Drake And Classified's Only Thing In Common? Canada

Firestarter: Classified

may be Canada's biggest hip-hop export, but the country's rap scene was pumping way before Drizzy dropped his breakout tape So Far Gone in 2009. Kardinal Offishal, Saukrates, Choclair and Classified have all been repping Canada's rap scene with distinctively different styles.

"I met Drake many times; Drake's a really cool guy. But I think our music is two different worlds," Classified told of any musical comparisons to the Young Money star. "I think Drake lends himself towards more R&B, a lot of that sound, just the production as well, and he sings a lot too."

Classified doesn't sing (at least not well, he admits), but the Nova Scotia native spits a mean 16. Last month, Class dropped his independent, self-titled U.S. debut, though he has been releasing albums in Canada since the 1990s. The 13-track LP is filled with pure-bred hip-hop jams like the hard hitting "Anything Goes" and the inspirational "Inner Ninja." It's all very un-Drake, and all it takes is one listen to the album for fans to note the difference. "I think if anyone compares me to Drake, they haven't really listened to the music," Class said. "They just go, 'OK, they're two Canadian kids. Let's call it that.' "

Classified isn't bent out of shape about it all. He remembers in the late 1990s when he had to field comparisons to Eminem, simply because he was a white MC. "Me and Eminem are very different," he stated. "It's great to be compared to him, he's one of the greats. You just gotta listen to the music."

It's worth it.

What do you think of Classified's U.S. debut? Let us know in the comments!