Classified — Hitch Hikin' Music

As Classified cleverly claims, "I represent Canada/Where everybody say 'A' like Juelz Santana does." Indeed, on his Cancon-taminated eighth album, the Nova Scotian MC does everything short of offering the Corner Gas cast guest verses. He joins Instant Star rap-tor Maestro Fresh Wes for a bumping buddy track ("Hard To Be Hip Hop") and recruits former Canadian Idol crooner Jordan Croucher to lay a cool, confident chorus on the radio-humping "Feeling Fine (Remix)." At the same time, Class tips his toque to our southern neighbours with Yankee guest spots (Tha Liks' Tash drops a rhyming AA testimonial over Class' cool clinking-bottles beat on "Cazual Drinking") and Kanye-esque beats. In particular, the marching, militaristic drums and ominous backing vocals on "Believe It Or Not" simulate the sound of Jesus walking through Nova Scotia, while countless other tunes rest on high-speed helium-infused vocal samples. But, regardless of its geography, Classified has crafted a universally appealing hip-hop record full of tight beats and earthy but interesting everyman lyrics.

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