Saigon and Ebro Darden are as soon as once more at odds.

There isn’t any business politeness this time. Saigon has made it clear that he’s not shedding a tear over Ebro’s abrupt exit from Hot 97, and the rationale goes again to a sore spot from an period when Saigon was buzzing heavy and radio doorways felt firmly shut. AllHipHop was there although! Still is!

For those that keep in mind, Saigon was not some fringe title yelling from the sidelines. He was a revered voice in underground Hip-Hop, transferring items, shaping conversations, and carrying a sure street-earned credibility that labels and tastemakers had been watching carefully. According to Saigon, when Ebro was this system director at Hot 97, that credibility didn’t translate into radio help. He has framed the second as a conflict of philosophies, with Ebro being a West Coast dude coming right into a New York system.

Saigon’s frustration shouldn’t be introduced as bitterness for bitterness’ sake. It reads extra like delayed closure. In his telling, underground artists had been systematically iced out throughout that interval, whereas radio leaned towards safer or extra commercially predictable sounds. Some listeners may push again and level out that artists like Pete Rock and Marley Marl, nonetheless discovered house on the station. Kay Slay too. So, it isn’t that straightforward.

What makes this second resonate is timing. Ebro’s firing was sudden and unceremonious, reminding everybody how fragile energy may be in company media. Saigon appears to be saying that what goes round ultimately comes round, even when it takes years and a shifting business to point out it. Still, for me, it raises a bigger query that always will get ignored in Hip-Hop debates. How a lot authority did Ebro really have, and the way a lot was he executing the desire of executives far faraway from the tradition? Those are the very folks that fired him. So, look that up.

To me, it’s simpler to assign blame to a well-known Black face than to an invisible boardroom honcho. Saigon’s anger feels actual, however it could be geared toward an emblem moderately than the complete machine. If something, this second exposes feelings lingering from an period when New York Hip-Hop finish below assault from their very own establishments. Whether honest or not, Ebro is now carrying the burden of that historical past, and Saigon is clearly achieved holding his tongue. Check it out:

“The solely cause I AM comfortable to see Ebro lastly OUT of THAT particular place, is as a result of he was DEFINITELY utilizing his private emotions to hinder MF’s LIVES AND CAREERS.. Anyone who has adopted my profession is aware of how this man single dealt with DESTROYED what I had labored my entire life for.

Those who DON’T know, Long story brief, on this DAY we took this pic within the Hamptons, I performed him the verse Jay Z had given me earlier than ANYBODY as a result of I knew he was this system director at Hot 97, and I assumed we had been associates.

I advised him how @atlanticrecords was a radio pushed label they usually weren’t gonna put my album till I had what they thought of a “Radio Hit” and Jay Z saved the day for me (Thanks Again Hov).. Ebro KNEW how a lot this file meant to me. Imagine canning Drake verse on “Versace” . Ouch !!

I can keep in mind vividly one thing on his face advised me he wasn’t comfortable for me. Like I didn’t deserve a Jay Z function even after years & YEARS of grinding to get my title on the market.

To sum it up, just a few weeks later I get into somewhat scuffle with Mobb Deep at SOB’s membership, no blood, no cops, no accidents, no cancelations. They nonetheless carried out after I escaped da ass wh**ping I might’ve gotten had I NOT DEFENDED MYSELF. LOL

NEXT DAY, I get a name from Atlantic Records CEO NOT HAPPY in any respect; he stated Ebro advised them I used to be banned from Hot 97 for an ENTIRE yr and NONE of my music may very well be performed. Thats the place the relations with Atlantic and I went tremendous unhealthy. They wouldn’t make investments one other penny in me.. I referred to as and requested Ebro WHY he would do this figuring out all I been through to get to that time and he stated, “it’s my policy”.. He stated “we banned @50cent when his people shot the Game at the station”..

He stated “we banned @therealnoreaga when they had a shootout at the station too.” He was evaluating a lightweight scuffle the place I used to be attacked and defending myself with my FIST; to MF having shootouts on the precise radio station. Lol. My coronary heart knew he simply didn’t really feel I deserved to win…..I used to be bitter about that s### for like 15 years. My entire LIFE would’ve been completely different had he not achieved that.

Anyway, I nonetheless don’t wanna see one other man down regardless to what he did to me. Stay up @oldmanebro” – Saigon

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