While Saigonâs plight with the music industry is surely not a special case, it is still a revealing source of the intricate flaws that accompany being signed to a major label. Shelved as an artist due to marketing issues and unable to procure proper liberation from Atlantic Records, the New York rapper born Brian Carenard found himself shackled to a diminishing Rap career, a notion that was all too familiar for the former prison inmate. Five years later and finally off the label at the ripe age of 33, Saigon hopes to capture in one debut album what his peers have done in three to four releases with The Greatest Story Never Told.
As proven by his venerable mixtape past, Saigonâs ability to maneuver through various topics becomes his best asset on The Greatest Story Never Told. Whether itâs his disdain for the streets that paved a rugged road to the slammer on âEnemies,â or his aim to set a better impression for the youth with âBelieve It,â Saigonâs convictions over enticing beats reveal a man with a lot on his mind and the right medium to display these thoughts. Taking his criticism a step further, Saigon launches a verbal assault on corrupt pastors who coerce their congregation for offerings that they in turn pocket for their own good will. Channeling memories from the past, he rhymes, âWe was fucking depending on Section 8 / But always had something to put in your collection plate / It was always so strange, it was odd / To see my mom scratching up change to give it to God / I think we all knew, nobody saying shit / You was using that to pay your car payments / We was mother fucking paying your mortgage / We was living in the projects you know we couldnât afford it.â
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In a similar manner, the Yardfather tackles more troubling issues that have taken its toll in inner-city communities. Over somber production provided jointly by Kanye West and Just Blaze for âItâs Alright,â Saigon drops words of encouragement for single mothers struggling to raise their kids while Marsha Ambrosiusâ reassuring vocals bring the point home: âTo all the ladies having babies on they own / These niggaâs ainât shit ma, for real, yo you better off alone / If he ainât smart enough to know why he should stay / Then what can he possibly teach your seed anyway?â Then thereâs the grim reality check on âOh Yeah (Our Babies),â a sobering record that discusses the eventual demise for at-risk youth. Familiar with this tragic outcome, Saigon raps, âThe dramaâs pitiful, little niggaâs is homicidical / Couple meals ago shorty was eating through his umbilical / Now heâs feeling unkillable, shit is all amazing / The wrong altercation will leave his ass with a long abrasion.â
To be fair, Saigonâs approach in execution wouldnât have been as effective had it not been for veteran producer Just Blaze. In that respect, this album is as much a testament to Justâs vision as it is Sai-Giddyâs lyrical skills. From seamless transitions between tracks to molding the entire album through an alarm clock radio complete with Hip Hop personalities Fat Man Scoop, DJ Green Lantern and Miss Info, Just Blaze also delivers with some of his best production to date. Take for instance âThe Invitationâ a thunderous beat dripping with swagger and a minacious sample. Needless to say, the nod factor behind this joint is through the roof. Then, styling âClapâ, around a church theme, a choir spearheaded by R&B songstress Faith Evans harmonizes an uplifting hook that would fit right into Kirk Franklinâs next studio session. Building a grandiose backdrop, Just Blaze appropriately blends dense organ chords, lush piano keys and pulsating drums for a record that becomes an audible treat.
Sparse yet quite noticeable, the biggest pitfalls on The Greatest Story Never Told come at times when Saigon performs out of his comfort zone. Prime example; the radio-friendly record âGive It To Me.â Here we find Sai-Giddy swapping thought-provoking lyricism for material bordering on denigration. Granted, itâs not as tasteless as âFor Some Pussyâ from Warning Shots 2, but its low subject value is costly. With a more rock-oriented vibe on âBring Me Down Pt. 2,â Saigonâs delivery sounds flat compared to the explosive drums brimming throughout. In other instances, technical blunders such as the weak vocoder hook on âBelieve Itâ or the failed sample clearance on âCome On Babyâ detract from the albumâs experience. True, itâs hard to blame Just Blaze and Saigon on the latter issue as that was solely Atlanticâs job to complete, however the re-worked version here simply doesnât match the same ferocity it did with the original sample. Â
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Whether youâve been patiently waiting for five years or just recently got into Saigonâs music, The Greatest Story Never Told delivers a stimulating message that is as cautionary as it is entertaining. Likewise, the albumâs quality has stood the test of time, no small feat for an industry that changes eras every three to four years. Still rough around the edges but lyrically adept, Saigonâs mixtape glory days are now over, and the bar will inevitably be set higher for his next release. Letâs just hope the title of that project doesnât have any ironic overtones in it.