Classified Brings Traditional Hip-Hop Hype to Toronto’s Opera House
On Friday, The Opera House in Toronto buzzed with a packed crowd of die-hard fans, eager to see homegrown Canadian rap legend, Classified.
An energetic performance, opened by the groovy Maestro Fresh Wes, displaying a mix of musicianship and comedic showmanship. He was excited to remind us of his role on CBC’s show Mr. D as Paul Dwyer. No stranger to the stage, he’s been releasing albums since the late 80s’. Wes had the audience following his moves, laughing at his jokes and ringing back his lyrics. His expressions and movements were captivating, from stank eyes to in-your-face body language. To tie off the opener, Classified took the stage with Maestro, high fiving his old friend and dropping a line or two before leaving the crowd wanting more. The two have been producing together since the early 2000s.
Nova Scotia-based hip-hop artist Classified has been touring since his start in the 90s. Still repping his production label, Half Life, Lucas Boyd and other group members sported large medallions engraved with the namesake. This tour is coming off the cusp of Classified’s recently released fifth major album this past October, Tomorrow Could Be the Day Things Change. He opened the show with recent hit 3 Foot Tall, amplifying the crowd and taking them Higher ft. B.O.B, singing along to melodic samples, an ode to many classic’s before him.
Always one to shed light on social problems, Classified uses his lyrics to discuss substantive issues. Topics surrounding murdered and missing indigenous women resonate in songs like Powerless, that touch upon issues of domestic abuse and gender-based violence. His partner joined him on stage to sing the vocals on his final track. A captivating move, her voice was raspy and beautiful and really brought focus to the powerful lyrics. An artist that never disappoints, people travel across the GTA to mosh and sway to this high energy classic hip-hop legend.
