Saigon

Analogous to mixtape kingpins 50 Cent and Papoose, Saigon rose to prominence within hip-hop's top ranks, particularly in New York, on unofficial singles and mixtapes alone. Politically conscious and street-smart, the rapper became a formidable force when he was taken under the wing of Roc-A-Fella Records' in-demand producer Just Blaze, who shared his passion for early-'90s hip-hop. Born in Brooklyn but raised in Rockland County, New York, Saigon (aka Brian Carenard) developed his deft rhyming skills during his seven-year stint in prison, where he also earned the nickname "The...