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.
Feeling Fine
Classified Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Jordan Croucher:]
I, oh I'm, feelin fine
(I'm alright, alright, alright)
And I, oh I'm doin fine
(said I'm feelin fine)
Yes I am, oh ya
Now this is how the story all goes down
Give up the hoops, now I'm in the street round
Got in the booth just to lay the shit down
And let the world know about this sound
And I never ran, never will
Put in the work just to pay my bills
And everyday I struggle hard just to find
What Ive been lookin for all my life
[Classified:]
With all the madness in the world, I'm chillin and feelin fine
I'm buildin these instumentals, and kill them with brillient rhymes
It's hard to get ahead cuz we live in resiliant times
Where chill work is sellin knives, we got to be buildin minds
Oh, mr. serious, I guess I'll always feel inclined
Surround myself, only workin with the realist kind
Jordan hold it down, let the people know the deal
Comin from the Maritimes, so tell them how we feel
[Jordan Croucher:]
I, oh I'm feelin fine
(I said I'm feeling fine)
Do you feel it, can you feel it
And I, oh I'm doin fine
Yes I am, oh ya
I know its hard to make it in the business
But I'm a tryin til they say I'm missing
And if it never works out, I'm straight
I'm doin fine either way, its ok
And I, know my wrongs and the rights
Do everything to get the best of this life
And I'm a take it one day at a time
And keep striving always to survive
[Jay Bizzy:]
I'm feelin great, this beat reminds me of a summer breeze
And I cant wait to get you home to have some fun with me
If you ever feelin lonely, and you need some company
Girl, you know that I'll be down in a minute
Then we can handle business, I wanna lay this jam, its almost finished
JC and Classified, together like the Jackson 5
Too busy and the mix, of course you know the track is that
We got the bongo, sing along, y'all know how this song goes
[Jordan Croucher:]
And I, oh I'm feelin fine
Yes I am
And I, oh I'm doin fine
Yes I am, oh ya
Now that we're comin to the end of this song
I gotta let you know I'll always stand strong
Because the lessons that I learned at home
My momma told me, 'baby hold your own'
And I appreciate the love you gave
Becuase it taught me how to walk this way
Talk this way, never be afraid
And I...
I (I said I, I I)
Oh I'm, I'm feelin fine
Feelin fine, yes I am
Yes I am, I said yes I am
I (I said I, I I)
Oh I'm, I'm doin fine
Doin fine, yes I am
Yes I am, oh ya
In Classified's song Feeling Fine, the chorus, sung by Jordan Croucher, expresses a feeling of contentment and satisfaction. Croucher acknowledges that the music industry is tough to break into, but he is committed to trying his best and is accepting of the possibility that his efforts may not entirely pay off. He shares that he is learning from the lessons taught by his mother and appreciates the love he has received. In his verse, Classified reflects on the world's chaos but stays grounded and optimistic, concentrating on his music creations and rhyme skills. He acknowledges that it is challenging to succeed in these tough times but emphasizes that we need to focus on building minds rather than selling knives. Jay BIzzy's verses speak to his confidence and desire for fun, adding to the overall theme of focusing on the good things in life, even amidst adversity.
The song's lyrics have an underlying theme of perseverance and maintaining positivity no matter what the world throws at you. The chorus, with its repeated, catchy lines of "I'm feeling fine" and "I'm doing fine," serves as a reminder that despite the struggles and hardships, we can still find joy in life if we choose to focus on it.
Line by Line Meaning
I, oh I'm, feelin fine
(I'm alright, alright, alright)
I am doing well, I am content and happy with where I am in life
And I, oh I'm doin fine
(said I'm feelin fine)
Yes I am, oh ya
I am still doing well and happy with my current situation
Now this is how the story all goes down
Give up the hoops, now I'm in the street round
Got in the booth just to lay the shit down
And let the world know about this sound
And I never ran, never will
Put in the work just to pay my bills
And everyday I struggle hard just to find
What Ive been lookin for all my life
This is my story, I left basketball and turned to music to share my passion with the world. I am a hard worker, dedicated and determined to make this work
With all the madness in the world, I'm chillin and feelin fine
I'm buildin these instumentals, and kill them with brillient rhymes
It's hard to get ahead cuz we live in resiliant times
Where chill work is sellin knives, we got to be buildin minds
Oh, mr. serious, I guess I'll always feel inclined
Surround myself, only workin with the realist kind
Jordan hold it down, let the people know the deal
Comin from the Maritimes, so tell them how we feel
Despite the chaos in the world, I remain calm and happy. I work hard to make great music and I understand that it is tough times for everyone. It's time for us to stop working on things that do not better ourselves and start creating and building something new. I only work with people who are honest and authentic, like Jordan. We come from humble beginnings and so we will always appreciate the little things in life.
I know its hard to make it in the business
But I'm a tryin til they say I'm missing
And if it never works out, I'm straight
I'm doin fine either way, its ok
And I, know my wrongs and the rights
Do everything to get the best of this life
And I'm a take it one day at a time
And keep striving always to survive
The music industry is a hard one to break into, but I won't stop until I'm successful. If it doesn't work out, I'll be content with where I am. I understand that there will be ups and downs in life and I'll take each day as it comes and do everything I can to succeed
I'm feelin great, this beat reminds me of a summer breeze
And I cant wait to get you home to have some fun with me
If you ever feelin lonely, and you need some company
Girl, you know that I'll be down in a minute
Then we can handle business, I wanna lay this jam, its almost finished
JC and Classified, together like the Jackson 5
Too busy and the mix, of course you know the track is that
We got the bongo, sing along, y'all know how this song goes
Jay Bizzy adds a fun, upbeat verse that matches the vibe of the song. He's excited to finish the song, excited about his music, and even more excited to have a good time with his significant other. JC and Classified work together effortlessly, like the Jackson 5. This song is a fun, laid-back tune that people can enjoy singing along with.
Now that we're comin to the end of this song
I gotta let you know I'll always stand strong
Because the lessons that I learned at home
My momma told me, 'baby hold your own'
And I appreciate the love you gave
Becuase it taught me how to walk this way
Talk this way, never be afraid
And I...
I (I said I, I I)
Oh I'm, I'm feelin fine
Feelin fine, yes I am
Yes I am, I said yes I am
I (I said I, I I)
Oh I'm, I'm doin fine
Doin fine, yes I am
Yes I am, oh ya
As the song comes to a close, Jordan reminds us of the important lessons he learned while growing up, and how they shaped who he is today. He is grateful for the love he's received and how it has allowed him to be confident while being himself. He reassures us that he is still feeling fine and doing fine, and that he will keep pushing forward.
Contributed by Joseph B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Chindro2828
Ive heard this song a million times....and it still puts a spring in my step. A classic. Jordan Croucher needs a solo lp....did he already make one? lol...Canada whaaaat!!
Riotstarter77
There might be people who spit double time with crazy multisylibles(of which class has some aswell) but when it comes to telling a story and delivering the passion and the emotion he felt while writing it he is one of the all time greats, right up there with guru and pazzy.
Ben
I love this song it makes you feel way better in the day. I like to listen to it before i go to school
Canabaha
I agree completely, I'm so proud of this amazing talent from right here in little NS.
eric filion
Everytime i listen to a Classified song, the eargasm keep happening.
splateee
its so hard to find a rapper like Classified that raps from the HEART...
MurmVonStyles
We gotta make the scene people...we gotta buy the albums and hit up the shows! WE have to support our artists...especially the ones that aren't in the mainstream media! I went to HMV to buy hitch hikin music and it was sold out...thats a good start! XD
Josh Munroe
Sad we don’t have this kind of stuff happening anymore
WhatImFeelin
Props to Class, first heard in 2000, local record shop spinnin 'hey now' = Instant Fan! East Coast Represent
Austin McKay
Class and JC are an amazing Duo!