Been hearing the name Saba for a while now but I’ve never really heard a solo anything from the Chicago rapper. That is until now, when I saw he dropped off his project, CARE FOR ME. Man, have I been missing out. CARE FOR ME is an absolutely gorgeous project with lush soundscapes that allows Saba to lay down deep, emotional, introspective gem after deep, emotional, introspective gem. It’s an exploration of grief, isolation, and trying to cope with the woes of life. But it’s more cathartic than masochistic with glimmers of light at the end of the tunnel in the form of “HEAVEN ALL AROUND ME.” His free flowing, almost spoken word, style of rhyming is backed by some of the most meticulously pieced together production since early Kendrick Lamar. It’s a perfect pairing that’s elements of jazz and live instrumentation really drive home the emotion. Through pain and loss, Saba has crafted an incredibly powerful and open project that shows a bright bright future as an artist despite the dark times he had to go through to get here.
I consider Black Milk to be one of the torchbearers of the pure essence of hip-hop and the way he melds in jazz and neo-soul influences is unlike anyone else out there. His use of live instrumentation really makes his sound stand out; there's just a soul and intimacy to his production that a machine could never replicate. He may just be a serviceable lyricist but he's earnest with it and when paired with his strong production, it makes it more than worth a listen or 2 or 3.
Effected is a really solid introduction to the world at large for Cozz and shows massive potential and room for growth, but ultimately it runs into the same problems a lot of the more 'conscious' rappers run into. Much like his label owner's early days in his career, Cozz is still trying to find that fine balance between serious and entertaining but he's got all the tools at his disposal and I expect he'll learn a lot from this project.
Skyzoo dropped off a fully realized project that's a complete celebration of blackness, fatherhood, and community; and while it's overall tale is a small, personal affair, the way he paints the picture makes it feel like a much grander journey and by the ending's heartfelt revelation I found myself fully invested. Add to that an ridiculous pen full of rewind worthy gems and phenomenal production makes this a top tier hip-hop album that must be heard.
“I got angels runnin’ ‘way, I got demons huntin’ me
I know ‘Pac was 25, I know Jesus 33
I tell Death to keep a distance, I think he obsessed with me
I say, “God, that’s a woman,” I know she would die for me
They want a barcode on my wrist
To auction off the kids that don’t fit their description of a utopia (black)
Like a problem won’t exist if I just don’t exist”
Have you heard CARE FOR ME? What’d you think about it? Did it resonate emotionally with you? Let me know in the comments below and be sure to leave your own ratings and reactions to the album.
Saba – CARE FOR ME Reaction
Conclusion
CARE FOR ME is an absolutely gorgeous project with lush soundscapes that allows Saba to lay down deep, emotional, introspective gem after deep, emotional, introspective gem. It's an exploration of grief, isolation, and trying to cope with the woes of life. But it's more cathartic than masochistic with glimmers of light at the end of the tunnel.
Fuego!!!
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