The plot is simple, one of the East Coast’s best kept secrets and one of the hottest producers in the game go in the lab and kick out an album in a day…yes, 24 hours (give or take a few). How does it come out?
1. To Be Told
Produced by Statik Selektah
With a sample (One of what will prove to be many, what did you expect from a album made in 24 hours?) this beat comes on pretty nice. It has a soulful feel and heavy key play. It’s essentially an intro to the album. I like the flow where he said “Lil’ e-thug I’ll control, alt, delete you dead”. Cool intro to the album.
2. So Cruel
Produced by Statik Selektah
Simplicity sometimes sounds good. While I don’t expect anything overly complex as far as beats go, Statik does a good job on this one. Saigon sounds like he’s been in the lab hard on this one, but the thing that stands out is “Obama is the president but I voted for *bleep*”. Now, when you hear the song, Clinton would work perfectly here…but …
And I think he just took a shot at Jay-Z too….aite then Saigon, I see you.
3. The Rules
Produced by Statik Selektah
With a soulful lead in Saigon goes hard at studio gangstas. That shit never gets old to me. They are helping raise a generation of mental midgets so call them out, I ain’t mad. Stop big uppin’ shit you’ve never lived and being the REAL problem to our youth. Oops, my bad, I blacked out. Anyway, Saigon has clearly been in the lab as he spits some heat over this track. Shout out to Souja Boy.
4. My Crew
Produced by Statik Selektah
The one has an unfinished feeling, like; I imagine that if more time was spent, this beat could be quite formidable. It’s not bad, but I can only imagine what it could be. Samples abound but they are well done, and I love the scratching, that will never get played out. I have NO idea why he gets braggadocios about the ferocity of his clique on THIS track, but hey, do what you will. Shout out to white girls that Saigon gets with.
5. Prepare For War
Produced by Statik Selektah
I’m sold as soon as the first chord comes on. I’m a simple man, give me a head nod beat, some scratchin’ and classic Hip-Hop samples and I’m hooked. I can admit my Achilles’ heel, so what. However, this one is so simple and slow; it almost seems to drag on. Dammit, I was almost sold. Saigon does his thing here, no quotable on this one, but it’s still a cool cut.
6. Spit
Produced by Statik Selektah
I think this may be the track I like the least on the album, only because it sounds very – “I want to be a music producer, come to my myspace-esque”. The hook says “When I spit the room temperature change” and I think that line is dope as fuck. I’d like to hear that on a different track. Usually lyrically gifted, thumbs down on the “My gun snap, crackle and pop like rice crispies”.
7. Lady Sings The Blues
Produced by Statik Selektah
Is this dude quoting Ike…as in Ike Turner? That is too funny. The track is cool as hell; it has a real mid 90’s vibe to it. It actually reminds me of some of AZ’s old work. I don’t have anything bad to say about this track at all, I really like this one. Shout out to Chris Brown.
8. Lose Her
Produced by Statik Selektah
This is a page fresh out of Little Brother’s book with the quartet vocals in the back. The wordplay on “Lose Her” and “Loser” is pretty fly. Saigon does a really good job on this one. “Now you wanna get back, fa what? Just to see me naked again?/So you can take my heart, reshape it, then break it again?/I ain’t got nothin’ to say to ya friends/Like soon as they come around that’s when the damn hatin’ begins/I’m sick and tired of makin’ pretend/I figured it was time to bring this relationship to an end/Now all them Blockbuster nights we was snugged in the den/I’m out, guzzlin’ Gin in the club wit a hen, now who’s da loser”
9. Goodbye
Produced by Statik Selektah
I could do without the horns on the intro, but the track is cool. Lyrically, the song is dark as hell. I’ll let you discover this one yourself.
10. The Reason
Produced by Statik Selektah
The music industries revolt against YouTube BEGAN with Prince…now Statik manages to sample him? I can’t wait to see the fallout on this one. That aside, the track is infectious to the old man in me. I am REALLY feeling this one. The way Saigon flows on this one, with changes in inflection and tempo, is dope as hell. His flow is insane here. Shout out to A Tribe Called Quest. Easily my favorite cut on the album.
11. I Warned You
Produced by Statik Selektah
I’m not really in love with the track on this one, but it’s serviceable. Saigon goes on record to say he’s exposing fake thugs…but it falls a bit short. I was expecting him to pull a “Game” on this one and name names. It’s a decent song though.
Bottom Line:
I’ve read the reviews online, and folks are calling THIS one a Hip-Hop classic as well. Look, we REALLY need to stop lofting this word around. This is a solid album, but that’s as far as it goes. Saigon does a good job of spitting on the tracks and Statik does a good job working within’ the parameters they set up, but those parameters also limit the album. I think if Statik spent more time, the album could be a lot better. Same thing goes for Saigon, if he spent more time on getting a more cohesive album together, it would be a lot better as well. I’m not shittin’ on this album by a long shot though. I think they did a dope job.
nappyPicks: “The Reason”, “The Rules”, “Lose Her”, & “Lady Sings The Blues”
Download: Saigon & Statik Selektah – “The Reason”
