Chicago rapper Saba linked up with legendary producer and fellow Chicago native No ID to deliver a fun, vibrant project that exudes the hip-hop sound of the city they hail from. This is Saba’s fifth studio album and the first since his 2022 LP “Few Good Things”.
Titled “From the Private Collection of Saba and No ID,” both artists are in incredible form on this project.
No ID’s production is as solid as ever with bouncy, vibey instrumentals throughout the track that mesh perfectly with Saba’s lyrical yet easy going style. Of the beats on the album, my favorites come on the tracks “Breakdown” and “Woes of The World.”
Saba, for his part, is as lyrically potent as he’s ever been on this album. His wordplay and metaphors are clever and his flow is top-notch as he floats over No ID’s production and delivers enjoyable verses on every track.
On the opening track “Every Painting Has a Price,” Saba sets the tone for the project. He paints a picture of his rap career and the way his success has changed his life as well as the lives of those around him.
It’s a reflective track and is incredibly entertaining due to Saba’s unique delivery. The track is also given life by BJ the Chicago Kid who shines on the bridge and Eryn Allen Kane who elevates the outro.
The rest of the tracklist is similarly enjoyable and continues with the self-reflective tone while also acknowledging other themes like being in touch with your roots, community, and personal growth.
The best songs on the album are the fourth track “Woes of The World,” the seventh track “head.rap” featuring Jordan Ward, Ogi and Madison McFerrin and the outro track “a FEW songs,” which again features Ogi as well as Love Mansuy and Smino.
All of these songs are lyrically impressive from Saba and the various features and the instrumentals are standout and sensational. They all make for a pleasant, easy listening experience which really can be said of the album as a whole.
Speaking on features, that is another strong point of the project. Artists like the aforementioned Smino and Jordan Ward along with others like Jean Deaux, Kelly Rowland and more all lend their voices to deliver powerful verses and lovely melodies on various tracks.
Smino’s performance on “a FEW songs” is the strongest feature on the album. He spits an amazing verse filled with self-confidence while also proclaiming his love for his people.
This verse helps punctuate the album well in the final song and contributes to “a FEW songs” being the absolute best song on the album to me, ending the album on a high note. This album is fantastic and truly an early candidate for album of the year. Saba is a star and his discography is shaping up incredibly well with this being another great album in a catalog full of them. I give “From The Private Collection of Saba and No ID” an 8.5/10.
