This holiday weekend, rapper Saigon released the latest update in a developing story from last week. The veteran New York emcee was quoted by SOHH for comments criticizing the message of rappers including Rick Ross. The quoted included, Saigon saying, “[Rick Ross is] rapping about selling kilos of cocaine and selling drugs. This is what he’s about, this whole lifestyle saying he’s so rich and he eats shrimp every night, and y’all support this shit? Y’all broke and poor and your family’s about to get kicked out.”
After the story published, Saigon responded, claiming the comments were taken out of context. SOHH responded this weekend, releasing the audio of Saigon’s interview.
While touring in Germany, Saigon has now responded by video, explaining his purpose in the states. The rapper began a seven-plus minute video admitting, “I’m getting a lot of backlash from being very outspoken.”
Sai recalled his three-year-old daughter recently inquiring about a star rapper’s name. “This is no disrespect to Nicki Minaj or whateva, but it’s the fact that it’s so sad that in America, through Hip Hop – something we created through our struggle as Black people, my three-year-old daughter is inquisitive about what a ‘menage’ is or what it means. Because mainstream America is making a lot of money off of sellin’ sex.”
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Commenting on his relationship with Rick Ross, Saigon explained why he contacted the Miami, Florida-based rapper after the story published. “I don’t know him-know him, but me and him have a rapport. So I went on Twitter and I @’ed him; I don’t ever @ nobody,” “I said, ‘Look man, I got nothin’ but respect for you. Do you. Feed your family. But I’m in my lane, so I gotta do what I gotta do regardless.”
In the vlog, Sai clarified his point about who is behind the messages in mainstream Rap music. “It ain’t just Rick Ross, first of all. It ain’t even Rick Ross; Rick Ross is an artist. It’s [Chairman and CEO of Sony Entertainment] Doug Morris. It’s Universal Records. It’s Sony Records. It’s Radio One. It’s Clear Channel. These [artists are] pawns. These people is pawns to the same people who enslaved us,” he stated. Sony Red distributed Saigon’s 2011 release, The Greatest Story Never Told, which was released through Suburban Noize Records.
The rapper also responded to crirticism he’s faced since the story broke. “The people goin’ against me right now more than anybody are my own people,” Saigon said, believed to be referring to Black people. “Everybody else knows I’m right.”
Before previewing his new single from his forthcoming album, “Rap Vs. Real,” Saigon acknowledged his outspoken nature to be his purpose. “This is why I was put on this earth, man. I’m Malcolm X, yes. I’m Martin Luther King, yes. I’m Tupac, yes. So shoot me, try to assassinate my character, call me an idiot, do what you want. That shit don’t matter, ’cause it’s just getting started.”
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The full video is below:
RELATED:Critical Beatdown: Saigon Talks Album Ratings…Including His Own [EDITORIAL]
