The Greatest Story Never Told Chapter 2: Bread And Circuses

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In the works for years, then stalled on the shelf for even longer, Saigon's <i>The Greatest Story Never Told</i> was finally released in 2011 and shockingly achieved the impossible—it lived up to the hype. Rock-solid from start to finish and loaded with exceptional production from Just Blaze, it could have easily blown up Saigon to superstar status had it not taken so long. In the meantime, hipster rap, Auto-Tune, and EDM beats have seemingly taken over the game, and the market for smart lyricism, streetwise commentary, and sample-based tracks has dramatically dropped off. On this follow-up, The Yardfather's lyrical skills remain as sharp as ever, and he delivers a gang of higher-level, thought-provoking rhymes (especially on "Brownsville Girl," "Blown Away, Pt. 2," and "Our Babies 2"). Yet the musical accompaniment—from DJ Corbett, Shuko, Bounce Brothers, and Clev Trev, among others—doesn't have the same impact or triumphant, soulful vibe as the first edition. Regardless, it's still a good album, with strong features (Styles P, Chamillionaire, stic.man) that will definitely appease Saigon's legions of fans.

via Apple Music