminist and longstanding champion for marginalized people, became a National Surrogate for Bernie Sanders’ 2020 Presidential Campaign. He was recruited as an Ambassador for the voting rights organization Headcount, alongside Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish. Shah's growth also reached beyond music, as he signed on to co-star in Ghostwriter, a television series based on his journey. While Shah has received criticism for not accepting a major label deal and the rapid exposure it can provide, he points to his ability to blaze his own trail, as the reward for remaining independent. 

The most recent development in his rise has been the discovery of Shah by hip hip fans in South Asia. Shah, who is of South Asian heritage, has long desired to more deeply connect with his heritage and his culture. However, as his success was sparked and spurred by Atlanta - where he graced magazine covers and performed for crowds of up to 90000 - Shah has felt compelled as an independent artist to focus his time and resources domestically. This meant it was a welcomed surprise when he began racking up millions of views in India. While Shah has long been considered one of the World's Most Influential Desi Rappers, 2022 marked the first time his impact was being felt directly in South Asia. Shah was recently crowned one of the World's Top 5 Desi Rappers and is embracing his standing as a modern cultural role model for South Asian children today, something he lacked himself while growing up in Toronto. Shah's growing international stardom also marks another step towards him becoming rap's first truly independent global superstar.