My tea's gone cold, I'm wonderin' why...

Let me say right off the top: I am not a stan. If I were pressed, I'd probably say Nas is my overall favorite rapper of all time (although I think singling out one artist as your "all time favorite" is a little ridiculous). But that doesn't detract from my appreciation of Jay-Z's music. I'd even readily admit he has the superior catalog and career. And being from the West Coast, I grew up on 'Pac since he first went solo. However, I prefer listening to Biggie's albums from a straight hip hop standpoint. It's all a matter of mood or opinion, right? I've never understood religiously defending or idolizing one artist at the expense of another... especially since 99% of us do not have personal relationships with them. They do not pay our bills, have not mentored us in our upbringing, and do not know us from Adam. So why can't we just let the music be music?

So with that said, I am not a Saigon stan. I am a big fan however. And as I have mentioned multiple times on this blog, I was sorely disappointed by the possibility that his debut album would not see the light of day. Now that it is less than a month away from its release date, I am, without resorting to too much hyperbole, dying with anticipation.

Though I am not a stan (and with every mention, I realize I am starting to sound like exactly that), I will admit I can get carried away with my expectations for certain rappers and projects. I, at one time, believed Royce Da 5'9 could turn out to be the next Jay-Z. I thought he had the lyrical ability, the potential crossover appeal, and song making prowess to do so. Okay so I was wrong on that one. I also thought Lupe Fiasco and/or Jay Electronica could turn out to be the next Nas. Call me delusional but I think the jury is still out on those two counts.

So needless to say, my expectations for Saigon were (and still are) fairly high. I believe Saigon, on some levels, has the potential to be the next 2Pac. Now before you laugh, let me say I don't believe Saigon will actually achieve the cult-level status that 'Pac possesses. As great as 'Pac's music was, it is the way his legend has grown posthumously that makes him damn near a religion for a lot of people. I do think though that Saigon has some of those same qualities strictly from an artistic perspective that made 'Pac great as an ARTIST. And surpasses him in one or two respects. He rhymes with conviction about a large variety of subjects. His lyrics are largely about empowerment and moving beyond the negative portrayals and stereotypes about hip hop that make it the septic tank it is today. He believes in the power of music and what he can contribute to it. And on top of all that he can rhyme his @$$ off... from a technical standpoint, superior to 'Pac. And all of the above mentioned characteristics not only come through in his music but his interviews as well. He is one rapper I actually feel captivated listening to outside of his music. Yes, sometimes he can be self-contradicting... but it's always interesting. Especially compared to these mush-mouthed rappers that are mostly a mess of "knowhatumsayin"s and a lot of blab about what their label is or isn't doing for them. Saigon is often criticized for talking too much and not releasing enough music. But I am content being in the minority that likes to hear what he has to say. (Of course that's much easier to say now that his album is actually being released).

Saigon catches a lot of flack for the run-in with Prodigy, the whole "retirement" fiasco, dissing Joe Budden for being Amalgam then joining the label himself, and so on. I think that's exactly what qualifies all these types of detractors as the actual stans. When you care too much about things other than the music itself. The same reason people read all the US-Weekly-People-Magazine-National-Enquirer types of trashy rags. Why do you care Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt had for breakfast or what helpless Asian kid they're adopting this week? Just give me a good movie that entertains me and who gives a f**k about the rest.

"The Greatest Story Never Told" has nearly already been told in full due to leaks by Just Blaze and Saigon themselves. So though most of the surprise is gone, unless the second half of the album is a total disaster, it looks like the debut will be very good. And hopefully a great launching pad for the rest of his career. Before I shun any more material until the actual release date... let's take a look at what this potential classic is shaping up to be so far...