David Myles, Classified reflect on hit song 'Inner Ninja' more than a decade after its release

A New Brunswick singer-songwriter and a Nova Scotia rapper both have brand new music coming out this spring more than a decade after they teamed up to make a song that would connect them for life.

“Inner Ninja” by Classified featuring David Myles went six-times platinum and earned them their first JUNO Award in 2013 for Rap Recording of the Year.

The pair say they still remain close friends and collaborators.

“It’s hard to believe, and we still talk every day pretty much,” Myles says.

“We still like each other,” Classified joked.

Both men are currently working on new albums at the same time.

“We’ve been doing it, basically, in parallel,” Myles says. “He’s been making his record, I’ve been making mine in the studio in Fredericton, and we’ve been building these tracks up and we’re like an emotional support group for each other as we’re coming to the end now, it’s hilarious.”

Myles was shooting a music video in Halifax this week and Classified was there for support.

“It’s more like a trusted voice,” Myles says. “So I know he can be in the back watching what’s going on and I can look to Luke and be like, ‘Looks cool?’ he’s going to be like, ‘Its cool,’ and I trust him.”

Myles’ upcoming record is called “Devil Talking” and he released its first single earlier this month.

“It’s called ‘Break Free.’ It’s like an upbeat song, but the lyrics is kind of more sensitive, I guess,” he says. “It really is about kind of not being able to be honest about the pain that we hold.”

Classified also recently dropped the first track from his latest album “Luke’s View” called “All Wrong.”

“I started writing more about reflection,” he says. “Looking back on when I moved into the city and friends I hung with and trying to remember that last time you were hanging with these people and how you don’t ever know what that last time is until it’s all over.”

The single comes with a music video that takes viewers on a journey to places that have impacted Classified’s life.

“Whether it was my job at the MT&T building, my first apartment with my first girlfriend, all these different things, so it’s almost a story inside of a story,” he says.

Myles says he can relate to the message behind “All Wrong” — especially when it comes to the Inner Ninja song.

“It’s funny, when you hear about (Classified) talk about those moments, I do feel like 11 years ago that song, you’re just ripping though it and it’s exactly the same thing — you don’t realize until later that you’re like, ‘what a journey, like what a trip.’”

“It don’t feel like 11 years ago, it’s crazy,” Classified agreed. “What a moment that was.”

Myles’ album comes out May 24, while Classified’s comes out a month earlier on April 19.

“I had to get the jump on him,” the rapper joked.

Myles has shows coming up in March in Saint John, Truro, Moncton and Summerside.

Classified will be performing in Saint John with Ice Cube in March as well, with more announcements on the way.