The Greatest Story Never Told
album by Saigon
The Greatest Story Never Told is the debut studio album by American rapper Saigon, released February 15, 2011 on Abandoned Nation and Suburban Noize Records. The album was initially scheduled to be released in 2007, but experienced numerous delays due to issues with Saigon's previous label Atlantic Records. Although primarily produced by Just Blaze, The Greatest Story Never Told features additional production from several renowned producers, such as Buckwild, Scram Jones and Kanye West, with guest appearances from Black Thought, Bun B, Faith Evans, Jay-Z and Q-Tip, among others.
In its opening week, The Greatest Story Never Told entered on the Billboard 200 at number 61, selling 11,000 copies. In its second week, the album sold an additional 4,800 copies, bringing its total sales to around 16,000. As of March 6, 2011, the album has sold 19,000 copies in the United States. Upon its release, The Greatest Story Never Told received rave reviews from music critics and hip hop publications, who complimented the album's intellectual lyrics, soulful production, and overall cohesiveness.
Background
In the late 1990s, Brian "Saigon" Carenard was sentenced to jail time at Napanoch's Eastern Correctional Facility, serving a sentence for first-degree assault after shooting at someone in a bar. One day, while in the recreation yard, Brian met a fellow inmate named Hakim, who rapped and had a reputation for incorporating positive messages, and heavy use of prestigious vocabulary, in his rhymes. Carenard would later state that battle rapping with Hakim would help instigate his personal rehabilitation, as he set a course for redemption through hip hop music.
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Object files, edition statements, performance records and contemporary criticism preserve different stages of the work’s history. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 29, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q3521151. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2011 and 2007.
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