1) An American Rapper… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least six artists with this name:
1) An American Rapper
2) A Post-Punk band from Leamington Spa. Alternative page: Sβaigon
3) A Swedish heavy metal band
4) A punk band from Orange County, California
5) A Finnish poprock group from the 80s
6) A Swedish group formed in Berlin in 2010 but, at the time of writing, based in Stockholm.
1) Saigon (born Brian Carenard, 1978) is an African-American rapper. Born in Newburgh, New York, He spent his upbringing moving between immediate and extended family members in Spring Valley, New York and Brooklyn as well as parts of New Jersey and Virginia. He cites his mother's inattention towards him due to the new arrival of numerous younger siblings as being the catalyst for his roughly 15-year rebellious period. At age 11 he began selling marijuana and at age 13 he had joined in a neighborhood gang. By the time Saigon reached 15 he had already been involved in at least two shootings for which he received jail time. This would be his home for the majority of the next several years of his life as he was "raised" in the New York Penal System. While incarcerated, he took the stage name Saigon from the influential Vietnam War book βBloodsβ by Wallace Terry, which he read while he was serving time in prison.
He is currently signed to Just Blaze's Fort Knox Entertainment record label and is working on his major label debut entitled The Greatest Story Never Told for a November 2006 release, which has now been postponed to a later unannounced date.
He appeared on the second season of the HBO television series Entourage and this is credited as being a big boost to his career to the point where the mainstream U.S. population is beginning to recognize him as opposed to simply his previously small following. He also appears in the third season.
He also performed separate tracks with both Australian hip hop MC Phrase and singer Daniel Merriweather in 2005.
MTV News reported that on January 19th 2006, Saigon was stabbed in the temple with a beer bottle as he left a dinner in the Chelsea section of New York. A man approached Saigon and attempted to steal a chain of his, worth $18,000. When Saigon grabbed it back, a fight started. Saigon, bleeding from the head, tried to hail down a taxi (not wanting to get blood in his Mercedes Benz) but was unable to and drove himself to Bellevue Hospital where he received seventy stitches.
2) Sβaigon is also the name of an early 80s 3 piece Post-Punk band from Leamington Spa. Their music was released through First Floor Records.
3) Also the name of a Swedish heavy metal band.
4) Punk band from orange County California. Released a self-titled EP in 1981.
5) Finnish pop rock band founded 1980 and disbanded 1985. Made two unsuccessful albums and six singles during their career.
6) Saigon's "Ready For Romance?" was made available on Bandcamp in May 2013. The style is broadly lo-fi indie rock.
True Story
Saigon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah, they look at me
But I don't think they see me though
Don't think they see me yet
[Saigon]
Why am I mentally filthy?
Why is pistols being concealed and issued with criminal tendencies that relentlessly got me?
Why is it 99.9 inside of me highly sheist and enticed with beef?
Why the police authority only fuck with minorities?
Why is there black blood in thugs arteries?
Why does the cold part of me, got me loving crime whole heartedly?
Why is the federal bureaucracy prophecy locking me?
I cop a ki rock a commodity lockin ya property
Stockin monopoly properly, why the vodka be knockin me?
Why hypocrisy tryin to rob me of my philosophy?
Why does the pyrophobic fear fire?
Why the CIA wear wires?
Saw the messiah(?) sharp as the eye of Jeremiah
And it's ridiculous niggas solicite this
Why does wickedness breed the foul in me?
Why the ghetto mentality?
{Chorus - Saigon}
True story (true story)
All the pain all the jail all the death
It's all a true story
The hood ain't lettin me go (ain't lettin me go)
This shit is a true story (true story)
All the drugs all the guns in my life
It's all a true story
Nigga I'm just lettin you (just lettin you know)
[Saigon]
Why is the fire inside of me so atrocity filled?
Lyrically im illogically ill the God in me build
Deeper than Carter G(?) wheels, hard to rebuild
Pigs(?) try to keep the truth concealed, probably will
Why the cop'll shackle a theif?
Why not a week of national peace?
Why am I being followed by sorrow, shadows of greif?
Tackle a preist blow the chapel and the tabernacle a piece
Cuz lying is a act of the Beast
Pitiful they slander the Biblical
Lock us down in the land of the critical
Why aint none of us analytical?
Am I a man or a miracle?
Infectin' the Western Hemispherical
With deadly lyrical thats incurable
Why the media players protray us as crack-weighers?
Why is it gonna take black mayors to turn the Mac sprayers to tax payers
Get at me with that, I spit facts naturally black
You dont know the half of me, Ask
{Chorus}
In his song "True Story," Saigon raps about the harsh realities and struggles of life in the ghetto. He questions why he has been conditioned to adopt a life of crime and violence since birth, why the police seem to only target minorities, and why the media portrays black people as drug dealers. Saigon expresses his frustration at the lack of opportunities and the constant cycle of poverty that he feels trapped in. His lyrics are gritty, raw, and an honest reflection of life in the ghettos of America.
Throughout the song, Saigon questions the injustices and hypocrisy he sees around him. He raps about being targeted and oppressed by the police, being raised with a "ghetto mentality," and living in a society that seems designed to keep him down. The chorus reinforces that everything he's rapping about is a "true story," that the pain, jail, and death he's experienced are not just isolated incidents, but part of the larger societal issues that continue to plague black communities.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, they look at me
People see me, but they don't truly see me for who I am
But I don't think they see me though
Despite people looking at me, I feel unseen and unnoticed
Don't think they see me yet
I am aware that I have not yet been fully recognized for my true self
Why am I mentally filthy?
I am questioning why my mind is consumed by negative thoughts and impulses
Why is pistols being concealed and issued with criminal tendencies that relentlessly got me?
I am wondering why firearms are seen as a symbol of power and used as a means of committing crimes
Why is it 99.9 inside of me highly sheist and enticed with beef?
I am struggling with the temptation to be dishonest and engage in conflict or violence
Why is it hard for me to think that I'll probably die in poverty?
I am questioning why it feels like being stuck in poverty is my inevitable fate
Why the police authority only fuck with minorities?
I am puzzled by the fact that the police only seem to target people from marginalized communities
Why is there black blood in thugs arteries?
I am wondering why the tendency to resort to violence and crime is seemingly more prevalent in Black individuals
Why does the cold part of me, got me loving crime whole heartedly?
I am struggling with the fact that a part of me enjoys engaging in criminal activity
Why is the federal bureaucracy prophecy locking me?
I am feeling trapped and confined by the rules and regulations of the federal government
I cop a ki rock a commodity lockin ya property
I am participating in drug dealing and other crimes to gain wealth and power, putting others' property at risk
Stockin monopoly properly, why the vodka be knockin me?
I am questioning why I tend to rely on alcohol as a means of coping with my struggles and pressures
Why hypocrisy tryin to rob me of my philosophy?
I am frustrated by people who try to discredit or invalidate my beliefs and values
Why does the pyrophobic fear fire?
I am wondering why some people have an irrational fear of fire
Why the CIA wear wires?
I am questioning why the CIA employs covert surveillance tactics to gather intelligence
Saw the messiah(?) sharp as the eye of Jeremiah
I have had a profound spiritual experience or revelation
And it's ridiculous niggas solicite this
I find it absurd that some individuals are willing to engage in or solicit criminal activity
Why does wickedness breed the foul in me?
I am reflecting on how engaging in negative or immoral behavior impacts my character and actions
Why the ghetto mentality?
I am questioning the systemic factors that perpetuate a cycle of poverty and violence in marginalized communities
All the pain all the jail all the death
I am acknowledging the difficult experiences of my life, including incarceration and loss of life
It's all a true story
My experiences are not fictional or exaggerated, they are real
The hood ain't lettin me go (ain't lettin me go)
The environment and pressures of my community are making it difficult for me to escape the cycle of violence and poverty
All the drugs all the guns in my life
I have been exposed to and/or participated in drug use and violent behavior
Nigga I'm just lettin you (just lettin you know)
I am simply informing the listener about my experiences and perspective
Why is the fire inside of me so atrocity filled?
I am struggling to understand why I feel such intense negative emotions and impulses
Lyrically im illogically ill the God in me build
I am acknowledging my talent for rapping and recognizing the spiritual force that drives me
Deeper than Carter G(?) wheels, hard to rebuild
My struggles and experiences have left a deep impact on me and it is difficult to overcome them
Pigs(?) try to keep the truth concealed, probably will
Law enforcement officials are trying to hide the uncomfortable truths about marginalized communities and their experiences
Why the cop'll shackle a theif?
I am questioning the motives of the police and the fairness of their actions towards criminals
Why not a week of national peace?
I am frustrated by the lack of government action to promote unity and non-violence
Why am I being followed by sorrow, shadows of greif?
I am feeling weighed down by sorrow and grief that seem to follow me wherever I go
Tackle a preist blow the chapel and the tabernacle a piece
I am acknowledging the reality of violence and destruction that can occur even in places that are supposed to be sacred or peaceful
Cuz lying is a act of the Beast
I am referencing the biblical idea that lying is sinful and evil
Pitiful they slander the Biblical
I am criticizing people who twist and distort the teachings of the Bible for their own gain or agenda
Lock us down in the land of the critical
I am commenting on the oppressive and limiting nature of living in marginalized communities
Why aint none of us analytical?
I am asking why people in my community don't question things the way they should
Am I a man or a miracle?
I am questioning my own identity and purpose in life
Infectin' the Western Hemispherical
I am acknowledging the influence of Black culture on the world at large
With deadly lyrical thats incurable
My talent for rapping is potent and impactful
Why the media players protray us as crack-weighers?
I am frustrated by the media's tendency to perpetuate negative stereotypes about Black people
Why is it gonna take black mayors to turn the Mac sprayers to tax payers
I am commenting on the need for Black people to have greater representation in positions of power to effect meaningful change
Get at me with that, I spit facts naturally black
I am challenging anyone who doubts the authenticity of my experiences and asserting my identity as a Black person
You dont know the half of me, Ask
I am asserting that there is much more depth and complexity to my life and experiences than what the listener may realize
True story (true story)
I am emphasizing the fact that everything I am saying is genuine and true
Contributed by Max I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@CollectiveSooth
[Intro - Saigon]
Yeah, they look at me
But I don't think they see me though
Don't think they see me yet
[Saigon]
Why am I mentally filthy?
Why is pistols being concealed and issued with criminal tendencies that relentlessly got me?
Why is it 99.9 inside of me highly sheist and enticed with beef?
Why is it hard for me to think that I'll probably die in poverty?
Why the police authority only fuck with minorities?
Why is there black blood in thugs arteries?
Why does the cold part of me, got me loving crime whole heartedly?
Why is the federal bureaucracy prophecy locking me?
I cop a ki rock a commodity lockin ya property
Stockin monopoly properly, why the vodka be knockin me?
Why hypocrisy tryin to rob me of my philosophy?
Why does the pyrophobic fear fire?
Why the CIA wear wires?
Saw the messiah(?) sharp as the eye of Jeremiah
And it's ridiculous niggas solicite this
Why does wickedness breed the foul in me?
Why the ghetto mentality?
{Chorus - Saigon}
True story (true story)
All the pain all the jail all the death
It's all a true story
The hood ain't lettin me go (ain't lettin me go)
This shit is a true story (true story)
All the drugs all the guns in my life
It's all a true story
Nigga I'm just lettin you (just lettin you know)
[Saigon]
Why is the fire inside of me so atrocity filled?
Lyrically im illogically ill the God in me build
Deeper than Carter G(?) wheels, hard to rebuild
Pigs(?) try to keep the truth concealed, probably will
Why the cop'll shackle a theif?
Why not a week of national peace?
Why am I being followed by sorrow, shadows of greif?
Tackle a preist blow the chapel and the tabernacle a piece
Cuz lying is a act of the Beast
Pitiful they slander the Biblical
Lock us down in the land of the critical
Why aint none of us analytical?
Am I a man or a miracle?
Infectin' the Western Hemispherical
With deadly lyrical thats incurable
Why the media players protray us as crack-weighers?
Why is it gonna take black mayors to turn the Mac sprayers to tax payers
Get at me with that, I spit facts naturally black
You dont know the half of me, Ask
{Chorus}
@naseleazar3043
This is one of the best tracks ever. Not only the beat but also the lyricism. Saigon never came to the UK to my knowledge so wasn't big over here but easily one of my favourite rappers.
@jameswilson-mm5wg
Sadly man wasnβt even big in the states . One of the most underrated artists to ever live
@robbertjanvankempen7514
I saw him live in Amsterdam, crowd was pretty slim but there were a lot of dutch artists there who apparently knew about him. Since it was a small crowd he got down from the stage and did tracks in the middle of the people like letter p acapella. Amazing show, adapted to a smaller crowd in no way ive seen before.
@mkhanman12345
β@@robbertjanvankempen7514that is awesome. I like how hip hp artists gey support there.
@juliusoziris2018
Peace 2 tha Legendary Saigon!πππ
Pure Gem Right Here!π―πππ₯π₯π₯
@rjmack1786
Itβs 2020 corona season and iβm still banging this ish βπΎ
@flukesl8615
Know this
@PromosMakeCents
He has a new freestyle on Bars On I95. Its π₯
@Imagesbymeno
End of 2022 and came back
@radicalpunk9877
Saigon is the Realest Man to ever live. His messages need to be listened to by everyone in this world.