Click down below to see Dark Nights views on Saigon's heavily anticipated debut album!Before I get into the review of Saigon's offering to the hip-hop world, I feel it's necessary to give a shortened, yet still detailed lead up to how we got to the February 15th, release date of "The Greatest Story Never Told". Brooklyn born Saigon grew up as many young, poverty stricken minorities do. Drug infested environment, police corruption, firearms, murder, all around, and at a young age, Saigon was sent to prison for multiple assault charges. Like so many who take a state sponsored vacation to a correctional facility, Saigon used his time wisely and put his mind into play to try and correct his life. After his time in prison was up, Saigon hit the NY mixtape scene, and capitalized off the path that previous rappers like 50 Cent & Joe Budden laid out for an up and coming artist.
Saigon's music was not only hard hitting that your everyday thug could relate to, but it had a real meaning, a real passion to it. That Saigon was more than just a tough guy turned rapper, but that he really did want to make a change for the forthcoming generation. Through politically fueled songs, blistering lyricism, an air tight flow, and co-signs from the likes of Jay-Z, Nas, Q-Tip, Kool G Rap, & many other hip-hop legends, a guest spot an up and coming rapper could only dream for on HBO's "Entourage", Saigon linked up with quite possibly the best producer in hip-hop history, Just Blaze, to put his debut album out for the world to hear.
Saigon promised that his debut would be the most important hip-hop album to drop in the past 20 years, and after signing with Atlantic Records to put it out, it looked as if Saigon was going to take the throne as hip-hops lyrical king (with the retirement of Jay-Z not to long prior to the initial release dates), and that a rapper with a message was going to be a top hip-hops throne. Through numerous delays due to Atlantic refusing to put any legitimate marketing dollars into Saigon, 4 singles that received no promo (Don't Do That, Pain In My Life, Come On Baby, & Gotta Believe It respectively), a public blog fight with his best friend & producer Just Blaze, a retirement blog, a return not long after, more public feuding with Atlantic, Saigon was finally released from Atlantic in 2008, with somehow the masters to the "Greatest Story'', and after 2 street albums (Warning Shots & All In A Days Work", Saigon has finally linked with the right people (Suburban Noize Records) to tell the Greatest Story, but after 6 years of waiting, is it still worth it?
The answer to that question, is a YES! The last note before the track by track breakdown is that Saigiddy's debut is not just an everyday hip-hop album, with an assortment of tracks that don't really follow any kind of format, The Greatest Story plays like a concept album, the story of a young, jailed minority, who is teaching the youth of all the ills in the world holding back fellow minorities, as well as providing solutions along the way, and though each individual song plays out on a standalone basis, this is really the type of album that needs to be played front to back with no skips. Especially because of Just Blazes incredible transitions, but we'll get to that in just a moment.
Thing's start off with "Station Identification", where 2 nameless characters (Saigon & Just Blaze) are having a conversation in the visitor room of a prison. Just Blaze brings Saigon a clock radio for him to keep up with music/news while in the pen, and promises he'll be back next week with more books for Sai. As Sai returns to his cell, the radio dial is turned, stations are turned from (where we hear some of Saigon's classic mixtape material (Color Purple, Letter P, Favorite Things, Stocking Cap, Come Again in that order)), where we finally stop at WFKR, Just Blaze radio, where DJ Fatman Scoop informs all the listeners of the non stop party that the listeners are about to take a journey through, and how you yourself can get into the party.
The party he's referring to is "the party in the pen" which transitions into track 2, and the first real song on the album "The Invitation". This song alone was worth the 6 year wait, as a pounding Just Blaze classic kicks a hole in your speakers, and Saigon finishes it off with his lyrical assassination. For those familiar with Just Blaze's catalog, this is similar to Jay-Z's "U Don't Know" only on 6 years worth of steroids. You'll probably break your neck bobbing your head as Sai details the cocaine game that has plagued the poor areas of this country, as an invitation from the government to minorities to the prison system. "The party is in the pen, and the government is promoting it/that's the reason I don't be believing in all this voting shit/they bring the coke in this bitch/ain't no poppy seeds in the p's please/it's nothing but a whole lot of hopelessness". The entire song is one long quotable, and I wouldn't be surprised if this is still my favorite song released in 2011 by the time the year is over.
Fatman Scoop spins right into "Come On Baby" the anthem type track, is more hard bass drums & snares from Justin Blaze & a great guest verse from Jay-Z. Despite this song being available for the past 4 years, it still hits as hard as it did when it originally dropped & this is sure to get a party jumping without sacrificing lyrics in the slightest.
War comes in next, as more of an interlude than anything else with an interview from Miss Info to a rich, blue blood, as another banging Just Blaze instrumental plays in the background, and again, transitions perfect into track 5, Bring Me Down part 2. The original was a rock orientated head nodder in itself, and Just Blaze adds his two cents in this remix of the original song. The hard drums & Sai's sharp flow really bring out a real uplifting type of record, with a hook that really shines brightest here. The anthem type of feel from this track is the type of song you expect to play in a movie trailer for what would be the hottest blockbuster film of the year.
The next set of records are sort of like one, but split. "Enemies" has Saigon rapping about a person he thought was his dearest friend, but in reality was never there for him and only brought pain to his life (no pun intended), which of course, is the streets. The infectious bass line & haunting keyboard work from Just Blaze fits perfect here, as it transitions to part two, which is dubbed "Friends". A blazing sample telling you "watch out for your friends" plays in the back, as Sai continues his ode to his ex friend.
Classic hip-hop sampled production comes in the form of the title track next up. Originally supposed to be the intro, Saigon details what he rhymes out here, while viciously assaulting those who beef & make the black community look bad. Just Blaze scratches this one out, showing his DJ background never left him, as it now transitions into what I think is the best stretch of the album.
"Clap" featuring Christopher Wallace's wife Faith Evans is a beautiful, uplifting, detailed show of faith in God, and what the people of struggle need to get rid of to prosper once again. No more chinese restaurants, no more police force, or drug spots, and money buying a home rather than a new mercedes with rims on it Saigon pleads, while Faith Evans sings her heart out on the hook telling everyone to keep there head to the sky as God won't lead us in the wrong direction. Just Blaze turns the last 4 minutes of this song into an orchestral production, similar to what he did on "Why You Hate The Game", and it's cinematic the way the horns, organs, claps, choir & Faith Evans come together to uplift on the outro here.
"Reverend Cassius King" takes over as the song fades out, telling the listeners to not forgot about how much the church gives you, and to give back at least 10% as the collection plate moves along, which transitions into "Preacher". An unfinished version of this song leaked around 2007 also, and the finished version came out truly incredible. Saigon spits about the crooked church practice that is so easily exploited day after day through out America & the rest of the globe, where crooked pastors, bishops, reverend's, collect money from it's faithful visitors, to spend on there cars, high end fashion, mortgage payments & jewelry.
Maybe the most powerful song of this entire album comes next, in the Kanye West (THE OLD KANYE WEST) produced, open letter to God from Saigon, on "It's Alright". Saigon asks God why minorities have been so much struggle and when will it ever end, as so many continue to put there faith in God no matter what. The lovely Marsha Ambrosious provides vocals on the hook, and Kanye really shines bright here with his older soul sample style. The powerfully, uplifting verses are enough to bring someone who lives in that type of struggle to tears, and the final portion of this song is truly beautiful, as Saigon, Just Blaze, Fatman Scoop, & DJ Green Lantern shout out political prisoners locked down, as Just Blaze's trademark "woahoh ohhhoh" plays in the background, which serves up the powerful, beautiful, epic transition from "It's Alright" to the former single, "Believe It".
Another uplifting social commentary, another emotional, stadium type anthem from Just Blaze, and a truly paralyzing bass line, like Come On Baby before it, Believe It still bangs as hard as it did 3 years ago, and still will send chills up your spine. "Red Five (JustBlaze)" lightly auto-tunes the amazing hook, over his futuristic synths & Saigon tells the listener to never give up hope, from Greatest Story to this song, it's hard to name a better stretch of songs on any album in recent memory.
Just a glance at the names of tracks 13 & 14 you'd wonder "what's going on here"? As Fatman Scoop leaves, DJ Green Lantern takes over and introduces us to the final phase of this radio-dream Saigon has brought us along on. Spoofing the typical rapper hit, Saigon objectifies women on "Give It To Me" with a sweet talking r&b hook, over the top lyrics & simplistic wordplay, Saigon show's that what the everyday rapper does is not hard to do, and it's a look in the mirror to all those who enjoy it, as to what there actually listening too. A complete 180 happens on "What The Lovers Do", as again he parody's the typical rapper, who one moment is a hardcore sex addict who needs to penetrate anything that moves, and just one song later, he's crooning to one girl in particular who just won't give it up to him. I'll probably never listen to "Give It To Me" ever again, and "What The Lovers Do" probably won't get much rotation either, but these two songs fit well, and are needed here, as they really do show how dumb the average rapper sounds, with the hypocrisy of talking righteous for an entire record, and then having 2 completely opposite views on woman not long after.
The final chapters of this story get back to a more serious note, as Layzie Bone of "Bone, Thugs & Harmony" joins Saigon on "Better Way". An auto-biographical first person view comes here, as Sai talks about his growing up, to his struggles to stay out of prison and do whatever it takes to not return. At this point, do I really need to even speak about the production? Another banging Just Blaze instrumental.
The somber yet still uplifting tone of "Better Way" quickly fades, as Just Blaze & Buckwilds, dark haunting piano keys paint the canvas for Saigon's favorite song on the album "Oh Yeah (Our Babies)". The song starts with a quote from a young ghetto child, maybe no older than 10, explains his life experiences growing up in poverty. It's enough to bring tears to your eyes as he says "And then, in Vietnam, them people came back crazy, and I live in Vietnam, so what you think I'ma be if I live in it, and they just went and visited?". Saigon warns rappers of how badly there behavior & lyrics effect our youth, begging them to stop the negativity and change some lives rather than hurt them.
"Im filled with this realness, rappers happen to lack it/
I'm flabergasted you got a platinum plaque for that wack shit/
all the real gangstas, they on they way to being dead or in jail/
they don't make records to sell..../"
Saigon repeats himself once more, reciting the last verse A cappella, and continues to repeat himself until his alarm goes off. Falling back asleep, we hear Saigon performing "Enemies" on "And The Winner Is", with a live band in front a large crowd, with hip-hop heavyweight Bun B adding his own flavor to the earlier track. As the incredible production from Just Blaze pounds the background, Saigon is about to be announced as the winner at some high end award show for "Best Rap Performance" until a CO reminds him he was only dreaming this entire time and reminds him to get up out of his cot and get to work to repay his debt to society.
Things close with "Too Long", with 2 incredible uplifting verses from Saigon & 1 from roots wordsmith "Black Thought". The two tell the people of the ghetto that they need to get out of there situation and move onto better things, continuing the uplifting theme of the entire album.
It's been a long time in hip-hop since an album dropped where every song meant something, and wasn't there just to be there. Where all the production is on point, where every verse is strong, where every feature comes correct, and Saigon & Just Blaze have accomplished just that. With Saigon's uplifting social commentary, and Just Blazes movie score type back drops, it was as if these two were made to link up and make music together, as they really did perfect the tandem of an incredible rhymer, and a super producer. If you don't think Just Blaze is the best producer in hip-hop after listening to this album, you need to have your ears checked.
I'm not sure yet if this was the most important hip-hop album of the past 20 years, but it certainly is the best in most recent times, and I really feel that after 5 full listens, this is the first real classic hip-hop album since Lupe Fiasco's debut masterpiece "Food & Liquor". I can say this will be one of my personal favorite albums for a very long time, and some of these songs will became records that when I look back on hip-hop in 20 years, I'll tell my kids these are some of the greatest songs in hip-hop history.
The only qualm I can think of while listening to "The Greatest Story Never Told", is that I pray, Saigon doesn't stay true to his word from "Believe Me", when he states
"That's without an album out, y'all rated me/
I drop one and I'ma bout out gracefully/"
Saigon & his musical brother created an incredible piece of art with "The Greatest Story Never Told", and after the dust settles from finally dropping this gem, Saigon & Just Blaze need to continue there quest in re-shaping hip-hop music & more importantly, reaching out to the youth that really need it.
Final Rating: 5/5
Sidenote: The bonus disc that comes with Greatest Story is no slouch either, aside from the flat "I Want It All", the other 4 songs on the "EP" are all great listens, and could easily end up on greatest story if there was more room. Another must check is part 3 of Saigon's Bring Me Down series with once bitter rival Joe Budden!
