Author: Kevin Bourne

In our April digital cover story, SHIFTER’s Kevin Bourne talks to content creator and actor, O’Neil Thomas, about his passion for content creation, acting, fashion, mental health. and more. This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. Kevin Bourne: I have a lot of questions. Obviously, there’s a lot of accomplishments. I want to go back though. I was reading your bio, the fact that family is so big for you. Let’s talk about your upbringing and how your family has contributed to where you are right now with your success. O’Neil Thomas: So my parents, they’re Jamaican. They…

Amina returns from her trip to Baltimore, Beverly enjoys being #1, and Cassius receives an unexpected guest. Here’s our All American Season 7 Episode 10 recap. All American returns after a one week hiatus, and it was worth the wait. The storytelling on this episode was excellent. We get to see tension between Cassius and KJ as he sees a side of his father that he’s never seen before. Amina returns from visiting her grandparents in Baltimore with new information about her mother. We also see more complexity in the relationships between KJ and Tori, and Khalil and Amina. Now,…

Toronto content creator and blogTO video journalist, Taylor Patterson, introduces ICONS, a brand new half-hour satirical workplace comedy. The Toronto media landscape has seen a rise in homegrown comedies as of late. There’s Sasha Leigh-Henry’s Canadian Screen Award-winning comedy Bria Mack Gets A Life, Anthony Q. Farrell’s Shelved, as well as Jasmeet Raina’s Late Bloomer and Jae and Trey Richard’s Office Movers, both of which were renewed for second seasons. Now, there’s a new comedy entering the chat. ICONS is a half-hour satirical workplace comedy from local content creator and blogTO video journalist, Taylor Patterson. The series is set around a…

Toronto has produced a fair share of comedic talent over the years. Among the new crop of Toronto comedians is Scarborough native and 2025 #BlackTikTok Voices To Watch honoree, Hassan Phills. Going back to the 1970’s, Toronto has produced some of the most talented comedians in the world. The first wave started with the launch of the Toronto branch of the Chicago-based Second City. Their Toronto theatre and training centre would be a launch pad for big names like John Candy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Dave Thomas, and future Saturday Night Live stars Dan Aykroyd and Gilda Radner. Then another wave…

Hollywood film producers, Carlota Espinosa and Keri Selig, talk to SHIFTER about working with Tyler Perry to bring their labor of love, The Six Triple Eight. to the big screen. “When I first read the soon to be published article about the Six Triple Eight, it was unfathomable to me that such a remarkable story, filled with courage and resilience, had remained in the shadows.” -Carlota Espinosa After Barbie and Oppenheimer went head-to-head in 2024, this year marked another highly competitive awards season with Anora, Conclave, The Substance, The Brutalist, and Emilia Pérez competing in many categories. But one of…

Daniel Ezra and Da’Vinchi make their return as the guys spend a boys night out.. Here’s our All American Season 7 Episode 9 recap. This is the moment All American fans have been waiting for—the return of Daniel Ezra, both an actor and director. Daniel Ezra didn’t return alone. He brought Da’Vinchi (Darnell) with him. This episode features a lot of Spelivia mentions and throwbacks. But Spencer isn’t the only one taking a trip down memory lane as Coop spends the episode looking back at her past mistakes, including the night Amina’s mother, Mo died. We also see some tension…

Homecoming is in the air, Amina wants answers, and Cassius wants the smoke. Here’s our All American Season 7 Episode 8 recap. We’re eight episodes into Season 7, so there’s no better time to assess how the season has been going so far. I have to say that since the Season 7 premiere, the new generation of All American has grown on me. A lot. I had my doubts if I’m being honest, but I’m happy to say I was wrong. This show is good; really good. The writers are doing a pretty good job. Next episode marks the return…

Coop and Patience have some decisions to make after being approved for their dream apartment and Amina celebrates a big win.. Here’s our All American Season 7 Episode 7 recap. The OG All American vibes continue as Coop and Patience are approved for their dream apartment. Meanwhile, the new storylines continue to mirror the OG storylines. The challenge for the producers and writers will be how to make the show feel familiar without making it predictable for viewers. So far, they’ve done a good job of making the story compelling (and messy) enough to make some viewers watch week after…

SHIFTER editor, Kevin Bourne, calls Ron Dias and Joanne Jansen’s latest “a groundbreaking moment in Toronto and Canadian cinema” in his Morningside film review. Toronto has long been a major player in the international film industry as the home of the Toronto International Film Festival and as a location where major films studios choose to shoot big budget feature films, often doubling as New York City. Still, two things which have alluded Toronto are feature films made by Toronto filmmakers which have garnered attention outside of the city, and films set in Toronto. Fortunately, this is changing with films like…

In this one-on-one interview, SHIFTER’s Kevin Bourne talks to rising actor, Alexis Chikaeze, about her Nigerian roots, how she got into acting, and her breakout role as Amina on CW’s All American, and more.  This interview has been edited for clarity. Kevin Bourne: Now you’re from Texas—Dallas, Texas. Nigerian background. What did that instill in you, growing up in a Nigerian home? Alexis Chikaeze: I think it was simply the push to work hard; the push to follow your dreams, follow your passions; the push to never give up in the face of adversity, and to simply cherish this life…

Two OG cast member return and Jordan’s investigation hits a bump in the road. Here’s our All American Season 7 Episode 6 recap. This episode is a bit nostalgic with the return of two OG cast members. You probably know who they are by now, but in case you haven’t heard, we won’t ruin it for you just yet. We also see the storylines from the OG series repeating themselves in this episode. Now, let’s take a closer look at what went down on All American Season 7 Episode 6. Jordan’s investigation Jordayla has returned from Napa after looking into…

In his Peterson album review, Kevin Bourne says Tory Lanez’s latest project is among his best and most personal, albums yet. When Tory Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in prison, we were forced to think about what a decade without his music would be like. He was in the middle of enjoying his newfound independence as an artist. He was exploring new ways selling music. With Lanez behind bars, it was a big “What if?” If he hadn’t gone to prison, what heights would he have reached in the industry? What boundaries and new ground would he have broken…