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.
New School / Old School
Classified Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I just came to get down, down
Yo Kayo, remember the first time we met man?
Yeah I remember that man
Yeah man we were in the club
I didn't think you were old enough to get in yet
What are you talking 'bout old head?
Don't you got like two kids?
What you even doing in the club huh?
See I'm from the new school
Me I'm from the old school
Started on a 4-track
Started with pro tools
Born in the seventies raised in the eighties
Pull your pants up, Class
Nah I like 'em baggy, your jeans are too tight son
Yeah okay dad, whatever
You say what you want but my style's much better
Snapbacks and fitteds
Scratch that I did it
You act like it's vintage, but I actually lived it
I was raised in the nineties born in eighty-eight
My intro to rap was a Slim Shady tape
Are you kidding me?
Nah man it made my battles
Me, I'm from the days of Juice and Supernaturals
What you know about that?
Not a damn thing and I never needed to
That's a grown man thing
You living in the past
Kayo! Class!
Phil! Luke!
Don't be blind to the fact
And stop trying to sing every hook on every track
What? You want me to go and get a DJ to scratch?
We come from different places on the map
And somehow we make it work just like that
I just came to get down, down
I just came to get down, get down
I just came to get down, down
Get down
From the new, from the old
From the warm, from the cold
From the north, from the south and all over the map
But somehow we make it work just like that
Remember the first time we got in the studio
And tried to sample that Beatnuts record?
You knew who the Beatnuts were!
Enough with all that, "back in my day" talk
You sound like a senile old man
Yo when I was listening to Snoop Dogg's Doggy Style
You were still watching Sesame Street
Yeah yeah, whatever man
We used to put our songs on wax and blast 'em for a year
Now they on a blog for a day and disappear
Yeah, but back then a record label did it all for you
Pro would've picked your clothes at the mall for you
Nowadays we just gotta work more
Open our own doors, and booking our own tours
And how you think you learned that, huh?
What you tryna say?
That your generation benefited from our mistakes
We had to go through the trial and errors
And build a culture for the world to hear ya
You tryna talk, but you can compare us
We just gotta accept we from different eras
We care less, careless kids who just get it
No more dreams, we just live
Who's fucking with Gretzky, Jordan, or Hulk Hogan?
Crosby, Lebron, and the Rock, old man
Swag, swag
What would you do without the internet though?
Try and understand even for a little bit grow
We come from different places on the map
But somehow we make it work just like that
I just came to get down, down
I just came to get down, get down
I just came to get down, down
Get down
From the new, from the old
From the warm, from the cold
From the north, from the south and all over the map
But somehow we make it work just like that
Man I don't even know why you argue
You came up on dudes like MC Hammer
What are you talking about?
Yo, Flo Rida right now is that what you listen to?
Dude you from Enfield, what could you possibly know about hip hop?
Enfield?
Bro you're talking about Enfield and you're from St. Lucia?
Word man, aight bro
From the new, from the old
From the warm, from the cold
From the north, from the south and all over the map
But somehow we make it work just like that
The lyrics of Classified's "New School / Old School" depict a conversation between two individuals, one representing the old school hip-hop generation and the other embodying the new school. The song highlights the clash of perspectives and experiences between the two, reflecting on the differences in upbringing, musical influences, and cultural shifts that shape their respective identities and approaches to hip-hop.
The singer reminisces about the first encounter with his friend in a club setting, where the old school mentality questions the authenticity and legitimacy of the new school individual's presence. There is a tension between the traditional values of the old school, rooted in authenticity and respect for the history of hip-hop, and the more carefree and innovative mindset of the new school, which embraces modern trends and technology.
The lyrics delve into the evolution of hip-hop from its origins in the 1980s and 1990s to the present day, highlighting the changes in production tools, fashion styles, and cultural influences that have shaped the genre. The old school individual boasts of his experiences growing up in the '80s and '90s, citing influences like Slim Shady and classic freestyle battles, while the new school individual defends his own generation's contributions and challenges the notion of living in the past.
The song explores the changing landscape of the music industry, contrasting the era of record labels and physical records with the new era of digital streaming and independent artists. It touches on themes of nostalgia, innovation, and the resilience of hip-hop as a genre that continues to adapt and thrive despite generational differences and technological advancements.
Ultimately, "New School / Old School" celebrates the diversity and unity within hip-hop, acknowledging that despite coming from different backgrounds and perspectives, both the old and new school generations contribute to the rich tapestry of the genre. The lyrics reflect on the challenges and triumphs of each era while emphasizing the importance of mutual respect and understanding in bridging the generation gap and keeping the spirit of hip-hop alive.
Line by Line Meaning
I just came to get down, down
I am here to have a good time and enjoy myself
Yo Kayo, remember the first time we met man?
Hey Kayo, do you recall our first encounter?
What are you talking 'bout old head?
Why are you calling me old?
See I'm from the new school
I am part of the modern generation
Are you kidding me?
Are you joking?
Kayo! Class! Phil! Luke!
Calling out to friends in the conversation
We come from different places on the map
We have diverse backgrounds and experiences
Remember the first time we got in the studio
Recalling the initial studio session
Yeah yeah, whatever man
Dismissing the conversation with indifference
Nowadays we just gotta work more
In the present, we have to put in more effort
You sound like a senile old man
You are sounding like a forgetful elderly individual
We care less, careless kids who just get it
We are carefree young individuals who understand things easily
Swag, swag
Expressing confidence or style
From the new, from the old
Representing both modern and traditional influences
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Brian Arthur Pelrine, David Christensen, Filbert Gabriel Salton, Luke Boyd
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Colin Harnack
🙏🙏🙏🙌🙌🙌🍁🍁🍁🍁 CALGARY 4LYFE <3
Philip
I was there in the first row