In his Maid of Honour album review, SHIFTER’s Kevin Bourne says despite a few bright spots, “less would’ve definitely been more.” Last night, Drake surprised fans and the hip-hop world by dropping not one but three albums in one night. While some are impressed by this level of output, others have concluded the three album release is his way of getting out of his current record deal with Universal Music Group. That was my initial reaction. Let me preface this by saying that I’m a big Drake fan. I wouldn’t be too far off to call me a Drake Stan.…
Author: Kevin Bourne
Kevin Bourne
Kevin Bourne is a Toronto-based host/on-air personality, arts & entertainment journalist, TV/film producer, and communications and content strategist. As a commentator and freelancer, he has appeared nationally as a correspondent on CBC News Network and host on CBC Music. He has also appeared locally on CTV, CBC Radio, CityNews, Newstalk 1010, and ByBlacks.com, and in the United States on Fox’s Black digital TV network, Fox Soul. He has covered some of Canada’s top red-carpet events, including the Toronto International Film Festival, and has interviewed everyone from Kevin Hart and "Fast and the Furious" star Tyrese Gibson to Ziggy Marley, Ava DuVernay, Dascha Polanco, Lilly Singh, and Howie Mandel. His years of work as an entertainment journalist led to him being named a Golden Globe® Awards voter and Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-Approved critic and being quoted as a critic in national ad campaigns for Black films and TV shows, both in Canada and the United States. Pivoting into the world of film and television, Kevin co-founded the film, TV, digital content, and live experiences company, SHIFTER Entertainment, alongside his wife and business partner, Koliah. Through SHIFTER he has produced a number of projects, including the Bell Fibe TV1 unscripted reality series A Date In The Life, serving as showrunner, executive producer, writer and co-director. Now, with a number of pilot and feature film scripts written and projects in development, KB is poised to continue to be a champion for Black entertainment and culture alongside his wife and business partner, Koliah.
In his Iceman album review, Kevin Bourne says the album proves once and for all that Drake is among the best lyricists to ever do it, The time has come. After months of waiting, Iceman is finally here. Drake set the tone with a partly pre-taped and partly live stream on Toronto 24-hour news channel CP24’s YouTube channel. The stream was a moment of pride for those of us from Toronto as the city was front and center as the world tuned in. After Drake kinda turned the CN Tower to ice and treated fans to a live fireworks show…
In his Is God Is movie review, Kevin Bourne says that the film “pulls no punches” and is “twisted and unapologetically Black”. Based on an award-winning play of the same name, Is God Is tells the story of twin sisters who go on a mission to find and seek revenge on their father (Sterling K. Brown) at the behest of their emotionally and physically scarred mother (Vivica A. Fox) as she lies on her death bed. Racine (The Rough One) can be seen as Malcolm X to Anaia (The Quiet One)’s Martin Luther King Jr. as the two take two…
After a life threatening airplane accident and finding God, Dave Jonsson is now serving the world through inspiration, community and skateboarding. “Leadership is what you’re able to do without your presence being there.” -Dave Jonsson I recently braved a snowy evening in Toronto to serve as a judge for the February edition of Speaker Slam, North America’s largest inspirational public speaking competition. Themed “Against All Odds”, the night saw a number of speakers, who traveled from as far as Baltimore and California compete for a spot in the Speaker Slam finals in November. The winner for the night was Dan…
After receiving CTA approval in June 2025, the official launch dates for Porter Airlines flights to Jamaica have been announced. Canada’s Porter Airlines have been aggressive in their international expansion since moving into Toronto Pearson International Airport and adding the Embraer E195-E2 aircraft to its fleet. One of the destinations high on their radar is the Caribbean market. They have received Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) approval to fly to a number of Caribbean countries with air services having started to the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands last December. Now, Porter is introducing service to another premiere Caribbean destination. After receiving…
In his The Devil Wears Prada 2 review, SHIFTER’s Kevin Bourne calls it “a sequel done right” as Miranda Priestly and company grow and evolve. It might sound like a reach to say that a film in the most highly anticipated sequel in recent memory, but The Devil Wears Prada 2 is exactly that. Twenty years after the release of the first film, it still has a big cult following of cerulean blue wearing fashionistas living vicariously through Andy Sachs’ almost rags to riches come-up. The Devil Wears Prada is one of those films that although you want a sequel, you…
Grammy-nominated multidisciplinary artist Sean Leon invite fans into his immersive world, God’s Algorithm, with stops in Tokyo and Seoul. “At its core, the project explores authorship and identity inside algorithmic systems — building something people can step into, not just consume” – Sean Leon The Toronto area has produced its fair share of musical superstars over the past decade, with names Drake, The Weeknd, Jessie Reyez, and Justin Bieber. One of the names that is often forgotten and overlooked is Sean Leon, the Grammy-nominated multidisciplinary artist whose songwriting credits include collaborations with Ye (formerly Kanye West), including Jesus Is King, Donda,…
In his Michael movie review, SHIFTER’s Kevin Bourne says that while the performances and casting are good, the film falls a bit flat. In recent years, we’ve been treated to a buffet of biopics about the biggest names in sports and entertainment—Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Amy Winehouse, Queen, Chrissy Martin, and Mark Kerr. But none of these films were as highly anticipated as Michael, the film about the life and career of Michael Jackson, the most popular solo artist of all time, who left fans all over the world crying and passing out almost at will. Now, the early trailers…
Afia Agyeman is a mother, wife, makeup artist, and the founder of the Toronto-based cosmetics company Afia Beauty Cosmetics. In this SHIFTER Boss profile, SHIFTER editor-in-chief Kevin Bourne speaks to the Ghanaian-Canada founder about her journey as a beauty and cosmetics entrepreneur. “I am a mother of two, and that role shapes how I approach everything I do….I understand the value of products that help women feel confident in the time they take for themselves.” -Afia Agyeman Kevin Bourne: In a few words, tell us what you do. Afia Agyeman: I build beauty experiences through intensely pigmented, quality-driven cosmetics that…
In his Being Gordon Ramsay review, SHIFTER’s Kevin Bourne says this is Gordon Ramsay as we’ve never seen before. From Beckham and Victoria Beckham to Being Eddie and Martha, Netflix has been on a roll with their celebrity documentaries and docuseries. Now, Netflix is looking to do it again with their latest series Being Gordon Ramsay. Ramsay rose to international fame, becoming arguably the most famous chef in the world, through his f-bomb laden tirades, prickly personality, and talents in the kitchen. Over the past 25+ years, Ramsay has built an impressive television empire, including Masterchef and Kitchen Nightmares, which…
SHIFTER’s Kevin Bourne praises Fitch Jean’s feature length directorial debit It Comes In Waves for its directing, cinematography, and award-worthy performances. Awards season is still in full effect, with the Critics Choice and Golden Globe awards in the rear view mirror and the Oscars coming up in March. One awards ceremony which usually falls under the radar in the United States is the Canadian Screen Awards, Canada’s highest awards for film and television. Think the Oscars meets the Emmys. The United States and other international markets might ask they should care. It’s because Canada is having a moment right now…
In his Relationship Goals film review, Kevin Bourne says despite its faults, Kelly Rowland and Method Man make it an enjoyable and entertaining watch. If you’re a fan of Black movies, one of the anticipated films is Relationship Goals starring Kelly Rowland and Clifford “Method Man” Smith. Produced by DeVon Franklin and executive produced by Kelly Rowland, Bart Lipton, and Tulsa Oklahoma pastor Michael Todd, Relationship Goals tells the story of Leah Caldwell (Rowland), a TV producer who is vying for her dream job as a morning show showrunner. The only thing standing in her way is her former flame and…
