On the heels of winning Album of the Year at Faces Magazine’s Ottawa Awards 2020 with his debut spoken word album Thorns and being named one of “Canada’s Most Slept On Artists” by our readers and social media followers at SHIFTER, TheSoulfulPoet is back with “Invisible”, the latest single off his album Live From the Basement. The single features Gatineau, Quebec producer Quest of Dreamland Studios with Dominique Gorley on vocals. The award-winning spoken word artist, songwriter and rapper has a unique style, mixing both elements of hip hop and spoken word to create pieces that are enlightening, inspirational, as well as…
Author: Kevin Bourne
Kevin Bourne
Kevin Bourne is the co-founder and editor of SHIFTER magazine. Born and raised in Toronto, Kevin currently resides in Ottawa with his wife Koliah and their three children. He's a big fan of hip-hop, pop culture, and urbanism and spends most of his time keeping up with the Kardashians.
One of the most iconic scenes in cinematic history is when Cuba Gooding Jr. asks Tom Cruise to repeat that memorable four-word phrase in Jerry Maguire – “Show me the money”. This has been my mood over the past week. Lately, I have been giving much thought to the economic disparity experienced by Black people across North America. While systemic racism in the justice system has been at the forefront of the conversation in recent months, I believe we have understated the importance of economic equity and narrowing the economic gap between Black and white people. As some have noted,…
It’s that time again! SHIFTER’s Canadian Music Video Roundup for June includes videos from Tory Lanez, Dax, Jessie Reyez, Roy Woods, Swagger Rite, Sinzere, Mischa, and more! Before you going any further, we want to explain why we do these roundups every month. In Canada, many artists still feel like they have to move to the United States to make it. One of the knocks on Canada is that we don’t celebrate, acknowledge and become fans of our artists until they make it elsewhere. At SHIFTER, we want to do our part to change that. We’re fans of Canadian music and…
On the heels of artists, including Jessie Reyez, calling for more Black staff and upper management at Canadian record labels, a new movement to applify the voices of Black music industry professionals in Canada is born. ADVANCE is a Toronto-based non-profit that “aims to provide a unified voice for Black people working in the Canadian music industry”. In a statement released yesterday on the group’s Twitter account they stated that they will “lead the change for real, tangible Black advancement and reform in the music business landscape and infrastructure in corporate, private and government sectors”. Branded as “Canada’s Black music…
Former NFL MVP Cam Newton has taken his talents to New England in hopes of continuing in the footsteps of arguably the greatest player to ever throw a pigskin. With the love affair between Brady and Belichick done and over with, Newton is primed for a breakout season and the world has taken notice. The question that’s on everyone’s mind is, “Can superman fly again?” Belichick and the system With a new regime under construction in New England, Belichick is the perfect coach to help Newton resuscitate his career. If history has taught us anything, it’s that Belichick knows how…
After teasing us for months with his quarantine-inspired DAYZZ OFF video series, Montreal rapper Zach Zoya has released his long-awaited single “Slurpee”, the first release off of his upcoming EP Spectrum set to be released later this year. While DAYZZ OFF gave us a glimpse at Zach Zoya the skilled rapper and emcee, “Slurpee” introduces us to Zach Zoya the budding, charismatic hip-hop star. The visuals, directed by fellow Montreal native GED, are a dark and quirky, yet comedic and high energy display of Zoya’s full range of talent. The video opens with Zoya showing off some of his comedic…
SHIFTER’s Artist of the Month for July is Asuquomo, the musical project of the Canadian multidisciplinary artist, Morris Ogbowu. Since immigrating to Ottawa in 2012, he began his career releasing music from 2014 to 2018 under his birth name, followed by a rebirth in 2019, under the name Asuquomo. The Nigerian-born singer-songwriter has drawn inspiration from an interdisciplinary background in the arts. His 2018 LP, This That Mo, was the recipient of the Rick and Brune Sinneave Artist Award at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Asuquomo maintains an unmistakable and unique dexterity in both visual and auditory storytelling. The…
This Canada Day was rough. In recent years, especially since Canada 150, there’s been an increased awareness when it comes to the experience of Indigenous people in Canada. For most Indigenous people, Canada Day and Canada on a whole are sources of anger and pain, and rightfully so. Canada was created at the expense of Indigenous people; they lost their land, language, culture and identity in the forming of this country. At the same time, I’m a first generation Canadian born to immigrant parents who moved to Canada from the island of Barbados in 1975 with $500 Barbadian dollars to…
On the heals of releasing “Hopscotch”, his recent single featuring Toronto rapper Lil Berete, Ottawa-based hip-hop and R&B artist JAIoftheRise recently dropped his latest single and video for “AMIRI”. Produced by Chris Rich, the single depicts the adaption needed for survival. With his gritty drill sound, and dark production elements, this track illustrates the need to persevere throughout all adversities. Both the message and sound were inspired by the late Pop Smoke who he opened for earlier this year in Waterbury, Connecticut. “I wrote this song thinking about what he told me in our brief convo. ‘Never let any adversity…
Indigenous Lives Matter is a four-part article series featuring Métis, First Nations and Inuit writers talking about the Indigenous experience in Canada. I am an Indigenous woman, an activist, a Land Defender, a Water Protector and some would say, “Eco-Terrorist.” Recent headlines have shone a bright light on racism and the troubled relationship between Canada and its Indigenous people. Having spent almost five decades on the front lines of an Indigenous revolution, I have had a front seat witnessing white privilege, racism and oppression which often is embedded in Canada’s Indigenous policy, child welfare, and socio-economic practices. I’m a Sixties…
Major world events like the Vietnam War have given us iconic protest music, communicating the emotion and angst of a generation. Here are eight Black Lives Matter/George Floyd inspired songs to get you through. Major world events like the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement have given us some of the most memorable songs in music. There’s something about a world altering event that inspires our artists to create and the murder of George Floyd and the growing awareness surrounding anti-Black racism is no different. Here are eight Black Lives Matter/George Floyd inspired songs to get you through. TOBi…
Numbers don’t lie. Poverty and incarceration rates are growing rapidly within Indigenous communities – Jesse Mousseau To be Canadian is to be open minded, fearless and kindhearted. Yet, we tend to be narrow-minded, fearful and ruthless when it comes to how we view and treat Indigenous peoples. We say we are willing to stand up and fight for others, yet seldom do we keep our oath. Nelson Mandela once said, “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn…
