Author: Kevin Bourne

A lot of artists talk about wanting to carve out their own lane in the industry, but few have exemplified that more these past few months than Melvin Elray with his latest project “5th Lane”. This funky, soulful, downright raw album is easily digestible at just over 20 minutes in length. But don’t let the elegance of its brevity fool you into thinking this album is light, either sonically or in its subject matter. Produced by Jeff Sanon, who is a ridiculously talented artist in his own right, this album’s sonic backdrop is a perfect fit to accompany Melvin’s falsetto grooves. “5th…

In celebration of Black History Month we’ve put together our list of 20 of the most influential black Shifters of all time. We define a Shifter as “someone who uses their creativity or creates something to impact culture or fill a void in the world around them”. While there are many people who could have easily made our list, these are the people who stood out to us in 2016. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.  Used his gift with words to lead the Black civil rights movement in the United States. OPRAH WINFREY   Created one of the most influential media empires…

SHIFTER editor, Kevin Bourne, had the chance to ask Canadian R&B artist 12AM a few questions about his big year, life in the big city, and his hit song “Devin Booker” ahead of his Midnight Tour kicking off January 25th in Montreal. This is what he had to say. Kevin : First of all, where does the name 12AM come from? 12AM : I got it from mixing my own music. I used a reverb called the midnight plate on logic and it made my voice sound real vibey. Then I put it together with the music, especially since you should be…

As a crime movie buff, I’ve had almost all the different “meals” available in the wonderful cuisine of crime (just roll with it). I know all the ingredients intimately, I’ve seen them all used before. From the daring plan, to the assembly of the rogue’s gallery to the saucy double-cross. The mark of a real good crime film, and a good film in general, is its use of the same ingredients to produce an original and unexpected result. And in that respect this film exceeded all my expectations. Written and directed by Christian Gudegast, Den of Thieves is a modern…

According to radio host, Nicky Jean, R&B isn’t dead. Here’s her list of the 12 alternative R&B artists breathing life into R&B. It’s a new year and it’s time to talk about R&B and what the genre will look like in the years to come. I love R&B; always have. From old to new school, I’m fascinated by the genre. In the past couple of years R&B reinvented itself. It was in dire straits and even the best of the best couldn’t save it. Beyonce released “4” (a predominantly R&B focused album) and in terms of Beyonce albums, it flopped.…

Storyteller, comedian, film director, and all around dope creative entrepreneur, Adrian Wallace is the guy to know. Adrian shares his story on creating one of Toronto’s most talked about web series (Courtside Series) on Youtube. He started this series to share a story about community, youth, the reality of what teens face when having to choose between the hustle and education, and so much more. Adrian’s love for storytelling stemmed from a young age, and it was a way for him to express what he experienced, sometimes in a comedic way, which is where he can easily express himself. Adrian’s story…

The world is still talking about H&M’s controversial advertisement featuring a little black boy in a “Coolest monkey in the jungle” long sleeve shirt. Responses have varied. One of the first celebrities to respond was Toronto R&B artist, The Weeknd, who came out saying that he’s ending his partnership with H&M. Fellow artists Pusha T, P Diddy and The Weeknd’s XO label mate, Belly, also spoke out against the ad. More recently H&M stores were trashed in South Africa in protest. Meanwhile, the boy’s mother has been vocal against the accusations of racism. “I am the mum and this is one…

Aisha Ebony is the founder of MuseHB hair studio (hair & beauty bar). Aisha and I sat down to talk about her journey as a hair professional. Her journey hasn’t been easy, but nothing worth it ever is. Aisha had many humble beginnings but with all of her hard work it has paid off to now owning her very own salon! Aisha’s list of high-profile clients such as Ayesha Curry, and Sessilee Lopez-Holmes to name a few, has proven time and time again that consistency, hard work, and dedication will get you to where you want to be. Listen to…

One of the few positive things about Donald Trump’s presidency is that it coincides with some major social shifts that may seriously change the course of history. No exaggeration. When future generations look back at this past year they’ll remember it as “The Year of the Underdog”. A whole bunch of Davids knocking the snot out of Goliaths. In 2017, Colin Kaepernick risked his career by kneeling during the Star Spangled Banner before NFL games. Players across the league followed suit and it became one of the biggest stories of the year, pitting players against owners (just calling them “owners” makes me…

Last night was the 75th edition of the Golden Globes; precursor to the Oscars and the beginning of award season. Some of the big winners were The Handmaid’s Tale for Best Drama TV Series, Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) for Best Supporting Actor in any Movie, Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) for Best Actress – Television Musical or Comedy, Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale) for Best Actress in a TV Series – Drama, Sterling K Brown (This is Us) for Best actor – television drama, James Franco (The Disaster Artist) for Best actor – musical or comedy movie, and Coco for Best Animated Movie. Everyone was waiting…

One of the great things about the Christmas holidays is that it gives you time to get caught up on some reading. A book that I’d been dying to pick up for a long time was LA Reid’s autobiography Sing to Me: My Story of Making Music, Finding Magic, and Searching for Who’s Next. Aside from what I do with SHIFTER, I also do a bit of talent management so anytime you get a chance to learn from one of the best, you gotta take it. Sing to Me is a story about a black kid from Cincinnati, Ohio, who, through some important people…

Reigning NBA MVP, Russell Westbrook, continues to establish himself as basketball royalty with the release of his first signature performance shoe, the Jordan Why Not Zer0.1. He wore the new shoe this past Wednesday against the Lakers. True to his rep as fashion king, Westbrook’s Jordan Why Not Zer0.1 is a performance shoe with style, featuring his “Why Not?” motto and images of Westbrook and the jumpman logo. The shoe is on-trend with a 90’s inspired, bulky silhouette. The Jordan Why Not Zer0.1 “Mirror Image” release on January 15th with the black and white Jordan Why Not Zer0.1 “2-Way” to follow on February 15th. They will retail…