When Saba released his sophomore effort Care For Me in 2018, it wasn’t just another project for the Chicago-born star — it was a vindication of his vices, a tale of his greatest triumphs and a story surrounding the gut-wrenching oppression he’s endured throughout his life.
Fighting the preconceived adversity set against him, the 27-year-old rapper-producer reaches a peak on Care For Me that very few artists achieve in their careers. Saba is more than just a rapper, he’s a storyteller through and through, as the Chi-town wunderkind has a Few Good Things in mind for his third studio album.
Following his MomentHouse short film mirroring the same title, Few Good Things is a breath of fresh air for Saba. Recruiting 6LACK, Smino, Black Thought, GHerbo and more, the album is full of diverse soundscapes that intrinsically dig into every emotion of the human experience.
Penning a note to both fans and media outlets, Saba doesn’t want his message to be misconstrued or put inside a specific box. He wants it to be as “transparent” and “open” as possible — about stories that matter to him and every emotion he goes through. Whether it be happiness, grief or aloofness, Saba’s letter leans into the overall impact Few Good Things brings forth — fully understanding his thoughts and feelings with his fourth-wall-breaking insight.
With this in mind — and his short film to draw back on — he’s created something real, unique and genuine on the brink of casting an omen for humankind. Few Good Things is not only good, it’s great. Not only does Saba’s poignance perfectly detail his plights living with “Survivor’s Guilt,” but shows every side of his artistry, saying in a statement: “I have never made a record that sounds like this.”
In addition to linking up with his childhood inspiration Krayzie Bone on “Come My Way,” the LP ebbs and flows into different sections of Saba’s sound. On “Stop That,” he puts forth a brooding, introspective effort filled with pitched-down horns and heavy bars — paling in comparison to the direction of the album’s lead single “Fearmonger” with Daoud. Trading in the track’s funk-friendly nature for Saba’s signature pen game, the gifted lyricist also shared a statement regarding the inspiration behind the track, saying he’s striving to stop — among other things — “hiding from the unforgettable moment.”
“I feel like more often than not, we let our own judgement of ourselves knock our confidence off before anyone else even offers any feedback. Our own insecurities ring really loudly in our heads, to the point where we make ourselves smaller before giving anyone else the chance to. This is something that I feel like I found myself beginning to do over the years. Hiding from the uncomfortable moment. And this song works as my noticing and correcting that.”
Saba on the inspiration behind “Stop That”
Along with Few Good Things’ release, Saba is set to kick off his Back Home world tour in March. Coming off the back of 2021 efforts in “Ziplock / Rich Don’t Stop,” “Plead the .45” with Smino and “Strange Love” with Cautious Clay, he initially divulged that this album in particular is “very special to me” when he announced it in November — urging fans that Few Good Things will be well worth the wait. And so it was.
Simply put, Few Good Things is a can’t-miss release, taking listeners on a ride into the inner workings of Saba’s mindset and the culture that envelopes his heart, mind and soul.
Check out Saba’s ‘Few Good Things’ below!
