Don’t Sleep #1
Saba - Care For Me
This album is one I almost missed this year but it was one I wish I had caught when it dropped back in April. Saba is an artist I was supposed to be keeping up with since I heard him on fellow Chicagoan Chance the Rapper‘s ‘Coloring Book’ but I got distracted somehow. It took for a friend of mine to text me “hey check this song out, this album is one of the best this year.” for me to go “I was supposed to check for bro a long time ago.” Boy I’m glad this was my real intro to who Saba was.
One thing I love in music is when artists are vulnerable and willing to share their experiences with the audience. Saba let it all out on ‘Care For Me’ and I appreciate the journey he took us on. It was reminiscent of riding around with your brother or homeboy and y’all get into those real discussions that take y’all bond up another level. I feel like I know who Saba the person is, from his relationship with his cousin Walter to his father’s pursuit of music keeping them apart.
The album starts with ‘BUSY/SIRENS (feat. theMIND) and it just sounds like a familiar story for me. Depression, feeling alone when you’re not, being an awkward kid, all of it I’ve felt. The beat is extremely simple so you have to hear what it is Saba is saying and I love that. And I don’t know who theMIND is but dammit his vocals on the song adds to the very dreary atmosphere (I mean that in a good way) the beat has created. So not only do you hear what how he feels the song kind of feels that way.
‘LOGOUT’ is a really dope record that comes towards the later half of the album. It’s a song that speaks on our obsession with internet people’s approval. Everything we do is for the internet. It‘s such a real record because it seems nowadays we can’t live our lives for ourselves. The bridge a point about a follow back being more important than autograph nowadays. Life is more fun when you live it for yourself.
“The best song is probably on the B side, won’t be surprised when the label deny, it’s so grey.”
“The best song is probably on song is probably on the demo, but that’s not the one that got to your limo, limosay. Grey.”
“The single, the one that wasn’t as honest, but this is what they say make you the hottest in okay. Grey.”
When I heard that hook over the Jazz inspired beat I knew Saba was my guy man. It tells me that the art is important to him and that’s extremely important to me as a fan. He speaks on people not wanting to be Great anymore, that tells me he wants a legacy in this music game. Then he brought in the horns and snapped, Grey is my favorite song on the album by far.
I just want to mention ‘PROM/KING’ one time before I end this. I’m not gonna spoil it for y’all but that song got me. I appreciate that Saba gave us an album that makes one look inward and around us. It was a very honest interpretation of his life and feelings through music. I feel more artists could stand to gain more from being somewhat transparent with their fans. It builds a deeper connection with the people you are trying appeal to.
Real quick, I wanna say thank you to Saba and everyone involved in the creation of this Testimony. ‘Care For Me’ is an amazing body of work and I appreciate that y’all gave this to us the fans.