Classified has always marched to the beat of his own drum. His visceral lyrics and authentic voice have echoed the aspirations and disappointments of a whole generation. He is an artist whose ear is always close to the ground. Classified defied the industry expectation that you must live in L.A. or New York City or Toronto to make it as a rap artist. His life off the beaten track informs all his work. He has literally won every award possible for a recording artist in Canada. He has won for rap recording of the year and has also been producer of the year and studio engineer of the year.

Mark Blagrave's short fiction has appeared in several Canadian literary journals and in a collection of interlinked stories entitled Salt in the Wounds (2014). His novel Silver Salts (2008) was shortlisted for the Commonwealth First Novel Award (Canada and Caribbean) and for the John and Margaret Savage Award for First Novel. After a 35-year teaching career in universities in New Brunswick and Ontario, Mark lives and writes in Saint Andrews, New Brunswick.

Luke Boyd's profile page