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.
Ain't Hard To Find
Classified Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
but then what we had got fucked up
we grew along but in my heart i still love ya
back at the start i thought it last so long
went by so fast, now it feels like the passion is gone
everything i loved about you just got pissed away
and it really gets to me cause i miss them days
you was modest, honest, pretty much a goddess
you never thought less of a jobless pothead
and even though i couldn't get you cards or chocolate
you put up with my nonsence day after day
you were one of the type you don't let get away
shit we used to looped together
i remember the time you was so sick, we almost puked together
your mood was better than
but who would've knew what we had we would soon lose forever
damn, i still love ya
You left, you were like my sunshine you were to young for love but i knew you'd be mine had to let you go and move on with my life now i got you back aint no leaving this time and i know i can always rely and i know you'll be keeping me high now i wont let you go cause i know i learned my lesson. I know i cant take it serious i gotta know if your feeling us, this time of love aint hard to find but i know your always on my mind. I know i cant take it serious cause i know that your feeling us, this time of love aint hard to find but i know your always on my mind.
yeah, i'm going through the same thing right now man
i gotta say something on this one
okay, yeah, i know
i said wouldn't do it, but i did it
and now i got me wishin the position was switchin
never no hugs, no tounge, never kissin
but keep fuckin with it since the first day i hit it
the minute that talked i would listen
you made the way that i walk a little different
i like your vibe, like the way the that you feel
you had style from the start, now you payin my bills
i gotta love it, yeah i'm a little obsessed
and i confess without you i feel a little depressed
the wifes had it, sick of giving you my attention
really, i see her point, but it was never my intention
i'm always talking and bringing you up
like yo, check this, is she amazing or what
and the phatter that you get, the better, i can't complain
the mistress in my life, music before the fame
i love it
You left, you were like my sunshine you were to young for love but i knew you'd be mine had to let you go and move on with my life now i got you back aint no leaving this time and i know i can always rely and i know you'll be keeping me high now i wont let you go cause i know i learned my lesson. I know i cant take it serious i gotta know if your feeling us, this time of love aint hard to find but i know your always on my mind. I know i cant take it serious cause i know that your feeling us, this time of love aint hard to find but i know your always on my mind.
In Classified's song "Ain't Hard To Find," he talks about his past relationship and how he never took it seriously. He reflects on how everything he loved about his partner got screwed up and he misses the days when she was honest, modest, and not bitchy or heartless. The relationship went by so fast, and now he feels like the passion is gone. However, he still loves her and can't get over the fact that what they had is now lost forever. Even though he was jobless and couldn't afford to buy her gifts, she put up with him and his nonsense on a daily basis. He remembers the time when they were sick together and almost puked together, and how he wishes they could loop together again.
The song also talks about how he moved on with his life and let her go, but now that he has her back, he won't let her go again. He knows that he can count on her to keep him high and that she's always on his mind. He confesses that he's a little obsessed with her and without her, he feels a little depressed. He compares his mistress in life to music before the fame and how he loves her.
Overall, the song tells a story of a past relationship that went wrong and how the artist wishes he could go back to those happy times. He reminisces about the good times they shared, and even though the relationship ended, he still loves her.
Line by Line Meaning
yeah, i know never took it serious
I didn't take our relationship seriously in the past.
but then what we had got fucked up
But things didn't go as planned, and our relationship got messed up.
we grew along but in my heart i still love ya
We have both grown apart, but I still have feelings for you in my heart.
back at the start i thought it last so long
At the beginning of our relationship, I believed it would last forever.
went by so fast, now it feels like the passion is gone
Time flew by so quickly, and now the spark in our relationship is gone.
everything i loved about you just got pissed away
All the things I loved about you have disappeared and faded away.
and it really gets to me cause i miss them days
It makes me sad because I miss the good old days when we were happy together.
you was modest, honest, pretty much a goddess
You were humble, truthful, and nearly perfect in my eyes.
the farthest thing from bitchy or heartless
You were never cruel or cold-hearted towards me.
you never thought less of a jobless pothead
You accepted me for who I was, even when I was unemployed and smoked weed.
and even though i couldn't get you cards or chocolate
Even though I couldn't afford to buy you fancy gifts like cards or chocolates.
you put up with my nonsence day after day
You tolerated my foolishness and silliness every day.
you were one of the type you don't let get away
You were the kind of person that I cannot let go of easily.
shit we used to looped together
We used to hang out and have fun together.
i remember the time you was so sick, we almost puked together
I recall the time when you were so ill that we almost vomited together.
your mood was better than
You were in a better mood than before.
but who would've knew what we had we would soon lose forever
But we didn't know that we would lose what we had forever.
damn, i still love ya
Despite everything, I still have feelings of love for you.
i know i cant take it serious
I know I can't be too serious in my current relationship.
i gotta know if your feeling us
I need to know if you feel the same way about our relationship.
this time of love aint hard to find
It's not difficult to find love in this day and age.
but i know your always on my mind
But I always have you on my mind.
you left, you were like my sunshine you were to young for love but i knew you'd be mine
You left, and it felt like you took away my source of happiness. I thought you were too young, but I knew we were meant for each other.
had to let you go and move on with my life
I had to let you go and try to continue with my life without you.
now i got you back aint no leaving this time
Now that we are together again, I won't let you go this time.
and i know i can always rely
I know I can always count on you.
and i know you'll be keeping me high
And I know you will keep me happy and content.
now i wont let you go cause i know i learned my lesson
Now I won't let you go because I've learned my lesson and realized how important you are to me.
the wifes had it, sick of giving you my attention
My wife has had enough with me constantly giving you my attention.
really, i see her point, but it was never my intention
I understand where she's coming from, but I never meant to hurt her.
i'm always talking and bringing you up
I'm always mentioning you and talking about you.
like yo, check this, is she amazing or what
I always say things like, "Check her out, she's amazing, isn't she?"
and the phatter that you get, the better, i can't complain
And the more popular and successful you become, the better I feel. I have nothing to complain about.
the mistress in my life, music before the fame
Music is like a mistress in my life, and it has always come before my fame.
Contributed by Amelia C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.