Author: Kevin Bourne

Kevin Bourne, also known as "KB The Boss" or simply "KB", is a Toronto-based host/on-air personality, arts & entertainment journalist, TV/film producer, and communications and content strategist. As a commentator and freelancer, he has appeared nationally as a correspondent on CBC News Network and host on CBC Music. He has also appeared locally on CTV, CBC Radio, CityNews, Newstalk 1010, and ByBlacks.com, and in the United States on Fox’s Black digital TV network, Fox Soul. He has covered some of Canada’s top red-carpet events, from the Toronto International Film Festival to the Canadian Screen Awards, and has interviewed everyone from Kevin Hart and "Fast and the Furious" star Tyrese Gibson to Ziggy Marley, Ava DuVernay, Dascha Polanco, Lilly Singh, and Howie Mandel. His years of work as an entertainment journalist led to him being named a Golden Globe® Awards voter and Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-Approved critic and being quoted as a critic in national ad campaigns for Black films and TV shows, both in Canada and the United States. Pivoting into the world of film and television, Kevin co-founded the film, TV, digital content, and live experiences company, SHIFTER Entertainment, alongside his wife and business partner, Koliah. Through SHIFTER he has produced a number of projects, including the Bell Fibe TV1 unscripted reality series A Date In The Life, serving as showrunner, executive producer, writer and co-director. Now, with a number of pilot and feature film scripts written and projects in development, KB is poised to continue to be a champion for Black entertainment and culture alongside his wife and business partner, Koliah.

The Kardashian-Jenner clan are continuing to clean up in 2017. This past August it was revealed that Kylie Jenner’s Kylie Cosmetics line was worth a whopping $400 million. Then in October it was reported that the world’s most popular television family renewed their TV deal with E! for $150 million over five years. Then this week we learned that Kendall Jenner dethroned Gisele Bundchen as the highest paid model in the world, earning $22 million in 2017. Bundchen held the title of highest paid model since 2002. Natalie Robehmed of Forbes provides telling insight into Jenner’s big year: For the first…

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Benny Bing is a self-taught Toronto based artist of Nigerian descent. We sat down and talked about his journey as an artist and how his wife helped him to rediscover the artist inside. What was first just a thoughtful gift from his wife while visiting in Paris, became the very thing that would shift his life forever. Benny’s vibrant and alluring portraits of women of colour is what sets him apart. His use of colour, great attention to detail, makes you stare with wonder. Benny’s paintings convey the type of emotion that really makes you step back and think. Listen…

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One of the most promising menswear designers coming out of Toronto right now is none other than Jamaican-Canadian Rhowan James. On the heals of his appearance at Toronto Men’s Fashion Week where he won the World Financial Group | Emerging Menswear Designer Awards (EMDA), our Koliah Bourne had the opportunity to ask him a few questions about how he got started in the industry, who his creative influences are, and what life has been like since TOM and winning the EDMA. Koliah Bourne: So you’re a self-taught fashion designer. How did you get started in the industry? Rhowan James: Yes, I…

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Hip-hop is on the rise, and there’s no bigger evidence of that than in First Nations and Native American communities across North America. For years Indigenous hip-hop acts were slept on and overlooked, but now they’re increasingly stepping into the limelight, winning awards and playing the summer festival circuit just like their non-Indigenous counterparts. What’s refreshing about this brand of hip-hop is that it’s probably truer to the origins of the culture than some newer hip-hop acts. First Nations and Native American artists use their music as a tool for social change and to elevate their community the same way…

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Fans of DC comics and superhero films rejoice! Justice League is here and it is awesome. It may not be perfect (it is certainly far from it), but there is so much fun to be had watching this film. Boasting an excellent blend of action, astounding visuals and great characters, Justice League is the team-up film that many, including myself, have been waiting for for years. Being a film that has the unique circumstance of being directed by two directors with essentially polar opposite styles, Justice League should’ve been a mess. Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon (who directed both Avengers…

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It was just a year ago that entrepreneur, Mehdi Jourabbaf, founded TEN, short for Tonight Ends Never, a creative agency specializing in artist and model management, creative direction, product production and marketing. You’ve probably seen his work on Instagram without realizing he was the man orchestrating things behind the scenes.  The vision for Tonight Ends Never is clear. When asked what inspired him to launch the agency he stated, “Everyone wants to become a superstar, but when we looked closer we realized no one was interested in managing those superstars to-be. Ottawa is our home and it’s fueled with limitless talent,…

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Courtney Johnson is a freelance hairstylist based in NYC. She shares her journey on what it has been like in the industry, her passion for directing, loyalty and so much more. Courtney has extensive knowledge of the beauty industry since she was eighteen years old and has been mentored by the greats. Courtney talks about her upcoming passion projects for epilepsy & anxiety. Courtney truly has a big heart and wants to make a difference. Listen to this amazing woman’s story, she will definitely leave you inspired. Ep. 24 – New York hairstylist Courtney Johnson Click on the links below to…

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BEACH HOUSE 3 Ty Dolla $ign As much as I try to keep up to date with the latest hip-hop/R&B news, from time to time a few projects manage to go right over my head. Most of those projects end up being straight garbage like Lil Uzi Vert’s Luv is Rage 2 (I didn’t review it and never will), but sometimes I’m pleasantly surprised. For example, Ty Dolla $ign’s Beach House 3 surprised me. I honestly totally forgot this album was coming out, but boy am I happy it did. Listening to this new generation of R&B, it’s clear that the genre has changed a…

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Alexandra Newton, founder of FIT FOR THOUGHT podcast, is one to notice! After an accident, Alexandra needed to find her way back to herself. She put her all into fitness, meeting new people and opening herself to countless opportunities. Alexandra started a podcast that gave her an outlet to express her creative side even more. There she interviews fellow entrepreneurs, talks tech, fitness and so much more. We talked about trusting the process, not being afraid to ask for help, and so much more. Ep. 23 – Alexandra Newton of the Fit For Thought podcast Click on the links below to listen.…

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WITHOUT WARNING Metro Boomin, Offset, 21 Savage Happy Halloween indeed. Hip-op fans woke up to a pleasant surprise this morning as Metro Boomin, Offset (Migos) and 21 Savage (No Heart) dropped an unannounced album out of nowhere appropriately titled “Without Warning”. The album consists of 10 songs entirely produced by Metro Boomin and also features Travis Scott and Quavo. It goes without saying that I went bananas in hearing this news as those three stand among the biggest names in hip-hop today. But does “Without Warning” deliver as one would expect from this dream worthy collaboration? Oh yes…yes it does. Let’s just get to the…

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“I believe in the limitlessness of humans. We’re capable of incredible things. At times, that realization is frightening.” – Alicia Keys Alicia Keys is without question a supremely talented artist. Her voice is magical and captivating. Her musical ability is truly a gift from God that has impacted so many of us. We all have artists who we feel deeply connected with. Their songs have spoken into our experiences and we’ve sung them countless times over. Alicia has been that artist in my life. The days when I didn’t think it was possible to love any more, this glorified shower…

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