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Classified

 
Artist: Classified
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Similar Artists:

Murs, Defari, LMNO, Jay Bizzy, Jin, J-Bru, Shadez, Dilated Peoples, Choclair, Spesh K, Rhymefest, Saukrates, Mood Ruff, Atmosphere, Apathy

Influenced By:

Tha Alkaholiks, Redman, KRS-One, DJ Premier, Dr. Dre, Beastie Boys

Formal Connection With:

DJ Jorun

Relationship With:

Mic Boyd
See Classified Lyrics
  • Active: '90s, 2000s
  • Genres: Rap
  • Instrument: Producer
  • Representative Albums: "Boy-Cott-In the Industry", "Hitch Hikin' Music

Biography

Whether signed or unsigned, award-winning Canadian hip-hop artist Classified never abandoned his ethos of working hard. The Nova Scotian MC, whose real name is Luke Boyd, steadily built his career from the independent circuit on up to national prominence, developing into a highly respected MC and desired producer. By his ninth studio album, Trial & Error (2003), this average guy from the rap-deficient Maritimes (including New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia) informally became the representative for hip-hop on Canada's Atlantic coast. Boyd fell in love with hip-hop music listening to tapes of KRS-One, the Beastie Boys, and Naughty by Nature that he randomly picked up while he used to hitchhike around his hometown of Enfield, Nova Scotia. Around the age of 15, he used to mess around with his father's band and sound equipment and soon began writing rhymes. The small rural town of Enfield was not befitting of a rap music career, and thus, Classified situated himself in the more urban setting of adjacent Halifax. Still in his late teens, he founded HalfLife Records and released his first full-length, Times Up, in 1995. With the help of Halifax turntablist DJ Jorun, who gave him producing tips, Classified delivered a string of independent albums and singles from the mid- to late '90s. He landed production gigs for other up-and-coming rappers out of Halifax and was able to attain opening-act spots for more established Canadian artists like Saukrates, the Rascalz, and Choclair. But, it was his first vinyl 12" single, "Touch of Class," that earned him some national recognition and rotation on college radio, not to mention a nomination for Urban Recording of the Year by the East Coast Music Awards in 2000. That same year, Classified attained national distribution for his seventh studio album, Unpredictable. Receiving a VideoFACT grant from the MuchMusic network, he put together his first professional music video for the album's title cut, which secured two nominations from the Urban Music Association of Canada. At this point, Classified was becoming Canada's flagship rap newcomer, despite being over five years deep in the business. After his 2001 LP, Union Dues, he was given by his employer the option of either moving to Newfoundland or being laid off. He chose the latter, deciding to pursue rap full-time. He was very apprehensive at first (especially when his unemployment ran out), but it proved to be a wise decision as he signed a deal with the Toronto-based UrbNet Records through his HalfLife imprint. His first effort, Trial & Error, was one of 2003's best-selling independent hip-hop albums. UrbNet even re-released the Union Dues LP the following year to ride on the success of Trial & Error. On his continuous climb to hip-hop fame, the single "The Maritimes," from 2005's Boy-Cott-In the Industry, awarded the MC another wave of press even greater than before. Featuring guest appearances from Royce da 5'9", Choclair, and his little brother Mic Boyd, Boy-Cott-In the Industry received the East Coast Music Award for Rap Recording of the Year and was nominated for Canada's coveted Juno Award in the same category. Hitch Hikin' Music, a nod to the days of his youth, was also nominated for a Juno Award following its release in 2006. The caliber of the collaborators on the album, which included Tash of Tha Alkaholiks and Canadian rap pioneer Maestro Fresh-Wes, was a strong indicator of Classified's prestige. ~ Cyril Cordor, All Music Guide
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Classified
Birth name Luke Boyd
Also known as Class
Born December 13, 1978
Origin Enfield, Nova Scotia, Canada
Genres Hip hop
Occupations Emcee
Years active 1995—present
Labels HalfLife, Urbnet,Sony BMG Canada
Associated acts DL Incognito, Eternia
Website http://www.classifiedofficial.com/

Luke Boyd, known professionally as Classified, is a Canadian rapper and producer from Enfield, Nova Scotia.

His 2005 album Boy-Cott-In the Industry reached #46 on SoundScan's Canadian R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart. His singles "The Maritimes", "5th Element", "No Mistakes", and "Find Out" were all Top 20 hits on MuchMusic and MTV Canada that year. His video for "No Mistakes" won an MMVA for MuchVibe Best Rap Video.

Boy-Cott-In the Industry earned him a Juno Award nomination for Rap Recording of the Year in 2006,[1]; Hitch Hikin' Music resulted in a second nomination in 2007.

Contents

Career

Classified attended Hants East Rural High School in Milford, Nova Scotia. He started his own production label, Half Life Records and released his first full length LP called Times Up in 1995. [2] After years of perfecting his craft and sorting through label contracts, Classified produced, recorded and released his ninth album, Trial & Error, and signed a nationwide distribution deal with Toronto-based, URBNET Records. Containing collaborations with up-and-coming Canadian artists like Eternia and DL Incognito, as well as Canadian rap veteran, Maestro, the album was one of the highest selling independent rap albums in Canada in 2004.

In addition to the release of Trial & Error, 2003 and 2004 were busy and evolutionary years for Classified. With the continuous support of VideoFACT, he was able to release two additional music videos for the singles "Just the Way It Is" and "Unexpected". Classified also continued to master his production skills and joined forces with some of Canada's most prominent emcees, including Choclair and Maestro Fresh Wes.[3] He also teamed up with former Columbia Records recording artist, Royce Da 5'9"[3] and opened for Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, The Game, Nelly,MC Grizzly, Captain Capota, Nas in his hometown of Halifax, and Black Moon.

Classified's tenth album, Boy-Cott-In the Industry, was a high point in his career. The album includes guest appearances by Choclair, Royce Da 5'9", Jay Bizzy, J-Bru, A-Wall, Spesh K, and Mic Boyd (Classified's younger brother and fellow MC). He has said he enjoys doing music with other people: "It keeps things exciting and there are tons of talented people in Halifax so you make connections 'cause it's not a huge scene." [4]

Riding high off of Boy-Cott-In the Industry, Classified released his eleventh album Hitch Hikin' Music. Produced like previous albums by Classified himself, it is arguably some of Classified's finest work. On "Fall From Paradise", Classified reflects on the difficulty of staying fresh and on top. In the hip-hop meets classic rock song "All About U", featuring singer Chad Hatcher, Classified shows the extent of his growth from his early releases. In "Hip Hop Star", he eschews the current bling-bling culture of popular hip hop to remind people that life is not about trying to impress others. The rest of the album includes guest appearances by Jay Bizzy, Mic Boyd, Jordan Croucher, Preacher K, White Mic and more. Four singles have been released off the album: "Find Out" (which won the 2007 East Coast Music Award for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Single[5]), "Feelin' Fine Remix", "All About U", and "Hard to Be Hip Hop".

Classified enlisted the help of fellow Nova Scotia native Joel Roy to beatbox during some of his songs. The actual singles that Roy beatboxed for are unknown but it is believed that he can be heard in the single "The Maritimes".

Discography

Singles

  • "Gossip/This Is For" – 2003
  • "Heavy Artillery" (featuring Rocky Ninja) – 2003
  • "Unexpected" – 2004
  • "Just the Way It Is" (featuring Eternia, DL Incognito & Maestro Fresh Wes) – 2004
  • "5th Element" – 2005
  • "Unexplainable Hunger" (featuring Royce Da 5'9" & Choclair) – 2005
  • "The Maritimes" – 2005
  • "No Mistakes" – 2006
  • "Find Out" – 2006
  • "Feelin Fine Remix" (featuring Jordan Croucher & Jay Bizzy) – 2006
  • "All About U" (featuring Chad Hatcher) – 2007
  • "Hard to Be Hip Hop" (featuring Maestro Fresh Wes & DJ IV) – 2007
  • "Fall from Paradise" – 2007
  • "Trouble" - 2008
  • "Anybody Listening" - 2009
  • "Oh Canada" - 2009
  • "Up All Night" - 2009
  • "Quit While You're Ahead" (featuring Choclair, Maestro & Moka Only) - 2009

Charts

Year Single Chart Position
2006 "Find Out" MuchMusic Countdown 17
2007 "All About U" MuchMusic Countdown 20
2009 "Anybody Listening" MuchMusic Countdown 3

Awards

At the 2009 MuchMusic Video Awards on May 21, 2009, Classified won the MuchVibe "Best Hip-Hop Video of the Year" award for "Anybody Listening" directed by Harv Glazer and produced by Robert Wilson of TwoThreeFiveFilms.[6]

References

  1. ^ Devlin, Mike. "Nova Scotia rapper stays true to his roots", Times-Colonist, 2006-10-13. Retrieved on 2008-10-17.
  2. ^ http://www.hiphopcanada.com/_site/entertainment/interviews/ent_int256.php
  3. ^ a b Bliss, Karen (July–August 2005). "Classified", Canadian Musician, 27 (4): 78.
  4. ^ http://gauntlet.ucalgary.ca/story/9976
  5. ^ Video of Classified receiving an ECMA from the Trailer Park Boys on February 17, 2007.
  6. ^ MuchMusic Video Awards Nominees and Winners

External links


This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 
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