Classified (rapper)
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Classified
Classified performing in 2005
Classified performing in 2005
Background information
Birth name Luke Boyd
Origin Enfield, Nova Scotia, Canada
Genre(s) Hip hop
Occupation(s) Emcee
Years active 1995—present
Label(s) HalfLife, Urbnet
Associated acts DL Incognito, Eternia
Website www.urbnet.com/classified

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

His 2005 album Boy-Cott-In the Industry reached #46 on SoundScan's Canadian R&B charts. His singles "The Maritimes", "5th Element" and "No Mistakes" 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 and Hitch Hikin' Music resulted in a second one in 2007.

Contents

Career

Classified attended East Hants Rural High School in Milford, Nova Scotia.citation needed After two 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.2 He also teamed up with former Columbia Records recording artist, Royce Da 5'9"2 and opened for Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, The Game 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, Spesh K, and Mic Boyd (Classified's younger brother and fellow MC).

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 rock song "All About U", featuring singer Chad Hatcher, Classified shows the extent of his growth from his early releases. He eschews the current bling-bling culture of popular hip hop to remind people that life is not about trying to impress others. In "Hip Hop Star," he muses about how some people act like he's a major celebrity, while others ask "when the hell he's gonna make it". 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 Single3), "Feelin' Fine Remix", "All About U", and "Hard to Be Hip Hop".

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

Charts

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

References

  1. ^ Devlin, Mike. "Nova Scotia rapper stays true to his roots", Times-Colonist, 2006-10-13. Retrieved on 2008-10-17.
  2. ^ a b Bliss, Karen (July–August 2005). "Classified", Canadian Musician, 27 (4): 78.
  3. ^ Video of Classified receiving an ECMA from the Trailer Park Boys on February 17, 2007.

External links
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