Rapper Saigon brings top selling music to Omaha

Things are looking up for rapper Saigon.

Last month, his debut album, “The Greatest Story Never Told,” debuted at number one on the rap charts and he is currently touring as part of the Strange Noize Tour which hits The Slowdown Sunday.

“It felt good man,” the Brooklyn rapper said. “To have an album that’s five years old hit number one? Yeah.”

Prior to the release of his album, he also had a successful stint playing himself on the HBO series Entourage, being managed on the show by Turtle.

Things weren’t always good for Saigon. Originally signed to Atlantic Records, Saigon announced in 2007 that he was quitting the rap game because of artistic differences with the label and the fact that it wouldn’t release the album he recorded.

“I just wanted to get out of the Atlantic Records contract, I didn’t want to quit rap,” he said.

In 2010, he finally was released from that contract and signed with Suburban Noize, an independent label started and run by Brad “Daddy X” Xavier of Kottonmouth Kings fame.

“They see my vision, man. THey let you do you,” Saigon said from a tour stop in Cleveland. “You appreciate it, man. They didn’t try and change me.”

“The Greatest Story Never Told” was executive produced by Just Blaze of Roc-A-Fella fame and includes contributions by the likes of Kanye West, Q Tip, Faith Evans and even Jay Z. It was released just as it was originally completed.

“I knew Jay Z for years – he’s a great friend of mine. He’s the big brother to all of us,” Saigon said. “Like a big brother, he took some of little brother’s beats but gave me a verse. To have Jay Z on my first album is just amazing. You can’t walk in and say ‘Hey J, here’s $100,000. Will you be on my album?’ He don’t need money. He’s got to want to work with you.”

The new album hearkens back to old school hip hop and isn’t the “wannabe gangsta” style so many try to have today.

“It’s classic hip hop. Me and (Just) Blaze are just two hip hop heads who went into the studio and put our minds together and made a great disc,” Saigon said. “Looking back, I want to be able to say I made a contribution to hip hop.”

The disc also has a positive message.

“It’s social commentary, I try and put a message in my music because it’s marketed to the youth,” Saigon said. “A lot of what they market to the youth is adult now. I try and have them get something out of my music. I grew up with KRS-One, Public Enemy – even LL Cool J. To me, there was always something we could take from hip hop growing up in New York. There was a message.”

Touring with the likes of Johnny Richter of the Kootonmouth Kings and Krizz Kaliko from Tech N9ne’s crew is a bit different for Saigon.

“It’s not my typical crowd. It’s a challenge, but I like a challenge,” he said. “It’s a very diverse tour. It’s all hip hop, but different types of hip hop. I’d rather have it like this where we don’t all have the same sound.”

He’s even been kicking around collaboration ideas with some of his tour mates, but is most excited to reach new and old fans live.

“We gonna turn it up. You can expect a high energy show,” Saigon said. “I can’t wait man.”

Saigon will play as part of the Strange Noize tour at 6 p.m. this Sunday at The Slowdown along with Krizz Kaliko, Johnny Richter, Potluck and others. Tickets cost $16 and can be purchased at etix.com or any Homer’s Music stores.