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.
Beatin' It
Classified Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yo, plug that in over there
Turn on the turn table, let the needle touch the record
I'll find the right sound I'm use to coping under pressure
You dig, you look, you skip tracks and skip back
Take pieces of old music mix match and flip tracks
After that you spit rap to get ads, and hit a**
Ya, ya that's it right there
Now let me loop that in the sampler, piano piece caught my ear
Gimmie a sec, nothin better than a piano loop
Let me get this perfect, let me pitch it up a bit
A little faster might be worth it
Ya, ya, ok, 73 beats per minute, it still don't loop right
Let me try it 74, and that should make it loop tight
There we go, now this sample bumpin hard
Soundin like mythotical fairytales, or somethin dark
It's giving me ideas already, the moods, the melody
Oh s**t, I'm losin track, wait, the beat still needs developing
Alright, I got my sample, so now I need a drum kit
Let me try out this one kick, ya that's somethin I can run with
Now I figure out a pattern like running plays and maddin
Let the kicks sit on the sample, make magic like Aladdin
And now I need a snare, so let me try this here
Nah, it's too dirty, the kick's too clear, it doesn't mix right
So let me try this rim shot, a little bit of hand clap, to give it a touch of hiphop
Ok, that kinda work, ya I like that
Maybe add some cymbals, nah f**k it, don't need no high hat
But maybe add a shake of somethin slick and smooth like (sound)
Loop that, cut it, and make it move right
Ok I need a joint
Yo pass that over
Just one puff
Just wanted to get something in my head, you know
Take me somewhere else before I drop this back
Ya I drop the drum now, listen how the drum sound
It's almost there, but this aint done, and I aint tryin to jump the gun now
Track is soundin ripe, but I aint finished man, this take time
Still adjustin levels and gotta filter out the baseline
Like, just turn the highs way down, there we go
Now I got my base sound, drop the beat again
Ya that soundin better now, drum is soundin crisp
Base is thick, ya the base is thick so now what could I lace wit it?
Guess I'll put a change in it, rearrange a bit, add some things
And take you to another place wit it, music is moods
Don't matter how it's produced, don't matter what tool you use
Or the instruments that you choose (nope)
It's all about listen, I can switch right quick
From laid back, to hype s**t
Wit a drum roll, crash, and a tight kick
Bring back the piano, switch between your two samples
Turn up the clap, and piano shakers to the left channel
Ya it's workin, almost sound complete
But I probably wont be using it, Jordan, you want this beat?
[Jordan Croucher:]
Ya I kinda like the way this beat is flowin out
Maybe later on I'll write some s**t and put it down
And I know, oh s**t, yo yo hold on, hold on, hold on
Let me get that back, hold on, hold on
Ya I kinda like the way this beat is flowin out
Maybe later on I'll write some s**t and put it down
And I know, that this could be the sound, oh ya
Ya, ya that'll do it
Something like that yo
Aight
We'll do somethin like that, that's the riff right there
I'm feelin that man, thatll work
Ya, ya
Aiight I'll finish this beat up, I'll burn it off for ya
Just give me a couple more minutes
In "Beatin' It," Canadian rapper Classified takes us through his creative process of making a beat. He starts by finding the right sound by digging through old music and mixing and matching different tracks. Once he finds a piano piece that catches his ear, he loops it in the sampler and works on perfecting it. He then finds a drum kit and figures out a pattern, making the kicks sit on the sample to create a magical sound. He adds a snare and a touch of hip hop with a rim shot and hand clap. Finally, after adjusting levels and filtering out the baseline, he creates a beat that Jordan Croucher, featured on the song, likes and could potentially collaborate on.
The lyrics of "Beatin' It" show us the intricate and methodical process of beat-making. Classified takes us through his creative journey step by step, showing us the importance of listening to different sounds and finding what works together. The song also highlights the collaborative process of music-making, as well as the importance of experimenting with different sounds and taking as much time as necessary to perfect a beat.
Line by Line Meaning
Jus gimme a sec I gotta make some beats
I need some time to create music
Yo, plug that in over there
Connect that music equipment to that spot
Turn on the turn table, let the needle touch the record
Activate the record player and put the needle on the record
I'll find the right sound I'm used to coping under pressure
I am accustomed to handling stress to select the perfect sound for the beat
You dig, you look, you skip tracks and skip back
You search through music tracks, going back and forth, trying to find the perfect sample
Take pieces of old music mix match and flip tracks
Using parts of old songs and combining them in a new way to create a unique sound
After that you spit rap to get ads, and hit a**
After finding the right sound, the artist creates rap lyrics to impress and entertain listeners
Ya wait, what's that, ya the piano part, bring it back
Wait, hold on, there's something in the music that caught my attention, bring that piano part back
Ya, ya that's it right there
That's the perfect musical element I was looking for
Now let me loop that in the sampler, piano piece caught my ear
I'll use the sampler to repeat that piano sound that I really like
Gimmie a sec, nothin better than a piano loop
I need some time to perfect this piano loop, it's worth the wait
Let me get this perfect, let me pitch it up a bit
I need to adjust the pitch of the sample to make it perfect
A little faster might be worth it
Speeding up the sample may produce a better sound
Ya, ya, ok, 73 beats per minute, it still don't loop right
The current tempo of the loop isn't working, so I'm experimenting with different beats per minute
Let me try it 74, and that should make it loop tight
Adjusting to a tempo of 74 beats per minute should make the loop perfect
There we go, now this sample bumpin hard
Now the sample is pumping and has a great sound
Soundin like mythical fairytales, or somethin dark
The sound has a distinct tone, like something from a fairytale or something dark
It's giving me ideas already, the moods, the melody
The sound is inspiring me, creating different moods and melodies in my mind
Oh s**t, I'm losin track, wait, the beat still needs developing
I got off track because the sample is so good, but I need to focus on developing the rest of the beat
Alright, I got my sample, so now I need a drum kit
I have my main sample, now I need to find the right drum sounds to accompany it
Let me try out this one kick, ya that's somethin I can run with
This is a good kick drum sound, I can work with this
Now I figure out a pattern like running plays and maddin
I am creating a pattern, similar to planning running plays in sports
Let the kicks sit on the sample, make magic like Aladdin
By combing the kick with the sample, I am creating something magical like in the movie Aladdin
And now I need a snare, so let me try this here
Now I need to find the right snare drum sound to add to the beat
Nah, it's too dirty, the kick's too clear, it doesn't mix right
This snare sound doesn't work with the kick drum sound, it creates a conflicted blend
So let me try this rim shot, a little bit of hand clap, to give it a touch of hiphop
To bring the hip hop sound I'm looking for, I will try combining the rim shot with a hand clap
Ok, that kinda work, ya I like that
That combination is good, it produces the sound I am looking for
Maybe add some cymbals, nah f**k it, don't need no high hat
I thought about adding cymbals, but ultimately the high hat doesn't fit well with the other sounds
But maybe add a shake of somethin slick and smooth like (sound)
I might try adding a subtle sound effect that has a slick and smooth feel to it
Loop that, cut it, and make it move right
I'll loop this sound and edit it to make it flow perfectly with the rest of the beat
Ok I need a joint
I want to smoke marijuana to change my perspective and help with my creativity
Yo pass that over
Can you hand me the joint?
Just one puff
I only need one inhale to feel the effects
Just wanted to get something in my head, you know
I just want to calm my mind and enhance my creative process
Take me somewhere else before I drop this back
The marijuana is taking me to a different state of mind, but I don't want to abandon the beat I'm working on
Ya I drop the drum now, listen how the drum sound
I'll stop the drum beat for a moment, so I can hear how the other sounds stand on their own
It's almost there, but this ain't done, and I ain't tryin to jump the gun now
The beat is almost complete, but I don't want to rush the process and officially call it done yet
Track is soundin ripe, but I ain't finished man, this take time
The production sounds promising, but I still need to put more work into it to make it complete
Still adjustin levels and gotta filter out the baseline
I'm still making sure the levels of each sound are perfect and need to filter the baseline for a better sound
Like, just turn the highs way down, there we go
I need to lower the levels of the higher frequency sounds for the right balance of sounds
Now I got my base sound, drop the beat again
I have finalized the sound mix for the baseline, now let me try the drum beat with the new sound
Ya that soundin better now, drum is soundin crisp
The new baseline sound has really improved the overall sound, and the drumbeat is becoming clearer
Base is thick, ya the base is thick so now what could I lace wit it?
The new baseline is very deep and strong, so I need to find something that will match and enhance it
Guess I'll put a change in it, rearrange a bit, add some things
I'll make some changes to the beat, reorganize it a little and add other elements to create a better sound
And take you to another place wit it, music is moods
By making these changes, I am creating a new mood that the beat will convey
Don't matter how it's produced, don't matter what tool you use
The process of creating music is not important, nor is the equipment used. The result is what matters
Or the instruments that you choose (nope)
The specific musical instruments chosen do not matter for the end result
It's all about listening, I can switch right quick
The key to music is listening and being able to change quickly if needed
From laid back, to hype s**t
Music can go from a relaxed, calm state to a more intense, hype state
Wit a drum roll, crash, and a tight kick
By adding the right drum sounds, a beat can become more powerful and intense
Bring back the piano, switch between your two samples
I'll bring back the piano sound and alternate between the two different samples for a more dynamic sound
Turn up the clap, and piano shakers to the left channel
By adjusting the volume and positioning of certain sounds, the beat is becoming more complete
Ya it's workin, almost sound complete
The modifications have made the beat almost complete and it is sounding great
But I probably won't be using it, Jordan, you want this beat?
Even though the beat is sounding great, the artist may not use it. Jordan, would you like to use it?
Ya I kinda like the way this beat is flowin out
I really enjoy the way this beat is coming together
Maybe later on I'll write some s**t and put it down
I might come back to this beat later and try writing lyrics to go along with it
And I know, oh s**t, yo yo hold on, hold on, hold on
I have an idea for the beat and need to pause the conversation to hear it clearly
Ya, ya that'll do it
That idea for the beat is perfect, it will complete it
Something like that yo
The idea I have will make this beat even better
We'll do somethin like that, that's the riff right there
We will use that idea and make it a part of the beat, that's the perfect addition
I'm feelin that man, that'll work
I really like that new addition, it will work perfectly with the rest of the beat
Aiight, I'll finish this beat up, I'll burn it off for ya
I will finalize the beat and make a copy for you to keep
Just give me a couple more minutes
I just need a few more minutes to complete the beat
Contributed by Miles D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
sweetmonkeylove1
This drove me crazy for years. The piano sample is Tom Waits Ice Cream Man. This drove me seriously nuts for a long, long time.
Matt Yianakis
Seriously man, thanks. It also drove me crazy.
Pale Horse Rider
the masses are missing out on this work of art.
blubb
Can't belive that this guy aint famous? seriously Classified is fucking awesome!
MusicsDope 87
A favorite Classified track for sure.
Chronic Cast
he pulled it out at his show last night in Ottawa. Absolutely made my night
jaydog1953
This is actually hot. Good job, son. It demonstrates the artistry and creativity of beat making.
Jon292
we need more of this today.. Keep It Up Classified
carl1212
Great concept for a song and really well executed. A masterclass.
Jrm_wm
And why don’t we have more artists like this?!?!? This is a “class”ic!