Drake's DreamCrew to executive produce Black hockey player doc with LeBron James
Drake is teaming up with LeBron James and other creators for a feature documentary on the history of Black hockey players.
The Toronto rapper's production company says in a release he will executive produce "Black Ice," an examination of the "often overlooked and marginalized contributions" of Black players to the game.
The story will begin with the creation of the Coloured Hockey League (CHL) in the Maritimes and extend into the experiences of Black players in the modern-day National Hockey League.
"Black Ice" will be directed by Hubert Davis who was nominated for an Oscar for his2005 short "Hardwood" and made the documentary "Giants of Africa," aboutToronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri's youth basketball camps in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Rwanda.
Alongside the project's fellow executive producer Adele (Future) Nur,Drake runs DreamCrew Entertainment, which produced HBO's "Euphoria" and the American version of "Top Boy" on Netflix.
The Springhill Company, co-founded by James and Maverick Carter, and Uninterrupted Canada, an extension of Drake's "athlete empowerment" brand Uninterrupted, will also be involved in the film.
For decades, the history of Black hockey players went largely undiscussed in the sports mainstream, though some effort has been made to address that in recent years.
The 2016 documentary "Soul on Ice: Past, Present and Future" detailed the story behind the CHL, while George and Darril Fosty's 2004 book "Black Ice: The Lost History of the Colored Hockey League of the Maritime" laid some of the histories to page.
Recent memoirs from players Willie O'Ree and Val James have filled in other gaps.
Drake has long been a hockey fan, having played on the Weston Red Wings minor hockey team in his childhood before starring in "Degrassi: the Next Generation" and becoming one of the world's most popular music performers.
"Black Ice" is currently in production and will be released in theatres by Elevation Pictures before heading to TSN, the Crave streaming service and other CTV outlets.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.