In celebration of Hip-Hop's 50th birthday, veteran MC Saigon and Swedish multi-platinum producer Fredro have linked to create a love letter to Hip-Hop specifically focuses on 1986-1996 with their upcoming album, The Jordan Era.
With that, the pair have released their first single from the project featuring the legendary Grandmaster Caz, "Lyrical Genius."
"I made The Jordan Era to celebrate the reason I am the man I am today. I remember my mother listening to the Cold Crush Brothers, whose main lyricist was a guy named Grandmaster Caz" Saigon explains. "Growing up, I idolized Big Daddy Kane. When I got a chance to meet him, he told me he idolized Grandmaster Caz. My generation, we are the grand-babies of Caz; so making this record and video is an ode to the amazing culture of Hip-Hop that I am so proud to be a part of."
He also explained what prompted the name "Lyrical Genius."
"We named the song "Lyrical Genius," because Caz was the first emcee to emphasize the importance of being LYRICAL" Saigon continues. "With the 50th Anniversary celebration coming to a close, I wanted to ensure I did my part to recognize Grandmaster Caz and thank him for paving the way. As he says on the single, 'I'm the reason you spit/ the reason you lit/ the reason why you get all the love and sh*t/ I wrote blueprints for your convenience/ f*ck brag how bout a bag for the Lyrical Genius'."
The Jordan Era album will be released in early 2024 via Payday Records. Check out the video for "Lyrical Genius" below.