In this post I want to discuss one of the most underrated rappers. Malik Chandler, known as SABA, is too slept on for my liking. The person reading this has probably never heard of this artist, which is pretty saddening. The 26-year-old rapper and record producer was born and raised in West Chicago. He is one of my all time top 10 favorite rappers. If I were to solely base it on lyrics and story telling then hands down top 3. His sophomore album is the main reason why he is ranked so high on my list. “Care for me” is the rapper’s second studio album that was released in 2018, and it is genuinely a lyrical masterpiece. This project is what you call a real album. All the tracks are intertwined there is a steady theme in every song. You can see, feel, and hear his emotion and work he puts into his craft. The album is the saying “although it feels like it, you’re not alone in this cruel world” put into 10 songs, as it mentions loneliness, grief, and depression (which makes sense when you read the album’s title). It is a voice for people’s experience living in Chicago. The album also has the memory of his friend, cousin, and band mate, John Walt written all over it . Walt was one of the three members, including SABA, in their hip hop group called “Pivot Gang”. He was fatally stabbed on February 8, 2017. I need to mention his phenomenal writing skills, a great example of Saba’s storytelling through his lyrics can be seen in his song “PROM/ KING”. This seven-minute song clearly describes early memories of his cousin, how they became close, and the events leading up to his death. “PROM” refers to SABA’s adventurous youth and his experience at prom with his date, which funny enough he met through his cousin. Later in the song, it takes an intense turn reminding us how unpredictable it can be not only being a teenager but also living in Chicago. “KING” symbolizes Saba’s story of being a struggling rapper and trying to make a name with his cousin. During this process Walt was shot and 2 years later was fatally stabbed. It reminds us about the consistent and excessive violence in Chicago with the song ending by repeating “I just hope I make it til tomorrow”. The song and lyrics are truly heart wrenching and shows the wrong people end up hurt the most
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