Author: Kevin Bourne

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…

Dwayne Holness, also well known as Dukez, is the CEO and founder of Corex Creative. Dwayne and Jodianne Beckford sat down and talked about his journey of owning his own company, directing, acting, being featured on Noisey, having faith, not getting caught up when the bad times happen and knowing that we can always overcome it, and so much more. Dwayne’s positive outlook on life has definitely brought him to where he is today. Listen to his full story below. Ep. 29 – Dwayne Holness, Film Director PODCAST: Soundcloud | iTunes | GooglePlayMusic  Photos by Jodianne Beckford For more photos visit eproject.media DWAYNE HOLNESS…

This year we’re introducing a brand new end-of-year feature, Top 10 Shifters in the Capital celebrating the accomplishments of influencers in the capital. “Shifter” is a term we coined four years ago for people who use their creativity and influence to impact culture, business or the social sector. Without further adieu, here’s our list of the top cultural, business and social influencers who impacted the capital in 2017. 1. GUY LAFLAMME | Executive Director, Ottawa 2017 Bureau The person who had the single biggest cultural and business impact on Ottawa in 2017 was Ottawa 2017 Bureau executive director, Guy Laflamme. Charged with bringing…

Reviews of Eminem’s latest album Revival are mixed. Even though it debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and is his ninth #1 album, the album was called “trash” by Everyday Struggle’s DJ Akademiks. Eminem and Jay-Z are building the blueprint on how to be an almost-50 rapper who’s a mature version of themselves, yet still relevant. Both of their albums had no real lead single and both were heavy on social commentary, but each of them are achieving different results. While some people have called Jay-Z’s “4:44” his best album yet (and he’s leading the pack in Grammy nominations), Eminem’s Revival hasn’t…

Femi Lawson is one of Toronto’s big talents. Femi is well-known for his Youtube comedy skits, and phrase “Tantalization”. He has since then expanded his career in entertainment, acting, and event hosting, and has worked with some of the top entertainers in the industry. Femi’s genuine personality is what draws you to him. He has a way about him that makes you feel like one of his longtime friends. Femi’s love for his community is what motivates him to make it to the top. He has given back in many ways and continues to inspire the youth. Listen to his full story…

Are you listening to Chris Brown’s latest album? Do you have an opinion on Get Out being nominated in the “Best Comedy” category? It seems like we’re living in a time where popular opinion by default becomes representative of a whole group of people. For example, look no further than Black Twitter, known in the Twitterverse as #BlackTwitter. There’s no set definition for the online audience known as “Black Twitter”, so I will define it as such: “Black Twitter is a sort of cultural identity existing on the Twitter platform. Not all black tweeters are apart of Black Twitter and…

Jordan Oram, is one of Toronto’s talented DOP (director of photography). Jordan’s gift for storytelling is what makes his films stand out. He brings an authentic perspective with an intent to articulate deliberate, candid compositions with a strong passion for credible collaboration, and the aptitude to work with but not limited to the elements of a story. Jordan has a natural ability to find the best look for a project. Listen to his full story here. Ep. 27 – Jordan Oram, Director of Photography PODCAST: iTunes | GooglePlayMusic Photos of by Jodianne Beckford For more photos visit eproject.media JORDAN ORAM SOCIAL…