Author: Kevin Bourne

September 1, 2019 marked the end of an era. After a long, 20-year run, the Gospel Skates, an ongoing series of roller skating events held at Scooters Roller Palace in Mississauga, Ontario, just outside of Toronto, has come to an end after a business decision by the host venue. While there were other Gospel skate events in the Greater Toronto Area over the years, the skates at Scooters were the longest running (and perhaps the most impactful). They were started 20 years ago by local radio personalities who saw the demand for the event, and were carried on by Warren Hamilton,…

Charles finally noticed I was hungry. He said, “You should come and have a taste of some fresh bites steaming out of the oven; some hot plates by some of the most talented people in the city”. “Hmmm…Steam? Ovens? Heat? Fresh bites? Yasssss! I’m in!”, I said in heavenly delight.  We love Toronto. It’s a real vibe out here. There’s “truly something special” about the Six, as the 1998 Tamia track suggests. Personally, I think it’s our cultural diversity that makes the city special. As Torontonians, we love to feast on roti, scones, rolls, injera, baguette, tapioca, dumplings, pita, biscuit,…

This week, Houston’s very own, Travis Scott, dropped his much anticipated Netflix documentary “Look Mom I Can Fly”. Trailers were posted online prior to the release, but they really didn’t do the film justice. What we’ve been given is the most intimate look at the life and career of one of hip-hop’s leading artists; the privilege of being a fly on the wall during the best run in hip-hop in 2018. The film opens with an interview on a roller coaster; a fitting intro given the Astroworld concept for his latest project. In fact, Astroworld, which SHIFTER crowned its album of…

During March of this year, Hamilton Tiger-Cat linebacker Justin Tuggle and former teammate Terrance Plummer II released their first pair of singles, “Where the Cash at”, and “Dried Tears”. Twenty-three days later, the duo dropped “Thin Air”, and on May 15, 2019, the CFL defenders released their first album titled “Life on Beats” featuring 14 songs. Fellow CFL players “Diesel” (former Argonaut Troy “Diesel” Davis) and “Nak” (current Argonaut Nakas Onyeka) made appearances on the album. Known on streaming platforms simply as take1 & YGP, the duo currently attract 24,531 monthly listeners on Spotify alone. Prior to the album release,…

Major changes are underway in Canada’s capital; changes we probably thought we’d never see in our lifetime. We’re a few weeks away from the opening of the LRT line. A film and television studio was approved earlier this year. The waterfront is finally being developed. A “super library” and “super hospital” are in the works. We recently hit 1 million people in June. The local music scene is on the verge of blowing up. Tall buildings up to 65 storeys are either under construction or were approved. Ottawa is growing up, both literally and figuratively. Despite all the changes underway…

This month’s Ottawa Music Video Roundup includes Namour x Omari Mydz, Capé, Eazy Finesse, Dynamic, and OTG! We’re continuing to ask you, the fans, to vote for the capital’s Video of the Month. Check out the videos below in order of release date, then help us crown the top video in the city for July. Last month you voted and crowned “On A Quest” by Dynamic as your Video of the Month. Video of the Month (July) – Dynamic aka Ya Favourite Lightskin – “On A Quest” Who will win this month? Namour x Omari Mydz On Me Release date: June 28, 2019…

Now that we got the top 10 rappers in the city when it comes to actual spitting and bars out of the way, let’s talk about the top 10 overall hip-hop artists. For this list, I’m expanding the criteria include: 1. Music: Bars, flow, vibes 2. Buzz in the city: Are people talking about you in the city? 3. Buzz outside the city: Are you getting media coverage, shows and general buzz outside the city 4. Social media buzz: Are people talking about you on social media? 5. Streaming numbers: This is important, but the least important on my list because people…

Social media is buzzing since Capcity Hip-Hop released its top 50 Ottawa rappers list. Since then a few lists have emerged so I decided to weigh in on the action. I’ve been to a lot of studio sessions, rap cyphers, and live shows. I’ve reviewed quite a few local albums, played local music on our radio show, and written my monthly Ottawa music video roundups so I have a pretty good idea of what’s going on. Now, quick disclaimer. Before you label me an “old head”, I actually spend more time listening to trap and modern hip-hop than I do…

This month’s Ottawa Music Video Roundup includes Dax, SixOneTrey, Hevve, Dynamic and more! We’re continuing to ask you, the fans, to vote for the capital’s Video of the Month. Check out the videos below in order of release date, then help us crown the top video in the city for June. Last month you voted and crowned “Popular Demand” by Hueso featuring JKing as your Video of the Month. Video of the Month (May) – Hueso featuring JKing – “Popular Demand” Who will win this month? Dax Wack Ass Rappers Freestyle Release date: June 4, 2019 Shot by: Logan Meis There are few…

The main attraction on the final day of Bluesfest was the Backstreet Boys, but first we were treated to a performance from Ottawa native Vi. After competing on CTV’s The Launch and recently moving to Toronto, it would be expected to see growth in Vi as a performer and we were right. Vi appeared to be as comfortable as ever in front of her hometown crowd. She performed all her songs we’ve grown to love, including “Make Believe”, “Demons”, “Black Water”, and “Clover”. She even got acoustic on “Heart” and even gave us covers of a few of her favourite…

After a long delay due to thunderstorms, SHIFTER’s most highly anticipated show of RBC Bluesfest 2019 got underway as the Wu-tang Clan graced the City Stage. One by one members of arguably the most celebrated hip-hop group of all time took the stage. First, it was Masta Killa. As one of the lesser known members of the group, it was refreshing to see him have his own moment on stage and show that he’s fully capable of commanding a stage on his own as an MC. Then the RZA joined him on stage, followed by Ghostface Killah and Raekwon as…

Murda Beatz looks the part of the somewhat quiet and introverted creator, so it would be easy to wonder what a one hour performance from one of the world’s hottest producers would look like. Well, he was anything but quiet. He even invited the crowd to make a mosh pit throughout his set, from beginning to end. Murda’s performance was basically a DJ set where he alternated between the front of the stage, engaging with the crowd, and taking his place behind the DJ table. He played some of his biggest hits, including Drake’s “Portland” and “Nice For What”. He…