1. Shad
Born in Kenya of Rwandan parents, Shad cut his lyrical chops while growing up in London, ON and funded his first album, “When This Is Over” (2005), with winnings from a rap contest on a Kitchener radio station. His self-deprecating, jaw-droppingly clever lyrics have launched him to the top of the Canadian hip-hop scene. But despite his European tour and the release of his new album, “TSOL,” the rapper has still found time to pursue a master’s in liberal studies at Simon Fraser University.

via Yahoo