Listening to Shotgun Driver’s new EP, “Jester Privileges”, is like finding a glitter bomb in a padded cell. The four songs present a disorienting, strangely compelling contradiction. On the surface, the alt-pop framework pulses with an upbeat, almost defiant energy; this is the slick, rock-tinged anxiety of a Machine Gun Kelly track built for open-road brooding. But beneath it, the narrative, carried by those...

The melodic cadence and instrumentation aren't the only abilities that performers in the Canadian rap business bring to the table; they also bring a wealth of other skills. Introducing Daniel Nwosu Jr., better known as Dax, an artist whose journey from Wichita, Kansas, to the worldwide music arena has been marked by a story that is evocative of a cinematic experience. Dax's journey began in Wichita,...