Lucas Boyd in Concert
Canadian producer and rapper Classified has been churning out anthemic beats and laying down scorching lyrics since the mid-1990s, amassing impressive awards and beloved albums along the way. Classified — né Lucas Boyd — was born in 1977 in Nova Scotia, Canada. In 1995, in his late teens, he started Half Life Records and released his fiery first LP, ‘Time's Up, Kid.' He released albums fairly consistently on his label until almost a decade later, when he would sign to URBNET Records to release ‘Trial & Error' in 2003. But it was with 2009's ‘Self Explanatory,' which saw him sign to Sony Music Canada, that he would start to blow up, reaching No. 25 on Billboard's Canadian Albums Chart. That album also landed him three Juno award nominations. Additionally, ‘Self Explanatory' single "Oh...Canada" peaked at No. 14 on the Canadian Hot 100 and went Platinum for digital downloads. Finally, after 20 years in the game, Classified reached No. 1 on the charts with 2013's ‘Classified,' which also went Platinum; single "Inner Ninja" scored him his first Top 10 hit, also winning a Juno award for "Rap Recording of the Year." 2016's ‘Greatful' had a particularly old-school feel, channeling his early days as a ‘90s producer, especially in the funky layers of "No Pressure (feat. Snoop Dogg)" and in the laid-back vibes of "Noah's Arc."
His performances are pretty much straight fire, and he's opened for a list of hip-hop giants, including Nas, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, Nelly, and more. His music videos, many of which he releases through VideoFACT, are particularly lauded, with 2009's "Anybody Listening" winning "Best Hip-Hop Video of the Year" at the MuchMusic Video Awards, an award he also won for "No Mistakes" and multiple other singles. In fall 2018, Classified embarks on a headlining tour through Canada in support of his latest EP release, ‘Tomorrow Could Be...'
