A hip-hop star, from Hants County, has been recognized alongside some of Canada’s finest in the music industry.
Enfield’s hip-hop artist Luke Boyd, professionally known as Classified, is nominated for three Juno awards this year. The East Hants native is in ranks for Rap Recording of the Year [for his album Self Explanatory], Single of the Year and Video of the Year [for his single Anybody Listening.]
Rap Recording of the Year was one nomination sort of expected but these other two were surprising, Boyd said. “I’m excited about the nominations.”
The main thought behind the song Anybody Listening was just to ask if people were actually paying attention to the lyrics or simply listening to a catchy beat, Boyd said.
“With this song, I wanted to make something upbeat … but I’d wanted it to still have substance.”
People really relate to music written from the heart because everyone goes through ups and downs in life and those same sorts of things, Boyd said. “However, I think it is almost impossible to get everyone to relate … still, I am always trying to make my next record better than the last.”
It was likely a combination of the beat; the lyrics and the people at Sony behind this project, which made this song so successful, Boyd said, “because, [my music] it’s not the typical stuff you hear playing on the radio.”
The 2010 Juno Awards; Canada’s Music Awards, will be taking place on April 12–18 in St. John’s, Newfoundland. This year will mark the 39th annual Juno Awards.
It’s important, as an artist, to stay true to yourself, Boyd said. “The Junos are the big ones [awards] I guess … but I still live the same life.”
“I still live in Enfield and I’m still the same person … I have the same friends and the same family I’m close to,” Boyd said. “Having these people around me is what keeps me grounded.”
In the future Boyd plans to continue working on his next album and is also trying to arrange more tours to look at the rest of the world. “I want the music to go further,” Boyd added.
