LIVE: Classified Show Defends Canadian Hip-Hop Honour
Monday February 04, 2008 @ 02:30 PM
By: ChartAttack.com Staff

Feb. 1, 2008
Opera House
Toronto, ON
By Pete Richards

I can think of no Canadian MC capable of packing the Opera House to capacity in the midst of a 30-centimeter blizzard other than Classified. The Halifax MC did exactly that this past Friday, and all those who braved the storm to sell out the show were part of the proof that Canadian hip-hop is as strong as ever.

While other rappers have boasted about being the best in Canada, Classified just might actually be it right now. Serving 12 years in the starving Canadian rap game, Classified has become one of Canada's most resilient MCs with a nose-to-the-grindstone work ethic and a genuine love for hip-hop that can't be faked. And true hip-hop fans were in attendance this night to see real hip-hop at work.

The Half Life Records crew helped open the show with the extra-large DJ IV League behind the turntables warming the place up. He mentioned something about Classified's laptop which contained a bunch of material for his upcoming album being stolen on the first night of the tour in Victoria. That sucks, but on the good side, Half Life newcomer Chad Hatcher pulled off bringing a guitar to a hip-hop show and J-Bru and Mic Boyd helped prime the audience with "Makin' People Say" and "Help I Been Robbed."

It seemed like the crowd was mostly there to see Classified, though London, Ont. artist Shad had a number of supporters in attendance and did an amazing job getting everyone ready for the main event. And what a main event. When Classified hit the stage, the place erupted.

Although Class called Toronto the "screwface capital of Canada," the love he got from the crowd may have helped change his opinion. With a catalogue of hits to work with, Class ran through a bunch of 'em and kept the energy going 'til damn near last call. And even then, the crowd didn't want to see him leave. "It's Just My Opinion" and the reggae-inspired "Heavy Artillery" got the place bouncing and proved Classified has some certified classics under his belt. From older tunes like "Sound Off" right up to most recent "Fall From Paradise," fans were mouthing off his lines word for word. That loyalty was rewarded with some bonuses, as a few surprise guests made appearances to show love and perform alongside Class, including Choclair on "Unexplainable Hunger" and Eternia, who hopped onstage for an encore performance of "Just The Way It Is."

Watching Class along with back-up from J-Bru and Mic Boyd, you realize these guys have a stage presence that defines hip-hop. While some of it seemed a tad rehearsed — it's an almost 30-day tour, after all — there's nothing fake about these guys. They just come to the venue, rock the place and that's it. And when it was done, Class mingled with the crowd, chatted and had his photo taken with fans. While selling out a large venue like this may have given him a taste of celebrity, it's obvious Classified is still as down to earth and humble as ever.