East coast hip-hop legend Classified released his latest single “She Ain’t Gotta Do Much” last week. The Enfield-born rapper, who has been releasing music since 1995, is one of the biggest artists to come out of the Maritimes, having collaborated with many big-name artists like B.o.B, Buck 65, and even Snoop Dogg.
His latest single, however, leaves listeners a tad confounded. Armed with a simplistic, string-heavy, jazz-brushed beat, Classified assembles rhyme schemes and syllables into a track that champions the idea of a low-maintenance relationship, since, as he puts it, he’s almost 40.
What’s significant is that we don’t see this from Classified very much. Classified has largely been the hip-hop outlet for themes such as working hard, not letting yourself be pushed around, the importance of community, not being an asshole, and even critiquing the human race as a whole in “Noah’s Arc”, a philosophical collaboration with the appropriately named Saukrates, an Ottawa-born rap artist.
He’s also been known to frequently represent his home region in his music as well, having released “Work Away,” an anthem for East Coasters working out in Alberta, and the powerful “Powerless,” which sheds a much-needed spotlight on the harsh realities faced by indigenous Canadians.
It’s interesting, then, to see this kind of trope from the well-travelled rapper. For an artist of Classified’s reputation and aforementioned themes, it’s relatively unheard of to hear him spend an entire verse singing about sex, a topic that’s been recycled in rap music more than mathematicians and record producers probably care to keep track of.
Of course, that isn’t to say it was a bad move. In fact, Classified’s approach to this track is largely a healthy one if we draw comparisons with most other rap songs involving women. It goes to show that Classified is in a class of his own; it doesn’t matter how bad of a rep some rap themes have, you can always count on Classified to take it, add his sprinkle of spunk and chic, and turn it into something positive.
It’s by-and-large uncharted territory for ears that regularly indulge in the Nova Scotia man’s music. “She Ain’t Gotta Do Much” is certainly inconsistent with Classified’s track record (pun intended), and listeners may be curious to check out the mic veteran’s experimentation with style.