Canadian Rapper Classified Talks 'Inner Ninja,' Topping The Charts And Craziest Tour Moment
Luke Boyd knows the story of the underdog all too well. The 35-year-old Canadian rapper may be a household name up North but nothing has come easy.
As he approaches his second decade in the industry, Boyd's latest album is no. 1 in his country and currently has a top ten single "Inner Ninja" (available on iTunes) as well. Both of these feats are a first for Boyd, who has released over 14 studio albums during his tenure.
VIBE caught up with the rapper they call Classified to gain some insight on how it feels to finally make it and how he plans to reach the world beyond the northern border. Also, check out his "Inner Ninja" music video below.
VIBE: For those that are a little unfamiliar with the Canadian hip hop scene, how would you describe it?
The scene is dope, I was a kid that grew up on 1990’s hip hop. There’s always been cats up here like Maestro, Fresh Wes, ChocLair, doing it. There’s always been a good scene but the industry is ass up here, it’s just so premature, I guess you could say. There’s always been good music up here. I always find like there’s been good artists up here it’s just that the industry up here just doesn't know what to do with hip hop artists. You just don’t have that foundation, that structure. In the states, you have a big hit record you know which radio stations to go to, they know to go to the VIBE, you know what press to get, we don’t have that in Canada. So I think that’s usually the biggest problem is just getting the word out, that the music is actually out there.
Read on to find out how the Canadian hip hop scene has changed over the years and find out what Classified thinks about having been in the industry for close to 20 years.
As he approaches his second decade in the industry, Boyd's latest album is no. 1 in his country and currently has a top ten single "Inner Ninja" (available on iTunes) as well. Both of these feats are a first for Boyd, who has released over 14 studio albums during his tenure.
VIBE caught up with the rapper they call Classified to gain some insight on how it feels to finally make it and how he plans to reach the world beyond the northern border. Also, check out his "Inner Ninja" music video below.
VIBE: For those that are a little unfamiliar with the Canadian hip hop scene, how would you describe it?
The scene is dope, I was a kid that grew up on 1990’s hip hop. There’s always been cats up here like Maestro, Fresh Wes, ChocLair, doing it. There’s always been a good scene but the industry is ass up here, it’s just so premature, I guess you could say. There’s always been good music up here. I always find like there’s been good artists up here it’s just that the industry up here just doesn't know what to do with hip hop artists. You just don’t have that foundation, that structure. In the states, you have a big hit record you know which radio stations to go to, they know to go to the VIBE, you know what press to get, we don’t have that in Canada. So I think that’s usually the biggest problem is just getting the word out, that the music is actually out there.
Read on to find out how the Canadian hip hop scene has changed over the years and find out what Classified thinks about having been in the industry for close to 20 years.
VIBE: How has the musical landscape in Canada changed since you first started?
With Drake blowing up and K'naan doing the "Wavin' Flag" thing a couple years ago, that just gave a lot more eyes to the Canadian scene, where the rest of the world seemed a little bit more acceptable and kinda open to go okay, ‘Let me check this out.’ Drake’s dope. He’s doing his thing. There’s a couple of other artists trying to break through A lot of people are hungry right now not just in Canada but in the world. It used to be more about playing shows and getting out there. Now, people are more concerned with putting up the mp3s, viral videos, Facebook and all that stuff. It’s good but I think people just need to get back to the essence of going out and playing shows. That’s how you connect with fans. Get off the internet a little bit. That stuff is great but don’t let that define how you’re going to get your music out.
Has the internet changed your approach to hip hop?
Definitely, just even working with artists. The track on my album I did with Raekwon was over the internet. I worked with Royce Da 5'9' five times and we've always done it over the internet back and forth. Back in the late '90s when I kinda started doing my thing, I had a little bit of a jump because I had a friend who was a super computer nerd. He would hook up the websites and the mp3s. That’s how I first got my music heard on a national level because I didn’t have national distribution or national radio play. So it definitely helps you get your stuff out. I’m just going to put out my viral video and people are gonna know I’m an emcee. That’s one part of it but you gotta get out there and still do that old-fashioned tour grind.
You’re going on 20 years in the industry now. How does it feel?
17 years. I have a little bit till 20. It’s good man, I started when I was 15 years old. It was something that started as a hobby, then when I was a little bit older I started doing more shows and it went from the four-second sample to buying my own studio. I always thought that I was moving ahead. That’s sort’ve what kept me going. I produce all my stuff. I get excited when I make an album. Career-wise, it's always stepped up a little bit. For my first record, we pressed up 100 copies then 1,000 for the next then we had distribution then we got my Halflife record label imprint signed to a major label. Just growing it in small steps kept me interested. It let me learn the industry as I came in and build a buzz.
Read on to find out how Classified feels about his first top 10 single "Inner Ninja" and his self-titled album Classified becoming no. 1 in Canada.
With Drake blowing up and K'naan doing the "Wavin' Flag" thing a couple years ago, that just gave a lot more eyes to the Canadian scene, where the rest of the world seemed a little bit more acceptable and kinda open to go okay, ‘Let me check this out.’ Drake’s dope. He’s doing his thing. There’s a couple of other artists trying to break through A lot of people are hungry right now not just in Canada but in the world. It used to be more about playing shows and getting out there. Now, people are more concerned with putting up the mp3s, viral videos, Facebook and all that stuff. It’s good but I think people just need to get back to the essence of going out and playing shows. That’s how you connect with fans. Get off the internet a little bit. That stuff is great but don’t let that define how you’re going to get your music out.
Has the internet changed your approach to hip hop?
Definitely, just even working with artists. The track on my album I did with Raekwon was over the internet. I worked with Royce Da 5'9' five times and we've always done it over the internet back and forth. Back in the late '90s when I kinda started doing my thing, I had a little bit of a jump because I had a friend who was a super computer nerd. He would hook up the websites and the mp3s. That’s how I first got my music heard on a national level because I didn’t have national distribution or national radio play. So it definitely helps you get your stuff out. I’m just going to put out my viral video and people are gonna know I’m an emcee. That’s one part of it but you gotta get out there and still do that old-fashioned tour grind.
You’re going on 20 years in the industry now. How does it feel?
17 years. I have a little bit till 20. It’s good man, I started when I was 15 years old. It was something that started as a hobby, then when I was a little bit older I started doing more shows and it went from the four-second sample to buying my own studio. I always thought that I was moving ahead. That’s sort’ve what kept me going. I produce all my stuff. I get excited when I make an album. Career-wise, it's always stepped up a little bit. For my first record, we pressed up 100 copies then 1,000 for the next then we had distribution then we got my Halflife record label imprint signed to a major label. Just growing it in small steps kept me interested. It let me learn the industry as I came in and build a buzz.
Read on to find out how Classified feels about his first top 10 single "Inner Ninja" and his self-titled album Classified becoming no. 1 in Canada.
You’ve been touring for the most part of your career. What inspires you to give them a show when you’re on stage?
I came up on that '90s shit. Seeing Busta Rhymes in '96 blew my fucking mind. I was like, 'Ok I knew Busta was hype but I’ve never seen nothing like this. Then I seen Black Moon play some small ass show in Winnipeg some years ago. Going to other shows and seeing artists that I respect then seeing them control a crowd and talk to the crowd. Not just so much about this one guy rapping on stage.
What’s the craziest thing that’s ever happened on tour?
I remember this one time a couple of years ago when I was finally starting to feel like people knew my music, I was playing an all-ages show out in D.C. I had to go to the bathroom and there’s this kid pissing in a urinal beside me and he’s like ‘What the fuck! You're Classified’ and just passes completely out, just fucking laying on the ground with his pants down, out cold with blood pouring out of his head. I had to go get someone. He couldn’t stay for the show.
VIBE: You’re 35 now, is it difficult for you to connect with the youth nowadays?
A little bit. I’m not trying to front like I’m 18, 19 going on tour. It is hard to kinda relate to a lot of the music nowadays and that just comes with age. Every guy who gets older is like ‘it ain't like the old days.’ Don’t get me wrong there’s a lot of artists that are creative and stuff. I heard NWA, I heard Treach Naughty by Nature say this shit back in the 90’s, it’s just a lot of that stuff I heard. At the same time, you gotta realize hip hop is a youthful music. That’s where it comes from. The youth are the ones that are still getting excited about it like it's life or death for them. You gotta pay attention to it but at the same time I’m not going to forget how old I am, what I went through and what I’ve listened to.
What was the inspiration behind the song “Inner Ninja?"
I do a lot of feel-good music. I come from that hip-hop genre of ‘rah rah rah I’m the dopest on the mic, blah, blah, blah.’ At the same time, I want to have that song that speaks to some regular cat, who can turn around and go, ‘Ok, I can relate to this shit.’ The whole song is about finding your inner strength and getting through the bullshit battles of life. Hearing back from fans on older songs, saying ‘Man I was ready to kill myself and I heard this song and it changed my whole outlook on life.’ How can you not feel that and go ok I gotta make some more music like this? This is actually life changing music rather than that’s the hype shit.
How does it feel to have just reached the top of the Canadian album charts with your latest album?
It’s crazy dude and the people who know me up here know I was that guy that sent out the demos to the labels. I’ve been doing that shit for years. They just never saw the vision so I was always kinda that underdog in the industry and now having a no. 1 album and the first single “Inner Ninja” is gonna be double platinum next week. All these people in the industry kinda seen me come up. It’s cool to get that respect from them and going like you proved us all wrong. Now with this whole Atlantic Records thing coming in, It’s kinda mind-blowing man. I’m from like a small ass town, been making rap music for a long time. It seems like now, I’m about to get out in the world and a lot more people are gonna hear it.
I came up on that '90s shit. Seeing Busta Rhymes in '96 blew my fucking mind. I was like, 'Ok I knew Busta was hype but I’ve never seen nothing like this. Then I seen Black Moon play some small ass show in Winnipeg some years ago. Going to other shows and seeing artists that I respect then seeing them control a crowd and talk to the crowd. Not just so much about this one guy rapping on stage.
What’s the craziest thing that’s ever happened on tour?
I remember this one time a couple of years ago when I was finally starting to feel like people knew my music, I was playing an all-ages show out in D.C. I had to go to the bathroom and there’s this kid pissing in a urinal beside me and he’s like ‘What the fuck! You're Classified’ and just passes completely out, just fucking laying on the ground with his pants down, out cold with blood pouring out of his head. I had to go get someone. He couldn’t stay for the show.
VIBE: You’re 35 now, is it difficult for you to connect with the youth nowadays?
A little bit. I’m not trying to front like I’m 18, 19 going on tour. It is hard to kinda relate to a lot of the music nowadays and that just comes with age. Every guy who gets older is like ‘it ain't like the old days.’ Don’t get me wrong there’s a lot of artists that are creative and stuff. I heard NWA, I heard Treach Naughty by Nature say this shit back in the 90’s, it’s just a lot of that stuff I heard. At the same time, you gotta realize hip hop is a youthful music. That’s where it comes from. The youth are the ones that are still getting excited about it like it's life or death for them. You gotta pay attention to it but at the same time I’m not going to forget how old I am, what I went through and what I’ve listened to.
What was the inspiration behind the song “Inner Ninja?"
I do a lot of feel-good music. I come from that hip-hop genre of ‘rah rah rah I’m the dopest on the mic, blah, blah, blah.’ At the same time, I want to have that song that speaks to some regular cat, who can turn around and go, ‘Ok, I can relate to this shit.’ The whole song is about finding your inner strength and getting through the bullshit battles of life. Hearing back from fans on older songs, saying ‘Man I was ready to kill myself and I heard this song and it changed my whole outlook on life.’ How can you not feel that and go ok I gotta make some more music like this? This is actually life changing music rather than that’s the hype shit.
How does it feel to have just reached the top of the Canadian album charts with your latest album?
It’s crazy dude and the people who know me up here know I was that guy that sent out the demos to the labels. I’ve been doing that shit for years. They just never saw the vision so I was always kinda that underdog in the industry and now having a no. 1 album and the first single “Inner Ninja” is gonna be double platinum next week. All these people in the industry kinda seen me come up. It’s cool to get that respect from them and going like you proved us all wrong. Now with this whole Atlantic Records thing coming in, It’s kinda mind-blowing man. I’m from like a small ass town, been making rap music for a long time. It seems like now, I’m about to get out in the world and a lot more people are gonna hear it.
