The black-owned Canadian production company, Balling Y’all Productions Inc., focused on creating art that empowers, educates, and entertains, presents its inaugural project Real Blackity Talk – a docu-talk series that shines a spotlight on the perspectives and experiences of Black women and non-binary Black people in Canada. Real Blackity Talk is set to make its premiere on March 18, 2022, on CBC Gem.
Real Blackity Talk is hosted by two wildly charismatic and flawlessly bilingual Burundian-Canadian sisters, Aiza and Kamana Ntibarikure. They are accompanied by a dazzling team of correspondents – their Blaxperts – who provide valuable insight, a diverse range of viewpoints, and delectable banter. Notable Blaxperts include MPP Dr. Jill Andrew and renowned activist, author, and entrepreneur, Akilah Newton. Each episode explores and unpacks a different aspect of the modern human experience– from our relationships with our bodies, the ways we use social media to communicate and express ourselves, to how we engage with our communities and cultural heritage.
While the topics are universal, the lens through which they’re examined is uniquely Black. The series is fast-paced, weaving seamlessly between moments that are charming, funny, poignant, and honest. Aiza and Kamana are always ready to spill the tea or share a little behind-the-scenes anecdote about their personal lives. Likewise, as two natural performers with remarkable synergy, they are always ready to break into a song or skit to punctuate their stories. Real Blackity Talk is our love letter to Black Canadians. We’re not being fully represented on screen, so we decided to create a series that we’ve always longed to see: An unapologetically funny show full of amazing Black people and compelling stories.” says creators and hosts Aiza and Kamana Ntibarikure. “Expect to laugh. Expect to learn a lil’ something. Expect to feel empowered. Ultimately, Real Blackity Talk is a necessary addition to the Canadian media landscape, not just for the Black community, but for anyone looking for fresh new voices and faces to cover topics that are universal to all of us.
The concept for Real Blackity Talk originated in the first months of the COVID-19 Pandemic while Aiza and Kamana were living together in midtown Toronto. They began a weekly “chat show” on Instagram Live to stay connected to the outside world. What started out as two sisters simply shooting the breeze on-screen once a week for their friends quickly turned into a full-blown Instagram talk show with a theme song, taglines, and guests who discussed everything from pop culture trivia, health, and wellness tips, partying in Los Angeles, to the Black Lives Matter movement. The public’s response led to a bittersweet realization for Aiza and Kamana: While their show was deeply cherished by many at that moment, their stories and perspectives as Black women were dreadfully underrepresented in Canada’s media landscape. At that moment, it became their mission to produce a series for a mainstream network in Canada that could amplify the voices of Black women and non-binary Black folk. And to their credit, they made it happen.
Source:
About Author
