Saba – Care for Me
Released April 5, 2018
2016 was a tremendous year for Saba. It all started with a show-stealing hook on Chance the Rapper’s “Angels,” followed by co-producing the bulk of Noname’s critically acclaimed debut album Telefone. He capped off the year with his own tour de force of an album, Bucket List Project. He showed astounding growth since 2014’s ComfortZone mixtape, and his Chicago hip-hop collective PIVOT Gang seemed poised to keep that momentum going in 2017.
February 8th, 2017 changed this trajectory. Rising Chicago artist Walter Long Jr., known under the stage names John Walt and Dinner With John, was fatally stabbed at the age of 24. Walt was a staple of the city’s rising hip-hop/R&B scene, founding member of PIVOT Gang, and the cousin of artists Saba, Joseph Chilliams, and Jean Deaux.
Much of Saba’s previous work felt like a collaborative process amongst Chicago’s best artists. Care for Me contrasts this with a sense of isolation and not just lyrically. Features are sparse and production is handled entirely by Saba alongside daedaePIVOT and Daoud. The album sonically matches the neutral colors of the cover, yet the jazzy production and emphatic flows retain a strange warmth. If Bucket List sounds like summertime Chi, Care for Me is an overcast spring afternoon following a storm.
Care for Me finds Saba at his most honest yet. On Bucket List Project’s “American Hypnosis” he raps, “had to learn my mama’s depression wasn’t my own.” This tune changes on Care for Me’s “Busy / Sirens” where he admits, “I don’t know how long I had depression.” Rather than sidestepping his mental state, Saba is tackling it in an effort to overcome it. This is reinforced by the hook to “Calligraphy,” which really serves as the album’s mission statement: “Write it away / I just got tired of runnin’ away.”
Saba’s handle on his subject matter is hard to match. Common depression themes are mentioned like the struggles of getting out of bed on “Fighter” and survivor’s guilt on “Life.” Yet he dives deeper into how grief can spill over into other aspects of one’s life, like the pursuit of toxic relationships on “Broken Girls” and social media posturing for validation on “Logout.”
The unfiltered frustration of “Life” feels like it could be Saba’s most cathartic moment on the record, but “Prom / King” ups the ante. His lyrical prowess is evident throughout the project, but this recollection of the beginning of his friendship with Walt through the bitter end is bound to pull at your heartstrings. Saba’s delivery and production remain on the same page, gradually growing more frantic as the story progresses. A John Walt sample makes for the record’s most haunting moment as his words “I just hope I make it to tomorrow” echo into silence.
Saba is clear he isn’t seeking the listener’s sympathy. His depression and insecurities are acknowledged throughout, but never in a manner that wallows in self-pity. He bypasses any blame games, admits his truth, and attempts to pick up the pieces.
Despite the gravity of the album’s inspiration, Saba never gets so caught up in the message that he forgets to fully flesh out a song. The lush production is always memorable, the hooks are perfect to sing along to, and he makes a case for being an elite rapper through both lyricism and flow. Even with its dark material, it makes for a relatively easy listen. Every moment of the album sounds like it belongs, even unexpected autotuned interludes.
Bucket List Project and Care for Me are both triumphant records, albeit in very different ways. Bucket List Project feels like a celebration and rightfully so. After some large feature placements and appearing on national television, it was clear he was on the cusp of something great. It was a product of love among the Chi’s thriving hip-hop community. He was rising above those negative circumstances that flood Chicago news. The lows are there, but optimism is always soon behind. Care for Me is an emotional triumph. It’s making it to the other side of the grieving process. Overcoming doesn’t always feel like an outright celebration. It feels like “Smile.” It feels like “Heaven All Around Me.” It’s breathing a sigh of relief.
This record could prove to be Saba’s breakout moment. It seems to be resonating enough that music publications won’t feel compelled to start articles by identifying him as “Chance the Rapper collaborator” (I’m kind of a hypocrite here, I know). Mainstream success won’t come calling based on this material, but that was never the intention. He’s crafted a complete body of work that’s elevated not only his artistry, but Chicago’s reputation as a hotbed for next-up artists. No one knows what’s next for Saba, but we can be certain it won’t be “grey.”
Listen to the album below.