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.
Love The One You're With
Classified Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All I can do is watch while friends move out west
Thinkin' to myself, wonderin' who goes next
Kinda makes me feel like everyday I lose a step
I feel trapped and I gotta chew through the net
Now life moves on, I ain't gettin' any younger
All my high school friends all marryin' their lovers
While I'm still livin' with my mother, whateva!
Well my ___ we separate, yeah we seen better days
Had some great times and the memories never fade
But now it's time to move on and get that new job
And be happy for the friends that found true love
But by losing some friends, I think I gained some
You see, I remember where I really came from
And that is the people that been there since day one
It's called family, can't no one replace them (thanks son!)
I guess I been missin' the me
It's like I been gone without ever leaving
And now I finally see it
Disappeared for what seemed like ten light years
Searchin' for love but the whole time it's been right here
[Classified]
Yee, now I been told your friends are the family you choose
Your family you don't appreciate until you lose
'Scuse the attitude, I don't mean to kill the mood
But fuck it, I'm doin' Luke __
Do what's real for you, been growin' up
You could say I live and learn
My friends show me love and I give it in return
A lot of things have changed though
Ever since I came home
Infield isn't all sunshine and rainbows
See after high school, I never woulda ...
(I'll write the rest later)
The lyrics to Classified's song "Love The One You're With" are about the changes in life and the importance of valuing the people around us. Mic Boyd expresses his feelings of being left behind while his friends move out west and start their lives as he feels trapped and losing a step every day. He even mentions his ex-girlfriend, who is carrying another baby while he is still living with his mother, making him feel stagnant. However, he realizes that losing some friends has actually made him appreciate the people he truly cares about. The ones who have been there for him since day one, his family, are irreplaceable. He reflects on how he has been searching for love in all the wrong places, but it has been right beside him all along.
Classified's verse continues with the theme by emphasizing the importance of friends being family. He reiterates the old saying that your friends are the family you choose, and you don't appreciate your family until you lose them. He acknowledges that after he came back home, he realized that things have changed, and life isn't all sunshine and rainbows, especially in the Infield. However, his friends show him love and support, and he reciprocates that.
Overall, the song stresses the importance of valuing the people you care about and cherishing them. Life can be tough, and people come and go, but the ones who stick around and support you are the ones who truly matter.
Line by Line Meaning
All I can do is watch while friends move out west
I feel powerless as I see my friends move away to start new lives in the west.
Thinkin' to myself, wonderin' who goes next
I am constantly wondering which friend will be the next to leave.
Kinda makes me feel like everyday I lose a step
Their departures make me feel like I am losing my momentum in life.
I feel trapped and I gotta chew through the net
I am stuck in my hometown and must work hard to break free and make a life for myself.
All my high school friends all marryin' their lovers
All of my high school buddies are settling down and starting families.
My ex got a baby and she's carryin' another
My ex-girlfriend is having a second child with someone else.
While I'm still livin' with my mother, whateva!
Meanwhile, I am still living with my mom.
Well my ___ we separate, yeah we seen better days
My romantic relationship has seen better days and is now ending.
Had some great times and the memories never fade
While our relationship wasn't perfect, we shared some amazing memories.
But now it's time to move on and get that new job
It's time for me to move on and focus on my career.
And be happy for the friends that found true love
I should be happy for my friends who have found true love and happiness.
But by losing some friends, I think I gained some
Although I have lost some friends, I have also realized the true value of my family and close friends.
You see, I remember where I really came from
I am reminded of my roots and the important people who have been there with me from the beginning.
And that is the people that been there since day one
My true family and friends are the ones who have been there for me since the beginning of my life.
It's called family, can't no one replace them (thanks son!)
The love and support of family cannot be substituted by any other relationships.
Now I been told your friends are the family you choose
People often say that friends are the family you choose for yourself.
Your family you don't appreciate until you lose
I have come to realize that one can take family for granted until they are no longer around.
'Scuse the attitude, I don't mean to kill the mood
Sorry for the bad mood, I don't mean to bring everyone down.
But fuck it, I'm doin' Luke __
But whatever, I'm doing what I believe is right for me.
Do what's real for you, been growin' up
I have learned to prioritize what is truly important to me and to continue to mature.
You could say I live and learn
I have experienced a lot and have learned from my mistakes.
My friends show me love and I give it in return
I have a wonderful group of friends who love and support me, and I do the same for them.
A lot of things have changed though
Despite the constants in my life, many things have changed over time.
Ever since I came home
Since my return home, my perspective on life has shifted in many ways.
Infield isn't all sunshine and rainbows
Life in my hometown isn't always easy and happy-go-lucky.
See after high school, I never woulda ...
After graduating from high school, I never would have imagined how different my life would be now.
Contributed by London V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.