Classified (CA)

About

Also known as: Luke Boyd

Classified spent the better part of a decade grinding out independent albums in Nova Scotia before most of Canada noticed him. He started his own label, Half Life Records, and produced his own records, which is how he ended up with ten albums to his name by 2005. That year's Boy Cott In the Industry brought a Juno nomination, and its video for "No Mistakes" won an MMVA for Best Rap Video. The big shift came when he signed with Sony in 2008. Self Explanatory gave him "Anybody Listening" and a place on the Canadian charts, and "Oh...Canada" went platinum. Then the self titled 2013 album hit number one in Canada, powered by "Inner Ninja", his first top ten single, which has since gone 5 times platinum and won him a Juno for Rap Recording of the Year. He later co hosted the Junos and brought in guests like DJ Premier, Snoop Dogg and Saukrates on 2016's Greatful.