Author: Kevin Bourne

February was a light month for Ottawa music videos after the 10 on our list for January. This month’s Ottawa music video roundup includes JAIOFTHERISE, BLikeBrett, Hevve, Chaz Dean and OTG. We’re continuing to ask you, the fans, to vote for the capital’s Video of the Month. You voted last month and crowned Rolling Stone by Anka x Karma x Soul Physical as the top music video for the month of January. Check out the videos below in order of release date, then help us crown the top video in the city for February. As usual, ff there are any videos we forgot make sure…

RBC Bluesfest, Ottawa’s largest music festival, is back with another eclectic lineup in celebration of its 25th anniversary. Returning this year is festival favourite Snoop Dogg who will headline a hip-hop night on July 13th along with legendary hip-hop group Wutang Clan. Other hip-hop and R&B acts include Logic, K’Naan, T-Pain, Mustard, mega producer Murda Beatz and Jessie Reyez, who also graced the Bluesfest stage in 2018. In 2018, the big draw was the Foo Fighters who treated fans to a three hour show on the big stage. In 2019, the big draw is the Backstreet Boys on July 14th.…

Ottawa hip-hop artist Hevve recently released the music video for his biggest song to date “On It”, a follow up to the recently released video for “Five”, also off his latest project V. The song and video feature Stxrytellers members, Maurice Moore collaborator and fellow Ottawa artist Jeff Sanon who co-produced the track alongside long-time producer and Hevve collaborator Quest. The video, set in the Ottawa Art Gallery and National Gallery of Canada, draws inspiration from The Carters video for “Apeshit”, bridging the gap between hip-hop culture and high culture. It features art pieces from the Karim Rashid: Cultural Shaping exhibition, as…

“Wins and losses”. It’s a phrase that’s etched in hip-hop history thanks to Meek Mill. What it means, at least to me, is some of the biggest wins in life come after the biggest losses and some of the biggest losses come after the biggest wins.   Today marks the one year anniversary of my father’s passing due to Cancer. As a result, December 2017 to March 2018 was the hardest stretch of my life. I was so stressed I was feeling physical pain in my body. Christmas Eve in 2017 I was experiencing severe back, head and ear pain.…

Published with permission from the author Here is “Exhibit A.” More evidence to further substantiate why compensating NCAA players is absolutely justifiable. Just consider this. If a college student earns an academic scholarship, he or she is able to attend school for free on the merit of intellect and continued exceptional achievement. Now if that student desires to get a part-time job on campus, he or she is usually permitted to do so and retain those earnings on top of whatever perks they receive for academic excellence. If a player earns an athletic scholarship, he should have the same right…

After a year’s break, Chronicles of Jessica Wu is coming back to Amazon Prime with a new lead actress. The series revolves around a young woman on the autism spectrum who uses martial arts and her genius ability to take down the bad guys of Los Angeles. The second season, which includes seven episodes, was shot in October 2018 in Los Angeles. The character of Jessica Wu has been described as shy and vulnerable but also driven and strong. When she is out fighting villains, she becomes superhero Equation, using her mathematical skills to solve everyday problems. How is this…

This morning at midnight Ottawa artist Sammy Keys dropped his debut project Strippa Flava, a follow up to his successful single “Keys” which gained 64,000 views on YouTube and 12,000 on Spotify. The release date also coincides with Keys’ 20th birthday. “After my setback, I started from scratch and wanted to develop my new sound so I can have a bigger comeback. ‘Keys’, being my first music video, had set the tone for Strippa Flava”, Keys noted when asked about his new sound. “They all have a Trap and R&B vibe, and I wanted to bring this sound to parties…

Last night, Montreal rapper Narcy rocked the stage at Queen St. Fare in downtown Ottawa. The Arab-Canadian rapper, once known for his in-your-face activist rap, treated the crowd to everything from class boom bap to Latin and Arab inspired sounds. Opening for Narcy was local hip-hop artist Hevve, performing his first show of 2019 alongside drummer and sometimes hypeman Timal Garnier. Hevve opened his set with some of his slower tracks, including “Five” and “Victim of the City” before speeding it up with “Chance”, “Hit ‘Em Up” and his biggest song to date, “On It”. He closed with his new…

A multi-faceted artist living in Montreal, Narcy is an Iraqi-Canadian artist who has dipped his hand in a variety of different creative disciplines, establishing himself as a leader and ambassador for the Arab-Canadian community. His unapologetic nature coupled with his natural talent and disciplined work ethic have allowed him to succeed both here in Canada and abroad. Below is Reda Zarrug’s interview with Narcy ahead of his show at Queen St. Fare in Ottawa. Reda: Have you always been this comfortable in allowing your identity to be influenced by your eastern roots and your western upbringing? And how? Narcy: I…

Here it is, the night where the best musicians and recording artists in the world are rewarded for their work. For us fashion lovers, the Grammys are also an opportunity to get some well-needed fashion inspiration. For the 61st edition of the Grammy Awards, celebrities once again brought their best suits and dresses to the red carpet. While some went for a classic and timeless look, others decided to take some risks. Here are six celebrity styles from the Grammys. 1. Black is always chic For an event like the Grammys, black is always a safe bet. The South Korean…

We’re in the thick of winter and with it has come the same dilemma we face every winter. Should I dress warm and keep my favourite outfits in the back of the closet, or risk getting sick but stay classy? Well, who told you you had to choose? Here are three easy tips to stay warm and stylist this winter. Tip #1: Choose the right fabrics If you want to stay warm and comfortable which fabrics should you choose? I could write an entire article just about fabrics but to keep it simple, we can classify the different fabrics in…

Last night, The Launch Season 2 contestant Vi, joined by close friends SVLM and Jayen x District, performed at Ottawa’s Babylon nightclub in front of a hometown crowd. Although she didn’t win her round of the music competition show, as a finalist, Ottawa and Canada now clearly know “who is Vi”. In the process, she’s managed to provide more well-needed inspiration for artists in the capital. The night began with Jayen x District who performed a few songs off their 2018 release Anywhere but Earth, including “Masquerade”, the highlight of their set. Then it was SVLM’s turn to grace the stage,…