Classified: I Love It feat. Just Chase
Fluent rhymes and guest vocals plus a positive message add up to another winning cut.
By Kerry Doole
Classified: I Love It feat. Just Chase (Half Life Records/Fontana): Atlantic Canada's biggest hip-hop star, Classified, released a new EP, Time, last week, in tandem with this new single and video.
Guesting on the track is a fellow Nova Scotian artist Just Chase. His R&B-tinged vocals neatly complement Classified's typically fluent rhymes, while the lyrics offer such sage advice as "Happiness comes from the company you keep."
Co-directed by Classified himself, the music video reflects how he has matured over his two-decade career to find fulfilment in fatherhood and family life. "With this song, I really wanted to write it autobiographically,” Classified explains in a press release. "I wanted to talk about my goals in the game and reaching them. Working with my heroes and how I dealt with the fame and money I earned over the years, the relationships with friends, and what's important to me.
"With the video, I wanted to do a rough day in the life of what I do. I see my kids in the morning, I hit the studio, I have family time, I play basketball or skateboard, or motorbike with friends. I like having people over, I enjoy the company."
He enjoys company on his records too. The eight-cut Time EP includes appearances from Merkules, Just Chase, Breagh Isabel, Dax, and Snak the Ripper, while Classified (Luke Boyd) has previously collaborated with the likes of Snoop Dogg, David Myles, Tory Lanez, and Choclair.
Classified recently surpassed a major career milestone, tallying more than 150 million streams worldwide, driven in part by the viral success of his summer singles, including Good News which was featured by John Krasinsky’s hit show Some Good News, and Get Ready feat. Merkules, which surpassed 300k views in three weeks.
The much-decorated Classified has a combined 24 nominations and 8 wins between the Much Music Video Awards, Juno Awards, and East Coast Music Awards.
Links
PR: Red Umbrella/Juggernaut Sound
Agent: Tom Kemp, The Feldman Agency
Drake / Instagram