Have we been here before: Saigon
There are few artists like Saigon. Hood born and prison raised, his politically charged lyrics reminded some of a young Nas. From his first single, Saigon has been called one of the best emcees in NYC. He had what appeared to be one of the best set-ups in music history when he signed with Atlantic. His album was produced entirely by super producer Just Blaze who financed most of the album himself.
Yet after 4 years on the shelf, endless mixtape appearances and a small role on Entourage, Saigon parted ways with Atlantic, never releasing his “Greatest Story Never Told”
But don’t think that the yard father is down for the count. His “Greatest Story Never Told” is still in his possession, ready for release when he says ready. In the mean time, his E1 release “Warning Shots” pt.2 will make people remember his name.
WOTS: How did you get to E1?
Saigon: That’s a good a question. I actually found out online. I think they did a situation with Amalgam. I had a situation with Amalgam. E1 came in and did their own situation with Amalgam. So I looked online one day and it said, “E1 signs Saigon and Joe Budden” Actually it was a good thing. At the end of the day we have one common purpose and that’s to put the album out. I think the more people that are involved the better.
WOTS: What’s going to happen to “Greatest Story Never Told” fans assumed that your first album release was going to be that?
Saigon: The Atlantic album is in my face. Me and Just Blaze went and did a whole album. To this day know one has ever done a whole album with Just Blaze. He went all these years without number one records and then he had like four in a row all while I was working with him. I got the chance to see that see him for from Just Blaze the producer to Just Blaze the super producer. He came out of his pocket for the album for features when Atlantic was saying the budget was over. He was flying his self all over the country to make this happen. I’d rather see it become the “Biggest Story Never Told” then just throw it out there?
WOTS: So what is “Warning Shots”
Saigon: When I first got into the game I would put out street albums on my own. They did so well. One of them was “Warning Shots” I thought it deserved a sequel. We sold more than people who had real albums. So Warning Shots part. 2 is coming out October 6th Its going to show people a more mature Saigon.
WOTS: Who did you work with on “Warning Shots” pt.2
Saigon: I worked with Just Blaze on two tracks. I got Buckwild on there with a song called “Aye, Aye, Aye” Scram Jones one of the best producer he’s on there. Ransom, my artist G_Martin Soul, Grand Puba, Quan, Oj the Juiceman.
WOTS: Oj the Juiceman?
Saigon: Yeah we did the nigga anthem. Females determine what’s hot in hip-hop right now. It’s never really been like that. I think we need to bring our shit back. I need a nigga anthem, so that what we did. This joint aint about yall. Yall can get it in the rest of the night with Wayne and Drake, but right now, that Saigon Oj record come on, that’s our 3 minutes in the club.
WOTS: For the most part, people know you more from drama than music. Why do you think that they media gravitates to who you are talking about rather than what your rhyming about?
Saigon: You gotta understand. I’m very out spoken. When your in this business, you’re under a microscope. You can do a 4 hour interview and what you gonna see in bold face is anything that’s going to draw attention. I’m waiting for a day that they do an interview and the put in bold face the fact that I work with a foundation and all these kids that were helping. Instead of saying, “Saigons said this niggas is wack” and that could be a short conversation. But when I speak about other things they go over that. They call it a game for a reason.
WOTS: So what’s going to be different now?
Saigon: After all these years I never really played the game. You got to get in the game to win. When you approach this shit with honor, you see that there is none. These no honor among theives and ll these guys are thieves. When you come with principals and you dealing with people who are snakes and they’ll do anything for a dollar, then you cant win. They’ll cut you in a minute. That’s when you can get ahead.
I did a song called, “Favorite Things” that is what really made major labels pay attention. Some shit where I jacked somebody elses melody and just put my own words to it. That was the song that got me the publishing deal and the money. Then after that, I dropped a song like Color Purple and Kiss the Babies, and I’m dropping songs like that and I’m just another conscious rapper. I start talking about the balck youth and the destrcution in our communities and they said “Fuck this nigga” they gave me their ass to kiss. He don’t wear a double breasted blazer, fuck him
WOTS: You work with a foundation that helps out kids. Recently you worked with “In Arms Reach” in Harlem for kids with parents in prison. Does it bother you when you don’t hear people speak about that?
Saigon: A lot of artists don’t really recognize the importance of our future. They market hip-hop to kids. They selling this to our babies. 106 and Park is for the kids. We need to be teaching out kids the importance of going to school everyday, especially in a recessioon. And preparing yourself for what society is going to give you as you turn 21, 25 cause its just going to get harder the older you get. Theres responsibilites when youre not under your mothers roof. You have to compete with kids who are coming for the suburbs and black kids from different neighborhoods.. Going into the world without an education is like going into the jungle without a gun. You’re going to die. When we tell these kids that we gangsters and that you should look up to gangsters. We need to make these kids feel like education is cool. The same way we make drug dealing look cool, we need to make smart look cool.
WOTS: Will we ever see the release of “Greatest Story Never Told”
Saigon: Soon. I’ve been saying this shit for years, but I really believe it this time. I just hooked up with a very influential person in the industry and they been showing a lot of interest. At this point I’m like, “Shit or get off the toilet” and so far they been shitting. I think were going to soon see.
WOTS: You got to let us know something! Is it Jay? Is it 50?
Saigon: (laughs) I cant say. They telling me its ok to say, but I don’t want to get people excited and then nothing happens. When I know its definite then I’ll say something. I’ve done this way too many times before when I speak and then something else happens and I look like a dummy. I’m just going to wait till all the dominoes are straight. I can say this, you’re going to see a lot more of me than you ever saw before.
“Warning Shots” drops October 6th on E1 myspace.com/saigonthayardfather
Sphere: Related Content
About Mehka
