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Tv Film

New Docuseries 'Sounds Black' Explores Impact of Black Music in Canada

The four-episode series premiering February 1 features Jully Black, Maestro Fresh Wes, Deborah Cox, Fefe Dobson, Kardinal Offishall and more.

Jully Black

Jully Black

Courtesy Photo

A new docuseries is spotlighting the history and influence of Black music in Canada.

Sounds Black premieres on the HISTORY channel on February 1, kicking off Black History Month with a deep dive into Canadian music past and present.


The four-part series is written and directed by TV storyteller Cazhmere Downey — who also directed music videos for The Backstreet Boys and Kardinal Offishall. It features expert voices including R&B queen — and Billboard Canada Impact Award-winner — Jully Black, hip-hop groundbreaker Maestro Fresh Wes, singer and Broadway star Deborah Cox, and many more.

The project is a co-production of Corus Entertainment, Circle Blue Entertainment and Freddie Films. Episode 1 looks at the roots of Black music in Canada, from the Underground Railroad to 1960s Caribbean migration, with contributions from Shad, Director X and Kardinal Offishall.

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Episode 2 takes a look at barriers in the industry and activism that promotes the recognition of Black art, while Episode 3 puts the focus on Black women in Canadian music, like Keshia Chanté, Michie Mee, and Jackie Shane. The conclusion brings things up to date with a look at the current state of Black music in Canada, including the global success of Drake and The Weeknd.

"This project is a celebration of resilience, innovation, and culture. Through our documentary we hope to inspire future generations and ensure that the rich history of Black music in Canada is recognized and celebrated,” say Amos Adetuyi of Circle Blue Entertainment and Floyd Kane of Freddie Films.

The docuseries comes on the heels of a report by ADVANCE, Canada's Black music business collective, emphasizing the immense value of Black music. The report highlights that Black musicians continue to face discrimination and systemic roadblocks to success in Canada's music industry.

The series also follows a CBC series called Paid In Full: The Battle for Black Music, which is streaming on CBC Gem now.

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Sounds Black premieres Saturday, February 1 with two episodes at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET/PT on The HISTORY Channel and streaming on STACKTV. The remaining episodes air Saturday, February 8 at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET/PT.

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The Weeknd
Holly McCandless Desmond

The Weeknd

Rb Hip Hop

The Weeknd Tests the Depths of His Soul in Ominous ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’ Film Trailer: Watch

The thriller is slated to hit theaters on May 16.

The Weeknd has shared another glimpse into his upcoming Hurry Up Tomorrow film ahead of its nationwide theater release on May 16.

The ominous thriller received a second trailer on Tuesday (April 1) as the Toronto singer/actor took viewers further into his bewildering odyssey. Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan serve as The Weeknd’s co-stars in the movie directed by Trey Edward Shults.

This article was originally published by Billboard U.S.

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