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. He also teamed up with Shady Records recording artist, Royce Da 5'9" and opened for Ludacris, Snoop dogg, Busta Rhymes, The Game, Nelly, MC Grizzly, Captain Capota, Nas, The Black Eyed Peas 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." The album reached #46 on SoundScan's Canadian R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart. The singles "The Maritimes", "5th Element", "No Mistakes", and "Find Out", which is the lead single of his 11th studio album, Hitch Hikin' Music, were all Top 20 hits on MuchMusic and MTV Canada that year. The music video for "No Mistakes" won him an MMVA for MuchVibe Best Rap Video. Boy-Cott-In the Industry also earned Classified a Juno Award nomination for Rap Recording of the Year in 2006.
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), "Feelin' Fine Remix", "All About U", and "Hard to Be Hip Hop". Hitch Hikin' Music also received a Juno Award nomination for Rap Recording of the Year in 2007.
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".
In early 2009, the hit single "Anybody Listening" brought Classified to mainstream success as it peaked at #52 on the Canadian Hot 100 and the music video received heavy rotation on MuchMusic. Classified's thirteenth studio album, Self Explanatory received highly positive reviews from the critics and debuted on the Canadian Albums Chart at #25 making it Classified's first album on that chart. 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. Off Self Explanatory, Classified would enjoy more mainstream success in early 2010 with another hit single, "Oh...Canada" peaking at #14 on the Canadian Hot 100 and was certified platinum in digital downloads by the CRIA. Also in early 2010, Classified received three Juno Award nominations, which was for Rap Recording of the Year, Single of the Year, and Video of the Year. In early 2011, "Oh...Canada" received a Juno nomination for "Single of the Year".
On March 22, 2011, Classified released his fourteenth album, though it was only his second major studio album, Handshakes and Middle Fingers. The first single off the album, "That Ain't Classy" reached #45 on the Canadian Hot 100. The album debuted at #7 on the Canadian Albums Chart, making it his highest charting album to date.
Higher
Classified Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Boys and Girls
You need to turn it up
Class
Bob
We take it up a little higher
Your love, keeps lifting me higher
Than I've ever been lifted before
Know when I'm feeling down and out I'm feeling out of commission
I call you up in a minute you come on over I hit it
I was the one that said he's never going to do it but did it
Yeah your love is addictive without the hugging and kissing
You got me breaking the bank, got me spending my dough
I love the way that you taste and leave your scent on my clothes
You take my breath away choked up, literally
My body felt the pain, those couple days when we broke up you killing me
Yeah my parents tried to pre warn me
But now we higher than E-40 and King Gordy
When I'm in the studio recording it seems boring
Until you come around each morning and reward me
You loosened my nerves when I was feeling uptight
You had me falling in love but kept me up every night
We've been together for years I can't believe that it lasted
I'll love you 'till you're gone and you're nothing but ashes
You're smoking girl
Your love, keeps lifting me higher
Than I've ever been lifted before
Well, my mind is in lift when the climate is this
You give me the type of high the type of high I will miss
When you light up I can't explain how much excitement I get
Travel to California, I catch a flight for your scent
You got the same initials as all of the greats
As all of the greats, you the high point of the day
Me and you been rolling since junior varsity days
Thats why I keep you with me at every party I play
I'm talking 'bout you girl
I'm talking 'bout her, that's my baby
You keep me elevated when life get crazy
You know what I'm into, you know what I'm into
Don't want to be with nobody if I can't be with you
That's my only chick, that's my only chick
If she's a good girl, won't let the homies hit
And if there came a day where I could not hold on to it
Then it would end my whole world like a polar shift
I'm talking 'bout your love
Your love, keeps lifting me higher
Than I've ever been lifted before
The song "Higher" by Canadian rapper and producer Classified is an ode to a love that is unlike any other – or rather, it's about a love of a different kind. Instead of being about a romantic partner or a person, the song is about the love of marijuana. The song is filled with clever double entendres and metaphors, with the singer comparing the effects of the drug to the effects of love.
The verses outline the singer's relationship with marijuana, portraying it as his true love that has been with him through good times and bad. He talks about how it lifts him up when he's feeling down and how it helps him relax and be creative when he's working in the studio. The chorus repeats the line "Your love keeps lifting me higher than I've ever been lifted before," which could be interpreted as both a reference to the drug's euphoric effects and to the singer's emotional state when he's high.
The song's clever wordplay and catchy chorus make it an instant classic for fans of rap and hip-hop. At the same time, it also highlights the debate around drug culture and its role in music. For some, the song could be seen as a tribute to a harmless and enjoyable experience, while others may view it as promoting drug use.
Line by Line Meaning
Ladies and Gentlemen
Addressing the audience
Boys and Girls
Including everyone in the audience
You need to turn it up
Encouraging the audience to get more excited
Class
Referring to himself
Bob
Referring to his collaborator
We take it up a little higher
Setting the tone for the song to be about elevating to a higher level
Your love, keeps lifting me higher
Talking about the positive effects of being in love
Than I've ever been lifted before
Emphasizing how special and unprecedented the love is
Know when I'm feeling down and out I'm feeling out of commission
Acknowledging that there are low points in life
I call you up in a minute you come on over I hit it
Using the love interest as a source of comfort during tough times
I was the one that said he's never going to do it but did it
Talking about overcoming doubts and proving others wrong
Yeah your love is addictive without the hugging and kissing
Describing the love as something that is irresistible
You got me breaking the bank, got me spending my dough
Indicating that the love is worth a great deal to the singer
I love the way that you taste and leave your scent on my clothes
Appreciating the sensual aspects of the relationship
You take my breath away choked up, literally
Describing the intensity and overwhelming nature of the love
My body felt the pain, those couple days when we broke up you killing me
Reflecting on the effects of a break-up and how deep the feelings run
Yeah my parents tried to pre warn me
Talking about parental advice and how sometimes people don't listen
But now we higher than E-40 and King Gordy
Using a comparison to show how strong the love is
When I'm in the studio recording it seems boring
Talking about how unexciting professional work can be alone
Until you come around each morning and reward me
Describing how the love interest makes life in general more fulfilling
You loosened my nerves when I was feeling uptight
Describing how the relationship brings a sense of calm and balance to the artist's life
You had me falling in love but kept me up every night
Talking about how the love is always on the artist's mind
We've been together for years I can't believe that it lasted
Reflecting on the duration of the relationship and how it has been successful
I'll love you 'till you're gone and you're nothing but ashes
Expressing a depth of feeling and commitment to the relationship
You're smoking girl
Using a metaphor to describe the love interest
Well, my mind is in lift when the climate is this
Describing the physical and emotional effects of being in certain environments with the love interest
You give me the type of high the type of high I will miss
Emphasizing the positive effects of being in love
When you light up I can't explain how much excitement I get
Describing the thrill of being around the love interest
Travel to California, I catch a flight for your scent
Indicating the lengths the artist would go to be with the love interest
You got the same initials as all of the greats
Using a coincidence to emphasize the importance of the love interest
As all of the greats, you the high point of the day
Stating how important and influential the love interest is
Me and you been rolling since junior varsity days
Talking about the long-standing nature of the relationship
Thats why I keep you with me at every party I play
Demonstrating pride in the relationship and wanting to have the love interest by their side
I'm talking 'bout you girl
Addressing the love interest
I'm talking 'bout her, that's my baby
Expressing affection for the love interest
You keep me elevated when life get crazy
Stating how the relationship brings a positive influence to their life
You know what I'm into, you know what I'm into
Emphasizing how the love interest really understands the singer
Don't want to be with nobody if I can't be with you
Expressing the importance of the relationship and how nothing else compares
That's my only chick, that's my only chick
Stating how exclusive and important the love interest is
If she's a good girl, won't let the homies hit
Asserting that the love interest is someone important and not to be treated casually
And if there came a day where I could not hold on to it
Acknowledging the possibility of the relationship not lasting
Then it would end my whole world like a polar shift
Using a metaphor to describe the depth of impact the end of the relationship would have
I'm talking 'bout your love
Stating how important the love is to the singer
Your love, keeps lifting me higher
Continuing to talk about the positive effects of being in love
Than I've ever been lifted before
Emphasizing how special and unprecedented the love is
Lyrics © Red Brick Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: WILLIAM LOBBAN-BEAN, BOBBY RAY SIMMONS, LUKE BOYD, AUTHOR UNKNOWN COMPOSER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind