Saigon – “Making A True Change” (9.16.09)
Posted on Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Tags: Saigon
“In the world of hip hop, there are few that are willing or that can be original yet bold. We believe Saigon is that mc. From dealing with crummy record labels, to dodging stereotypes while attempting to stay on a positive level, Saigon is breaking out of the glass box. What’s even more interesting about this man, is that he’s actually doing something good for his community and the youths thru his organization Abandon Nation. Good ish mane. Your perception of Saigon will change after you read & listen to this interview…” – Destro
Audio Interview with Saigon
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Transcribed Conversation
TOMMY: Tell us about the project. It’s taking a long time for you to drop.
SAIGON: My album?
TOMMY: Yes.
SAIGON: My album man, that’s just red tape label stuff man. You know the thing is that I could have came out because they were willing to put me out. But not with the marketing commitment that I felt that I deserved and that I needed to really make it successful. You know that’s what it’s all about. They will throw your sh*t out there any label. They will throw it out there. But are they going to support it? Are they going put you on the road to tour it? A lot of the commitments I felt that I needed they wouldn’t commit to. So I was like I’d rather wait and try to position myself to find somebody who would give it the support that it needs because me and Just Blaze really worked hard on this album. I think its only right. We did a lot of things that the label didn’t do. Like Just Blaze would come out of pocket and pay for choirs, orchestra and ten piece bands to do certain records to put the project together. They (the label) would be like where’s our singles and I was like we are making an album. It was kind of crazy but shouts out to Atlantic Records I have no hard feelings for Atlantic Records they put me in a position that I have never been in my life and they did a lot for me.
TOMMY: Tell us about your current label situation?
SAIGON: I really don’t have one.
TOMMY: Really?
Saigon: I’m out there on my grind you know doing this project with E1 and Amalgam (Digital) I guess they did a deal that I knew nothing about. Amalgam (Digital) and E1 the situation between them two but this Warner slash 2 projects is coming out through Amalgam (Digital) slash E1 slash Abandoned Nation minds. After that we will see what happens.
TOMMY: Do you consider yourself to be a conscience MC??
SAIGON: Yes, on certain days like I don’t think that because I am a conscience MC because I am definitely cognizant of the things that I say in my music because I understand a lot of times but at the same time this is an Art form so if I was an Actor or sometimes I might want to shoot a rated R film and then I might shoot a rated G film. I don’t know why with Hip Hop we try to limit one person to one kind of thing. I look at it like I am an all around Rapper. I do have that conscious edge but at the same time there are certain times when I feel like I’m angry and I want to vent and say F**k the world. Some people may say oh you can’t do that because you’re a conscious rapper. I can say what I want. It’s almost like when you look at, not to compare myself to Tupac because I would never do that but, him and probably Ice Cube have been the two artists that have been able to do everything. Tupac made “I Get Around” when he’s talking about sleeping with mad woman and then made “Keep Your Head Up” and put it on the same album. Nobody goes oh you can’t make this because you made that. Everybody’s not the same way everyday. So I just try to be diverse. I don’t like to be pigeon holed into he’s just a conscience rapper because when I do what to make fun songs because I did a song with OJ Da Juice Man nobody never heard it and they are already saying oh you can’t do that why not?
TOMMY: Which song? For some P**sy?
SAIGON: Yeah for some P**sy…LOL
TOMMY: Tell us about the actual recording process 24 hours. Has anyone ever done that before?
SAIGON: I don’t think so man that’s why I am so excited about it. That was all in a days work with Static (Selektah). That was more Static (Selektah) than me. Static (Selektah) is an avid Hennessy drinker right. When you go in the studio and you get a vibe he’s not going let that vibe die. We went in there to record one song for the Grand Theft Auto soundtrack and we ended up recording a whole album. This guy wouldn’t let me leave. He wouldn’t let me stop rapping.
TOMMY: Were some of the songs that you had previously written?
SAIGON: Some of the verses were written but you know some of them I wrote there and some of them I might have half of a verse so I had to finish it. It was a process. The most complicated thing of all was matching the sequencing and putting it in so that it still flowed like an album and it still came out good.
TOMMY: I see you have tracks with Ransom, tracks with MOP and tracks with Grand Puba.
SAIGON: I had fun working with Warner shops cause I didn’t have no restrictions I didn’t have no label saying Grand Puba is too old. Cause he is one of my favorites. I worked with Jay I worked with Nas I worked with G rap he’s one of the last artist who I grew up admiring aside from KRS One that I didn’t get the chance to work with. I found him I went and found him and I was like it will be honored to work with you and he was a Fan of what I was doing so we put it together.
TOMMY: As far as the production how many different Producers did you work with?
SAIGON: On this one, probably like four or five. Scram Jones who is my go to guy like Just (Blaze). Buckwild, Tommy Chief from Norway. My friend and I been producing lately. I did the track “For some P**sy” you know.
TOMMY: Which song have you shot a video for already?
SAIGON: Me and Just (Blaze) shot a video for “Gotta believe it”.
TOMMY: Tell us about Abandoned Nation because that seems like a very unique charitable Organization.
SAIGON: Abandoned Nation is actually my passion. I really got into the music business to really push that. It is more community organized and I just wanted to you know I see a generation coming up under us that’s lost. They are confused they don’t know if they want to be Gang Banging or they don’t understand the importance of education. They are worst then our generation was. We were still intact with reality. These Kids now days are worst because music is so confusing they really believe you can rap your way out of the ghetto. You can but that is can happen to 10 people out of one hundred and thousand. They don’t have realistic goals anymore. Everybody wants to be a Basketball player or a Rapper. We need more doctors, lawyers and architects. Things of that nature. The glamorous lifestyle is portrayed on TV through Hip Hop needs to be toned down a little bit and we need to start dealing with reality a little bit more. With Abandon Nation we take these kids that think that they don’t have go to school because they can rap we tell them no you don’t. I show them and use my life as an example and tell them look how hard it is for me and I can Rap way better than you. So what do you think your chances are? I’ve done did a lot of stuff that people are never going do and I am still struggling. And they listen when these kids start listening you see the change in their grades and behavior and all that and they start it becomes more of a reality.
TOMMY: If the listeners want to find out more about Abandoned Nation. Do you have a website setup?
SAIGON: Yeah… www.abandonednation.com
TOMMY: Are you on Twitter also?
SAIGON: Yeah I got a Twitter but I don’t use it that much but I look at it every now and then.
TOMMY: What’s going next for TV?
SAIGON: I have got a bunch of scripts but acting has never been my passion really. Entourage and the little movies I did fell in my lap and you know I did it. It was fun. It’s not something that I will pursue maybe later on. But right now I’m focused on getting this “Greatest story never told” out because my album is more so a big public service announcement and it’s something that needs to be heard. It’s something that if I do get a fair chance will be life altering for millions of people.
TOMMY: So are you setting up any contests with the label to give it an extra push or are you doing it at the grassroots level?
SAIGON: We got some things going on. I’m just seeing their level of commitment. Because what I been through in this business I know everybody tells you things when your in there face but when it comes times to put up a lot of them they fold. I don’t put much faith in the music infrastructure anymore. A lot of stuff is going to be grassroots. It’s going to be me going out there campaigning like a politician to win the hearts of the people.
TOMMY: Any shows coming up?
SAIGON: I got a few shows in Atlanta coming up and in the south. I didn’t even hit the South yet. I will go down there and chill with the people and politic.
TOMMY: Any regrets?
SAIGON: Not paying closer attention to my first contract. That’s my only regret had I asked more questions and been more inquisitive instead of just worrying about my current living situation I would I have got some guarantees and some things I didn’t have in my contract. Everything can be inked. Before you sign that paper you can come to the bargaining table and say hey if you don’t do this you have to do that. Or if you do this you won’t be able to do that. I never did that. I never did that I had just got out of prison I had nothing sleeping on people’s floors. And I was like fuck it I need to change my living condition. So I didn’t really think twice about what was really in the contract. It was an 80 page contract all I cared about was how much you giving me.
TOMMY: So give us the date your album is going to be available.
SAIGON: SEPTEMBER 29TH. Please everybody checking in please support it. It’s good music. We just trying to keep it moving baby.
On September 16th, 2009 5:20 pm
[...] good folks over at HipHopRuckus.com had a nice chat with rapper/actor Saigon, where he explains his (lack of a) label situation, the [...]