The sequel to his much delayed debut LP The Greatest Story Never Told, Saigon’s sophomore album The Greatest Story Never Told Chapter 2: Bread and Circuses showcases the maturation of the Yardfather’s artistry as he explores harsh realities once more in addition to his career, moral sense, religion and ambition.

Starting with “Plant the Seed (What U Paid For)” foreshadowing several main subjects that reoccurs throughout the LP, the self-claimed Thespian vocalizes, “Everybody ballin', huh, everybody winning/Ain't nobody poor no more, everybody spending." It foretells how little reality he feels his peers are incorporating in their music, a topic he blatantly tackles on, "Brownsville Girl (Ghetto)." It’s a continuously repeated theme throughout the project, as Sai revisits the matter on “Not Like Them”—illustrating how he, on the contrary, is taking action in his lyrics—and the Just Blaze-produced “Rap vs. Real,” which reaffirms his desire for hip-hop to revert back to how it used to be in his eyes.

With the help of Cincinnati up-and-comer Corbett, who produced four records on the album, Saigon lightens the grimness of the LP on "Let Me Run." Comparably, Sai and Corbett do the same with Lecrae on "Best Thing That I Found," a spiritually elevating record that reveals the Yardfather’s church-oriented past. "Forever Dreamin'," keeps a similar vibe, but accentuates the emotions as Sai dedicates the record to his recently passed manager, and industry veteran, Chris Lighty.

Never the one to hold his tongue, Saigon addresses his thoughts on homosexuality on “Our Babies 2 (Crazy World),” in which he states, “The other day I seen a girl acting like a boy/Then I seen a little boy acting like a girl/People try to tell me that's just the way of the world/Shit make you wanna hurl.” Is the Brooklyn rapper admitting his homophobia? It’s up for interpretation, but it’s clear the MC won’t stand for something politically correct for the sake of it.

In short, Saigon's second LP offers a sizable amount of diversity over fitting instrumentals, exhibiting how much he has evolved as a rapper by personifying his bars to reflect his music and his life. The album is gratifying, surely enough to make those whom purchase the album to be happy with what they paid for. —Christopher Minaya (@CM_3)

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