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| {{about|a musical album|other uses|The Greatest Story Never Told (disambiguation)}} | {{about|a musical album|other uses|The Greatest Story Never Told (disambiguation)}} | ||
| {{Cleanup bare URLs|date=August 2022}} | |||
| {{Infobox album | {{Infobox album | ||
| | name = The Greatest Story Never Told | | name = The Greatest Story Never Told | ||
| Line 12: | Line 13: | ||
| | length = 79:00 | | length = 79:00 | ||
| | label = ] | | label = ] | ||
| | producer = ] <small>(also ])</small>, ], ], D. Allen, DJ Corbett, ], ], ], SC, Spanky, ] | | producer = ] <small>(also ])</small>, ], ], D. Allen, DJ Corbett, ], ], ], SC, Spanky, ] | ||
| | prev_title = | | prev_title = | ||
| | prev_year = | | prev_year = | ||
| Line 22: | Line 23: | ||
| | single1 = ] | | single1 = ] | ||
| | single1date = July 14, 2007 | | single1date = July 14, 2007 | ||
| | single2 = |
| single2 = Bring Me Down | ||
| | single2date = |
| single2date = November 9, 2010 | ||
| | single3 = |
| single3 = The Greatest Story Never Told | ||
| | single3date = |
| single3date = January 11, 2011 | ||
| | single4 = |
| single4 = Clap | ||
| | single4date = |
| single4date = 2011 | ||
| }} | }} | ||
| }} | }} | ||
| '''''The Greatest Story Never Told''''' is the debut ] by American rapper ], released February 15, 2011 on ]. The album was initially scheduled to be released in 2007, but experienced numerous delays due to issues with Saigon's previous label ]. Although primarily produced by Just Blaze, ''The Greatest Story Never Told'' features additional production from several renowned producers, such as ], ] and ], with guest appearances from ], ], ], ] and ], among others.<ref name=megatron>Just Blaze (June 14, 2007) The Megatron Don. Accessed November 21, 2007.</ref> | '''''The Greatest Story Never Told''''' is the debut ] by American rapper ], released February 15, 2011 on ]. The album was initially scheduled to be released in 2007, but experienced numerous delays due to issues with Saigon's previous label ]. Although primarily produced by Just Blaze, ''The Greatest Story Never Told'' features additional production from several renowned producers, such as ], ] and ], with guest appearances from ], ], ], ] and ], among others.<ref name=megatron>Just Blaze (June 14, 2007) The Megatron Don. Accessed November 21, 2007.</ref> | ||
| In its opening week, ''The Greatest Story Never Told'' entered on the ''Billboard'' 200 at number 61, selling 11,000 copies. In its second week, the album sold an additional 4,800 copies, bringing its total sales to around 16,000.<ref name="ALLEN JACOBS">{{cite web|title=Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 3/2/2011|url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.14259/title.hip-hop-album-sales-the-week-ending-2-27-2011|work=Hip Hop DX|publisher=Complex Media Network|accessdate=March 2, 2011|author=ALLEN JACOBS|date=March 2, 2011}}</ref> As of March 6, 2011, the album has sold 19,000 copies in the United States. Upon its release, ''The Greatest Story Never Told'' received rave reviews from music critics and hip hop publications, who complimented the album's intellectual lyrics, soulful production, and overall cohesiveness. | In its opening week, ''The Greatest Story Never Told'' entered on the ''Billboard'' 200 at number 61, selling 11,000 copies. In its second week, the album sold an additional 4,800 copies, bringing its total sales to around 16,000.<ref name="ALLEN JACOBS">{{cite web|title=Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 3/2/2011|url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.14259/title.hip-hop-album-sales-the-week-ending-2-27-2011|work=Hip Hop DX|publisher=Complex Media Network|accessdate=March 2, 2011|author=ALLEN JACOBS|date=March 2, 2011}}</ref> As of March 6, 2011, the album has sold 19,000 copies in the United States. Upon its release, ''The Greatest Story Never Told'' received rave reviews from music critics and hip hop publications, who complimented the album's intellectual lyrics, soulful production, and overall cohesiveness.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}} | ||
| == Background == | == Background == | ||
| In the late 1990s, Brian "Saigon" Carenard was sentenced to jail time at |
In the late 1990s, Brian "Saigon" Carenard was sentenced to jail time at Napanoch's Eastern Correctional Facility, serving a sentence for first-degree assault after shooting at someone in a bar.<ref name="Mlyner"/> One day, while in the recreation yard, Brian met a fellow inmate named Hakim, who rapped and had a reputation for incorporating positive messages, and heavy use of prestigious vocabulary, in his rhymes.<ref name="Mlyner"/> Carenard would later state that battle rapping with Hakim would help instigate his personal rehabilitation, as he set a course for redemption through hip hop music.<ref name="Mlyner"/> While serving time, Brian named himself "Saigon" after reading ]'s book about the Vietnam War.<ref name="Mlyner"/> This book helped realign the content and diction in Saigon's raps, as did the advice of a prison lifer: "There's no right way to do wrong."<ref name="Mlyner"/> Saigon was eventually released from prison in the year 2000, and immediately recorded mixtapes, with the goal of obtaining a record contract as a means to release a debut album, which he wanted to be titled "The Greatest Story Never Told".<ref name="Mlyner"/> | ||
| With the help of the underground buzz that he had garnered over the years, Saigon signed a record deal with ] in 2004.<ref name="Mlyner"/> Despite the co-sign from producer ] and collaborations with several acclaimed rap artists such as ], ] and ], Saigon's record label repeatedly balked at setting a release date for his debut album.<ref name="Mlyner"/> Saigon revealed that he realized as early as two months into his deal with Atlantic Records that there were problems.<ref name="Mlyner"/> He later recalled how his early excitement at signing to the same label that "had so much history with black music, like ] and ]" was quickly dampened when they suggested he record a radio-friendly song with the Miami-based R&B quartet, ].<ref name="Mlyner"/> He also recalled a meeting with an Atlantic executive who told him "We need our three singles, then you can bust your artistic nut on the rest of the album."<ref name="Mlyner"/> Saigon, however, |
With the help of the underground buzz that he had garnered over the years, Saigon signed a record deal with ] in 2004.<ref name="Mlyner"/> Despite the co-sign from producer ] and collaborations with several acclaimed rap artists such as ], ] and ], Saigon's record label repeatedly balked at setting a release date for his debut album.<ref name="Mlyner"/> Saigon revealed that he realized as early as two months into his deal with Atlantic Records that there were problems.<ref name="Mlyner"/> He later recalled how his early excitement at signing to the same label that "had so much history with black music, like ] and ]" was quickly dampened when they suggested he record a radio-friendly song with the Miami-based R&B quartet, ].<ref name="Mlyner"/> He also recalled a meeting with an Atlantic executive who told him "We need our three singles, then you can bust your artistic nut on the rest of the album."<ref name="Mlyner"/> Saigon, however, wasn't willing to comply with this request, and only one year after signing with Atlantic, he hired a lawyer to work out a release from his label.<ref name="Mlyner"/> He explained, "They signed me knowing the kind of music I was making, but then they try and change the direction." | ||
| This, however, |
This, however, didn't prompt a break from his record company, as they offered a few stipends, leading him and his fans to believe they'd still eventually put the record out.<ref name="Mlyner"/> Saigon later suspected that Atlantic wanted to make sure he didn't take the material elsewhere and benefit from the buzz he'd created.<ref name="Mlyner"/> While caught in this issue with Atlantic, Saigon continued to perform freestyles on hip hop radio shows, release mixtapes, and also continued to write and record ''The Greatest Story Never Told''.<ref name="Mlyner"/> Despite not having an official album out, Saigon gradually became somewhat of a high-profile hip hop artist, as he appeared on the covers of several magazines and had a recurring role playing himself on the hit HBO show '']''.<ref name="Mlyner"/> | ||
| == Controversies == | == Controversies == | ||
| === |
=== Myspace blog === | ||
| On June 1, 2007, Saigon posted a ] entry on his ] stating that he felt Atlantic Records didn't have the desire to release his album because he is a real artist, not a "jingle writer |
On June 1, 2007, Saigon posted a ] entry on his ] stating that he felt Atlantic Records didn't have the desire to release his album because he is a real artist, not a "jingle writer", and they only care about the money, not the music. He stated that the album would be released independently if Atlantic would not release it.<ref>Verbal Walker (June 4, 2007) HipHopDX. Accessed November 21, 2007.</ref> Saigon later took down that blog because he thought it offended Just Blaze. | ||
| On June 14, 2007, Just Blaze responded to Saigon's comments on his own blog. He stated that he was not offended by the blog but just didn't understand why Saigon would post it now when the only thing holding up the album release |
On June 14, 2007, Just Blaze responded to Saigon's comments on his own blog. He stated that he was not offended by the blog but just didn't understand why Saigon would post it now when the only thing holding up the album release was a sample clearance for the single "]", which ] — president of Atlantic — was personally handling.<ref name=megatron /> Saigon then posted an apology to Just Blaze.<ref>Shake (June 16, 2007) HipHopDX. Accessed November 21, 2007.</ref> Just Blaze later posted that all samples had been cleared.<ref>Just Blaze (June 20, 2007) The Megatron Don. Accessed November 21, 2007.</ref> The issue has since been resolved. | ||
| === Retirement rumors === | === Retirement rumors === | ||
| On November 19, 2007, Saigon posted a blog entry on his |
On November 19, 2007, Saigon posted a blog entry on his Myspace entitled "I QUIT", announcing his retirement from the music industry.<ref> '']'' (November 19, 2007). Accessed November 19, 2007.</ref> In a statement he gave to HipHopGame.com late in the day, he said, "This is it. The Greatest Story Never Told...I guess you could say it was prophecy," implying that the album would not be released.<ref> HipHopGame.com (November 19, 2007). Accessed November 19, 2007.</ref> On November 26, 2007, Just Blaze posted a blog stating that he was putting the final touches on ''The Greatest Story Never Told''. He continued to hint that the album may in fact be released.<ref name=feel>Just Blaze (November 26, 2007) {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071130003241/http://www.themegatrondon2.com/2007/11/26/feelin-it/ |date=2007-11-30 }} The Megatron Don. Accessed November 27, 2007</ref> On December 19, 2007, exactly one month from the first blog, Saigon posted another blog stating that he had reconsidered retiring. He also said that the album would indeed be released, saying, "My album WILL be released VERY soon."<ref> HipHopGame.com (December 19, 2007). Accessed December 19, 2007.</ref> The album's executive producer stated that The Greatest Story Never Told had undergone its final mastering on January 8.<ref name="hiphopgame.com"></ref> | ||
| In an interview with hiphopgame.com, Just Blaze explained various reasons behind the numerous delays of The Greatest Story Never Told, the most prominent being that he wished to establish a relationship with Saigon before creating an album. In said interview he expressed that "...people wouldn't have found out about the deal until maybe a year and a half ago as opposed to three years ago."<ref name="hiphopgame.com"/> | In an interview with hiphopgame.com, Just Blaze explained various reasons behind the numerous delays of ''The Greatest Story Never Told'', the most prominent being that he wished to establish a relationship with Saigon before creating an album. In the said interview he expressed that "...people wouldn't have found out about the deal until maybe a year and a half ago as opposed to three years ago."<ref name="hiphopgame.com"/> | ||
| Saigon had stated that he planned to release the album by September 30, 2008,<ref></ref> but was unable to achieve this. | Saigon had stated that he planned to release the album by September 30, 2008,<ref></ref> but was unable to achieve this. | ||
| === Release from label === | === Release from label === | ||
| In May 2008, Just Blaze announced Saigon's release from Atlantic, while acquiring full ownership of the album.<ref name="Mlyner"/> Shortly after this announcement, Saigon stated there was a new situation in the works, and that they were getting a new deal and the album would be released in 2011.<ref name="Sweet Freedom | themegatrondon2.com"></ref> Saigon claims that |
In May 2008, Just Blaze announced Saigon's release from Atlantic, while acquiring full ownership of the album.<ref name="Mlyner"/> Shortly after this announcement, Saigon stated there was a new situation in the works, and that they were getting a new deal and the album would be released in 2011.<ref name="Sweet Freedom | themegatrondon2.com"></ref> Saigon claims that he's never been given a definitive reason why Atlantic refused to release the album, but on the song "Believe It", he raps, "They rather me pretend to be something that I'm not/I'm the new ], I'm different than ]."<ref name="Mlyner"/> | ||
| == Critical reception == | == Critical reception == | ||
| {{ |
{{Music ratings | ||
| |MC=89/100<ref name="Metacritic"/> | |MC=89/100<ref name="Metacritic"/> | ||
| | rev1 = ] | | rev1 = ] | ||
| | rev1score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="Brown">Brown, Marisa. . ]. Retrieved on 2011-03-11.</ref> | | rev1score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="Brown">Brown, Marisa. . ]. Retrieved on 2011-03-11.</ref> | ||
| | rev2 = '']'' | | rev2 = '']'' | ||
| | rev2Score = A<ref name="Rabin">Rabin, Nathan. . '']''. Retrieved on 2011-03-11.</ref> | | rev2Score = A<ref name="Rabin">Rabin, Nathan. . '']''. Retrieved on 2011-03-11.</ref> | ||
| | rev3 = '']'' | | rev3 = '']'' | ||
| | rev3score = (8/10)<ref name="Grischow">Grischow, Chad . IGN. Retrieved on 2011-02-20.</ref> | | rev3score = (8/10)<ref name="Grischow">Grischow, Chad . IGN. Retrieved on 2011-02-20.</ref> | ||
| | rev4 = '']'' (]) | | rev4 = '']'' (]) | ||
| | rev4Score = A−<ref name="Christgau">Christgau, Robert (April 8, 2011). {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110413092552/http://social.entertainment.msn.com/music/blogs/expert-witness-blogpost.aspx?post=887e5c56-973a-4331-9a2e-80821f8bff70 |date=2011-04-13 }}. ]. Retrieved on 2011-04-11.</ref> | | rev4Score = A−<ref name="Christgau">Christgau, Robert (April 8, 2011). {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110413092552/http://social.entertainment.msn.com/music/blogs/expert-witness-blogpost.aspx?post=887e5c56-973a-4331-9a2e-80821f8bff70 |date=2011-04-13 }}. ]. Retrieved on 2011-04-11.</ref> | ||
| Line 81: | Line 82: | ||
| | rev10Score = (favorable)<ref name="Mlyner">Mlyner, Phillip (February 23, 2011). . '']''. Retrieved on 2011-02-23.</ref> | | rev10Score = (favorable)<ref name="Mlyner">Mlyner, Phillip (February 23, 2011). . '']''. Retrieved on 2011-02-23.</ref> | ||
| }} | }} | ||
| ''The Greatest Story Never Told'' received rave reviews from contemporary ]s.<ref name="Metacritic">. ]. Retrieved on 2011-13-.</ref> At ], which assigns a ] rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an ] score of 89, based on 13 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim |
''The Greatest Story Never Told'' received rave reviews from contemporary ]s.<ref name="Metacritic">. ]. Retrieved on 2011-13-.</ref> At ], which assigns a ] rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an ] score of 89, based on 13 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim".<ref name="Metacritic"/> Nathan Rabin of '']'' stated, "''Told'' sometimes feels like too much of a good thing; at 18 furious tracks, it's overwhelming in the best sense. Saigon's background as an ex-con lends specificity and direction to his social criticism: He's a battle-tested survivor singling out the injustices and hypocrisy of a world filled with prisons and traps, real and metaphorical. ''Told'' is worth the wait."<ref name="Rabin"/> In his review for ''],'' Phillip Mlynar complimented Saigon for his "sincerity" and ability to offer advice to his listeners.<ref name="Mlyner"/> Chad Grischow from ] praised the album's themes and message, and wrote that "it is the balance of uplifting, positive energy and gritty realism that makes this debut work so well."<ref name="Grischow"/> ]'s Henry Adaso gave the album four out of five stars and called it "tight, visceral, consistent."<ref name="Adaso">Adaso, Henry {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110221105052/http://rap.about.com/od/reviews/fr/Saigon-The-Greatest-Story-Never-Told.htm |date=2011-02-21 }}. About.com. Retrieved on 2011-02-21.</ref> | ||
| Although stating "there are references to events like Katrina, that, while certainly not irrelevant, are not quite as much in the musical parlance as they were a couple of years prior" and being unfavorable toward several of the songs' long lengths, Marisa Brown from ] extolled producer ]'s contributions, commenting, "Blaze has always been a very involved, musically attuned producer, and his attention to detail is evident here, from the alarm clock motif to the way he transitions between tracks."<ref name="Brown"/> Brown also applauded Saigon's "intelligent" lyrics and complimented him for his maturity throughout the years while recording the album.<ref name="Brown"/> Chris Faraone from '']'' also complimented Saigon's maturity, explaining "To his credit, the Saigon who emerges here is aeons more mature than the clever criminal who kicked the New York mixtape game in the dick five years ago, or even the MC who played himself on ''Entourage''. The somewhat reformed loose cannon is now a thoughtful class warrior with switchblade skills, whom cats can actually relate to."<ref name="Faraone"/> In his consumer guide for ], critic ] gave it an |
Although stating "there are references to events like Katrina, that, while certainly not irrelevant, are not quite as much in the musical parlance as they were a couple of years prior" and being unfavorable toward several of the songs' long lengths, Marisa Brown from ] extolled producer ]'s contributions, commenting, "Blaze has always been a very involved, musically attuned producer, and his attention to detail is evident here, from the alarm clock motif to the way he transitions between tracks."<ref name="Brown"/> Brown also applauded Saigon's "intelligent" lyrics and complimented him for his maturity throughout the years while recording the album.<ref name="Brown"/> Chris Faraone from '']'' also complimented Saigon's maturity, explaining "To his credit, the Saigon who emerges here is aeons more mature than the clever criminal who kicked the New York mixtape game in the dick five years ago, or even the MC who played himself on ''Entourage''. The somewhat reformed loose cannon is now a thoughtful class warrior with switchblade skills, whom cats can actually relate to."<ref name="Faraone"/> In his consumer guide for ], critic ] gave it an A− rating and stated "this is the Saigon and Just Blaze album I've been waiting for since a student tipped me to them five years ago — heroic post-gangstaism, with the conscious ex-con forthright as rhymer and rapper and the Jay-Z sideman bigging him up with soul singers and cinematic beats (and also with Jay-Z)."<ref name="Christgau"/> | ||
| == Commercial performance == | == Commercial performance == | ||
| Line 139: | Line 140: | ||
| | extra10 = Just Blaze | | extra10 = Just Blaze | ||
| | length10 = 4:22 | | length10 = 4:22 | ||
| | title11 = |
| title11 = It's Alright | ||
| | writer11 = Marsha Ambrosius, Carenard, ] | | writer11 = Marsha Ambrosius, Carenard, ] | ||
| | note11 = featuring ] | | note11 = featuring ] | ||
| Line 164: | Line 165: | ||
| | length15 = 4:30 | | length15 = 4:30 | ||
| | title16 = Oh Yeah (Our Babies) | | title16 = Oh Yeah (Our Babies) | ||
| | writer16 = ], Carenard, Smith | | writer16 = ], Carenard, Smith | ||
| | extra16 = Buckwild, Just Blaze <small>(add.)</small> | | extra16 = Buckwild, Just Blaze <small>(add.)</small> | ||
| | length16 = 4:14 | | length16 = 4:14 | ||
| Line 179: | Line 180: | ||
| }} | }} | ||
| {{Track listing | {{Track listing | ||
| | collapsed = yes | |||
| | headline = Deluxe bonus tracks<ref>. Subnoizestore. Retrieved on 2011-02-26.</ref> | | headline = Deluxe bonus tracks<ref>. Subnoizestore. Retrieved on 2011-02-26.</ref> | ||
| | title1 = It's Cold | | title1 = It's Cold | ||
| Line 194: | Line 194: | ||
| <small>{{*}} (add.) Additional production</small> | <small>{{*}} (add.) Additional production</small> | ||
| * Track 4 was incorrectly credited to Scram Jones; actually produced by Just Blaze and Lamar Edwards.<ref> |
* Track 4 was incorrectly credited to Scram Jones; actually produced by Just Blaze and Lamar Edwards.<ref>http://www.undergroundhiphop.com/store/detail.asp?UPC=NZE271CD</ref> | ||
| ;Sample credits | ;Sample credits | ||
| Line 210: | Line 210: | ||
| Credits for ''The Greatest Story Never Told'' adapted from ].<ref>. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2011-02-21.</ref> | Credits for ''The Greatest Story Never Told'' adapted from ].<ref>. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2011-02-21.</ref> | ||
| {{col- |
{{col-begin}} | ||
| {{col-2}} | {{col-2}} | ||
| * D. Allen – Producer | * D. Allen – Producer | ||
| Line 278: | Line 278: | ||
| {{Saigon}} | {{Saigon}} | ||
| {{Authority control}} | |||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Greatest Story Never Told, The}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Greatest Story Never Told, The}} | ||
Latest revision as of 03:06, 10 December 2024
This article is about a musical album. For other uses, see The Greatest Story Never Told (disambiguation). | This article uses bare URLs, which are uninformative and vulnerable to link rot. Please consider converting them to full citations to ensure the article remains verifiable and maintains a consistent citation style. Several templates and tools are available to assist in formatting, such as reFill (documentation) and Citation bot (documentation). (August 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| The Greatest Story Never Told | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Saigon | ||||
| Released | February 15, 2011 | |||
| Recorded | 2005–2010 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 79:00 | |||
| Label | Suburban Noize | |||
| Producer | Just Blaze (also exec.), Adam Blackstone, Buckwild, D. Allen, DJ Corbett, Lamar Edwards, James Poyser, Red Spyda, SC, Spanky, Kanye West | |||
| Saigon chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from The Greatest Story Never Told | ||||
| ||||
The Greatest Story Never Told is the debut studio album by American rapper Saigon, released February 15, 2011 on Suburban Noize Records. The album was initially scheduled to be released in 2007, but experienced numerous delays due to issues with Saigon's previous label Atlantic Records. Although primarily produced by Just Blaze, The Greatest Story Never Told features additional production from several renowned producers, such as Buckwild, Scram Jones and Kanye West, with guest appearances from Black Thought, Bun B, Faith Evans, Jay-Z and Q-Tip, among others.
In its opening week, The Greatest Story Never Told entered on the Billboard 200 at number 61, selling 11,000 copies. In its second week, the album sold an additional 4,800 copies, bringing its total sales to around 16,000. As of March 6, 2011, the album has sold 19,000 copies in the United States. Upon its release, The Greatest Story Never Told received rave reviews from music critics and hip hop publications, who complimented the album's intellectual lyrics, soulful production, and overall cohesiveness.
Background
In the late 1990s, Brian "Saigon" Carenard was sentenced to jail time at Napanoch's Eastern Correctional Facility, serving a sentence for first-degree assault after shooting at someone in a bar. One day, while in the recreation yard, Brian met a fellow inmate named Hakim, who rapped and had a reputation for incorporating positive messages, and heavy use of prestigious vocabulary, in his rhymes. Carenard would later state that battle rapping with Hakim would help instigate his personal rehabilitation, as he set a course for redemption through hip hop music. While serving time, Brian named himself "Saigon" after reading Wallace Terry's book about the Vietnam War. This book helped realign the content and diction in Saigon's raps, as did the advice of a prison lifer: "There's no right way to do wrong." Saigon was eventually released from prison in the year 2000, and immediately recorded mixtapes, with the goal of obtaining a record contract as a means to release a debut album, which he wanted to be titled "The Greatest Story Never Told".
With the help of the underground buzz that he had garnered over the years, Saigon signed a record deal with Atlantic Records in 2004. Despite the co-sign from producer Just Blaze and collaborations with several acclaimed rap artists such as Jay-Z, Kanye West and Kool G Rap, Saigon's record label repeatedly balked at setting a release date for his debut album. Saigon revealed that he realized as early as two months into his deal with Atlantic Records that there were problems. He later recalled how his early excitement at signing to the same label that "had so much history with black music, like Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles" was quickly dampened when they suggested he record a radio-friendly song with the Miami-based R&B quartet, Pretty Ricky. He also recalled a meeting with an Atlantic executive who told him "We need our three singles, then you can bust your artistic nut on the rest of the album." Saigon, however, wasn't willing to comply with this request, and only one year after signing with Atlantic, he hired a lawyer to work out a release from his label. He explained, "They signed me knowing the kind of music I was making, but then they try and change the direction."
This, however, didn't prompt a break from his record company, as they offered a few stipends, leading him and his fans to believe they'd still eventually put the record out. Saigon later suspected that Atlantic wanted to make sure he didn't take the material elsewhere and benefit from the buzz he'd created. While caught in this issue with Atlantic, Saigon continued to perform freestyles on hip hop radio shows, release mixtapes, and also continued to write and record The Greatest Story Never Told. Despite not having an official album out, Saigon gradually became somewhat of a high-profile hip hop artist, as he appeared on the covers of several magazines and had a recurring role playing himself on the hit HBO show Entourage.
Controversies
Myspace blog
On June 1, 2007, Saigon posted a blog entry on his Myspace stating that he felt Atlantic Records didn't have the desire to release his album because he is a real artist, not a "jingle writer", and they only care about the money, not the music. He stated that the album would be released independently if Atlantic would not release it. Saigon later took down that blog because he thought it offended Just Blaze.
On June 14, 2007, Just Blaze responded to Saigon's comments on his own blog. He stated that he was not offended by the blog but just didn't understand why Saigon would post it now when the only thing holding up the album release was a sample clearance for the single "C'mon Baby", which Craig Kallman — president of Atlantic — was personally handling. Saigon then posted an apology to Just Blaze. Just Blaze later posted that all samples had been cleared. The issue has since been resolved.
Retirement rumors
On November 19, 2007, Saigon posted a blog entry on his Myspace entitled "I QUIT", announcing his retirement from the music industry. In a statement he gave to HipHopGame.com late in the day, he said, "This is it. The Greatest Story Never Told...I guess you could say it was prophecy," implying that the album would not be released. On November 26, 2007, Just Blaze posted a blog stating that he was putting the final touches on The Greatest Story Never Told. He continued to hint that the album may in fact be released. On December 19, 2007, exactly one month from the first blog, Saigon posted another blog stating that he had reconsidered retiring. He also said that the album would indeed be released, saying, "My album WILL be released VERY soon." The album's executive producer stated that The Greatest Story Never Told had undergone its final mastering on January 8.
In an interview with hiphopgame.com, Just Blaze explained various reasons behind the numerous delays of The Greatest Story Never Told, the most prominent being that he wished to establish a relationship with Saigon before creating an album. In the said interview he expressed that "...people wouldn't have found out about the deal until maybe a year and a half ago as opposed to three years ago." Saigon had stated that he planned to release the album by September 30, 2008, but was unable to achieve this.
Release from label
In May 2008, Just Blaze announced Saigon's release from Atlantic, while acquiring full ownership of the album. Shortly after this announcement, Saigon stated there was a new situation in the works, and that they were getting a new deal and the album would be released in 2011. Saigon claims that he's never been given a definitive reason why Atlantic refused to release the album, but on the song "Believe It", he raps, "They rather me pretend to be something that I'm not/I'm the new Public Enemy, I'm different than Young Joc."
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 89/100 |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| The A.V. Club | A |
| IGN | (8/10) |
| MSN Music (Consumer Guide) | A− |
| Okayplayer | 91/100 |
| The Phoenix | |
| PopMatters | 7/10 |
| RapReviews | 9/10 |
| The Source |  |
| The Village Voice | (favorable) |
The Greatest Story Never Told received rave reviews from contemporary music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 89, based on 13 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim". Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club stated, "Told sometimes feels like too much of a good thing; at 18 furious tracks, it's overwhelming in the best sense. Saigon's background as an ex-con lends specificity and direction to his social criticism: He's a battle-tested survivor singling out the injustices and hypocrisy of a world filled with prisons and traps, real and metaphorical. Told is worth the wait." In his review for The Village Voice, Phillip Mlynar complimented Saigon for his "sincerity" and ability to offer advice to his listeners. Chad Grischow from IGN praised the album's themes and message, and wrote that "it is the balance of uplifting, positive energy and gritty realism that makes this debut work so well." About.com's Henry Adaso gave the album four out of five stars and called it "tight, visceral, consistent."
Although stating "there are references to events like Katrina, that, while certainly not irrelevant, are not quite as much in the musical parlance as they were a couple of years prior" and being unfavorable toward several of the songs' long lengths, Marisa Brown from Allmusic extolled producer Just Blaze's contributions, commenting, "Blaze has always been a very involved, musically attuned producer, and his attention to detail is evident here, from the alarm clock motif to the way he transitions between tracks." Brown also applauded Saigon's "intelligent" lyrics and complimented him for his maturity throughout the years while recording the album. Chris Faraone from The Phoenix also complimented Saigon's maturity, explaining "To his credit, the Saigon who emerges here is aeons more mature than the clever criminal who kicked the New York mixtape game in the dick five years ago, or even the MC who played himself on Entourage. The somewhat reformed loose cannon is now a thoughtful class warrior with switchblade skills, whom cats can actually relate to." In his consumer guide for MSN Music, critic Robert Christgau gave it an A− rating and stated "this is the Saigon and Just Blaze album I've been waiting for since a student tipped me to them five years ago — heroic post-gangstaism, with the conscious ex-con forthright as rhymer and rapper and the Jay-Z sideman bigging him up with soul singers and cinematic beats (and also with Jay-Z)."
Commercial performance
In its debut week on the Billboard 200, The Greatest Story Never Told entered at number 61, selling 11,000 copies. In its second week, the album sold an additional 4,800 copies, bringing its total sales to about 16,000 copies. As of March 6, 2011, the album has sold 19,000 copies in the United States.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Station Identification (Intro)" (featuring Fatman Scoop) | Brian Carenard, Isaac Freeman III, Justin Smith | Just Blaze | 2:43 |
| 2. | "The Invitation" (featuring Q-Tip and Fatman Scoop) | Carenard, Smith, Kamaal Fareed | Just Blaze | 4:36 |
| 3. | "Come on Baby (Remix)" (featuring Jay-Z and Swizz Beatz) | Carenard, Shawn Carter, Kaseem Dean, Smith | Just Blaze | 4:05 |
| 4. | "War" (skit) | Just Blaze, Lamar Edwards | 1:59 | |
| 5. | "Bring Me Down (Part 2)" | Carenard, Smith | Just Blaze, DJ Corbett (add.) | 4:46 |
| 6. | "Enemies" | Carenard, Smith | D. Allen, Just Blaze (add.) | 3:41 |
| 7. | "Friends" | Carenard, Smith | Just Blaze | 1:50 |
| 8. | "The Greatest Story Never Told" | Carenard, Smith | Just Blaze | 4:00 |
| 9. | "Clap" (featuring Faith Evans) | Carenard, Faith Evans, Smith | Just Blaze | 6:30 |
| 10. | "Preacher" (featuring Lee Fields and The Expressions) | Carenard, Smith | Just Blaze | 4:22 |
| 11. | "It's Alright" (featuring Marsha Ambrosius) | Marsha Ambrosius, Carenard, Kanye West | Kanye West | 5:59 |
| 12. | "Believe It" | Carenard, Smith | Just Blaze | 6:01 |
| 13. | "Give It to Me" (featuring Raheem DeVaughn) | Carenard, Raheem DeVaughn, Smith | SC, Just Blaze (add.) | 5:17 |
| 14. | "What the Lovers Do" (featuring Devin the Dude) | Carenard, Devin Copeland, Smith, Andy Thelusma | Red Spyda, Just Blaze (add.) | 4:15 |
| 15. | "Better Way" (featuring Layzie Bone) | Carenard, Steven Howse, Smith | Just Blaze | 4:30 |
| 16. | "Oh Yeah (Our Babies)" | Anthony Best, Carenard, Smith | Buckwild, Just Blaze (add.) | 4:14 |
| 17. | "And the Winner Is..." (featuring Bun B) | Bernard Freeman, Carenard, Smith | Just Blaze, James Poyser (add.), Spanky (add.), Adam Blackstone (add.) | 6:18 |
| 18. | "Too Long" (featuring Black Thought) (hidden track) | Carenard, Tariq Trotter | DJ Corbett | 4:11 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "It's Cold" | 3:54 |
| 2. | "Down The Road" | 3:23 |
| 3. | "I Want It All" | 3:40 |
| 4. | "On My Way" | 4:19 |
| 5. | "Bring Me Down (Part 1)" | 3:15 |
• (add.) Additional production
- Track 4 was incorrectly credited to Scram Jones; actually produced by Just Blaze and Lamar Edwards.
- Sample credits
- "Come on Baby" contains a sample of "Southside Shuffle" performed by J. Geils Band
- "War" contains a sample of "The Golden Apple" performed by Bob James
- "Bring Me Down Pt 2" contains a sample of "Sunshine (Adagio In D Minor)" by John Murphy
- "Friends" contains a sample of "Comment" by Charles Wright
- "Oh Yeah" contains a sample of Ghetto Life 101
- "The Greatest Story Never Told" contains a sample of "B.M.F. Beautiful" by Leon Haywood
- "Clap" contains a sample of "Let Me Make Love to You" by Lamont Dozier
- "Preacher" contains elements of "Woe Is Me" by The Dynamics
- "It's Alright" contains a sample of "Superstar/Until You Come Back To Me" performed by Luther Vandross
Personnel
Credits for The Greatest Story Never Told adapted from Allmusic.
|
|
Charts
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 | 61 |
| US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums | 15 |
| US Billboard Rap Albums | 7 |
| US Billboard Independent Albums | 9 |
References
- ^ Just Blaze (June 14, 2007) Strictly Business The Megatron Don. Accessed November 21, 2007.
- ^ ALLEN JACOBS (March 2, 2011). "Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 3/2/2011". Hip Hop DX. Complex Media Network. Retrieved March 2, 2011.
- ^ Mlyner, Phillip (February 23, 2011). The Seven-Year War of Saigon - Page 1 - Music - New York. The Village Voice. Retrieved on 2011-02-23.
- Verbal Walker (June 4, 2007) Saigon Vs Atlantic Records!?!? HipHopDX. Accessed November 21, 2007.
- Shake (June 16, 2007) Saigon Apologizes and Signs With Violator Management HipHopDX. Accessed November 21, 2007.
- Just Blaze (June 20, 2007) Word! The Megatron Don. Accessed November 21, 2007.
- Saigon Announces He’s Quitting Rap XXL (November 19, 2007). Accessed November 19, 2007.
- Saigon releases exclusive statement on HipHopGame HipHopGame.com (November 19, 2007). Accessed November 19, 2007.
- Just Blaze (November 26, 2007) Feelin It. Archived 2007-11-30 at the Wayback Machine The Megatron Don. Accessed November 27, 2007
- Watch Out Hip-Hop Saigon is Back HipHopGame.com (December 19, 2007). Accessed December 19, 2007.
- ^ Exclusive Hip Hop News, Audio, Lyrics, Videos, Honeys, Wear, Sneakers, Download Mixtapes
- Saigon Closing In On New Record Deal, Jay-Z's Roc Nation Mentioned
- Sweet Freedom | themegatrondon2.com
- ^ The Greatest Story Never Told Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic. Metacritic. Retrieved on 2011-13-.
- ^ Brown, Marisa. Review: The Greatest Story Never Told. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2011-03-11.
- ^ Rabin, Nathan. Review: The Greatest Story Never Told. The A.V. Club. Retrieved on 2011-03-11.
- ^ Grischow, Chad . IGN. Retrieved on 2011-02-20.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (April 8, 2011). Saigon/Ski Beatz Archived 2011-04-13 at the Wayback Machine. MSN Music. Retrieved on 2011-04-11.
- Fisher, Paul. Review: The Greatest Story Never Told. Okayplayer. Retrieved on 2011-03-19.
- ^ Faraone, Chris Saigon The Greatest Story Never Told. The Phoenix. Retrieved on 2011-03-08.
- Amidon, David. Review: The Greatest Story Never Told. PopMatters. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
- Juon, Steve Review: RapReview of the Week. RapReviews. Retrieved on 2011-02-13.
- The Source
- Adaso, Henry Archived 2011-02-21 at the Wayback Machine. About.com. Retrieved on 2011-02-21.
- Billboard chart position
- ALLEN JACOBS (February 23, 2011). "Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 2/20/2011". Hip Hop DX. Complex Media Network. Archived from the original on March 4, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
- "Sales". Archived from the original on 2011-07-01. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
- The Greatest Story Never Told (Deluxe Edition). Subnoizestore. Retrieved on 2011-02-26.
- http://www.undergroundhiphop.com/store/detail.asp?UPC=NZE271CD
- Credits: The Greatest Story Never Told. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2011-02-21.
External links
| Saigon | |
|---|---|
| Discography | |
| Albums | |
| Singles | |