Author: Kevin Bourne

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…

Now that the dust has settled on the NBA G League season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s time to take a look at one of the top Canadians in the league—Ottawa’s Marial Shayok. Shayok was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 54th overall pick in the second round becoming the first ever player from Ottawa, Canada to be drafted by an NBA team. Four years earlier, Aylmer, Quebec’s Olivier Hanlan became the first player from the National Capital Region to be drafted by an NBA team when he was drafted by the Utah Jazz 42nd overall in the…

SHIFTER presents its first annual Outstanding Black Men in Canada list featuring men having an impact at home, at work, and in the community. SHIFTER is proud to reveal our first annual Outstanding Black Men in Canada list for 2020. This new annual feature was inspired by the murders of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Toronto rapper Houdini, as well as the many Canadian men who took to TV, radio and social media to be vulnerable with their emotions. We wanted to do our part in changing the narrative surrounding Black men in Canada, telling the stories of Black men…

As Canada continues the discussion on diversity, especially surrounding the Black community, the discussion is starting on a new front― the fashion industry. Long-time shoe designer and fashion industry vet, George Sully, recently announced the launch of Black Designers of Canada, the first-ever interactive index of Canadian Black designers. The Sully Wong and House of Hayla co-founder, known more recently for being the designer of Starfleet Boot for CBS’s STAR TREK Discovery, launched the new platform to celebrate and increase visibility for Black designers, who often go unnoticed in the Canadian fashion landscape. “I wanted to create a platform where…

It’s that time again! SHIFTER’s Canadian Music Video Roundup for May includes videos from Lia Kloud, Dip Black, NAV, Roy Woods, Tory Lanez, FTG TwoTone, FTG Reggie, Zach Zoya, and more! Once again, we ask you (the fans) to vote for our Video of the Month. Check out the videos below in order of release date, then help us crown the top video in the country for May. Special shout out to our sponsor Greg Campbell – Blue Panda Realty. Last month you voted for “Puff Daddy” by Y.S.R  feat. Blizz and WildNation as your video of the month. Video of the Month (April) -…

Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to share different opinions in public, whether on our website or on social media; most of them controversial. From a young age my father taught me about the importance of speaking my mind. As a child I saw him speak up when no one else wanted to speak up, whether at church, at work, or at the mall. I saw him say things other people were thinking but were afraid to say. As I’ve grown into a man, he’s the person who has shaped me the most out of anybody. He…

SHIFTER’s Artist of the Month for June is none other than Romeyo Wilson. The 26 year-old Toronto-born and Brampton raised artist realized his passion for R&B music at only 12 years of age. In 2007, Romeyo recorded his first song which sparked his growing fanbase throughout his hometown. By 2016, Wilson released eight music videos that year alone, which bolstered anticipation for his first EP, 7/30. and eventually his first album, Angela Vibes. Following these successful projects, Romeyo headlined his first official concert which sold-out at Lee’s Palace in Toronto. Romeyo Wilson, in collaboration with Fame Holiday and Monte Biggz…

Toronto has Kiana ‘rookz’ Eastmond’s Sandbox Studios and Canadian R&B superstar The Weeknd’s HXOUSE. Well, almost two years later, the nation’s capital now has a creative space of its own. On the heals of a Wu-tang Clan COVID-19 fundraiser in partnership with the Ottawa Mission, Ottawa Food Bank, and the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, and a recent meeting between local hip-hop leaders and mayor Jim Watson, hip-hop artist City Fidelia has opened the Real House of Ensemble, a membership-based studio and creative space for recording artists and creatives. The opening of the Byward Market-based office and studio is the…

Sitting here watching a documentary on The Underground Railroad, it’s interesting to see how many white people, including Christians and preachers, literally risked their lives so Black people could be free. Some of them picking up their families and moving to the hotbeds of slavery to be right on the front lines. It’s also interesting to see how proud their descendants are that their ancestors were on the right side of history. Great great grandchildren, eyes of full of pride, telling stories about how their forefathers and mothers were “conductors” for Black people wanting to make it to the free…