The Chicago-born rapper, Saba, was once a block of marble, an untouched canvas, a clean slate. The now 30-year-old artist has spent over a decade being chiseled, refined and crafted into one of the most complete artists out of the Windy City.
Influenced by Chicago rap’s founding fathers, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco and No ID, Saba is climbing the respective ranks and flirting with veteran status. A handful of mixtapes and albums have all been leading up to his 2025 project, “From The Private Collection of Saba and No ID.”
It’s a 15-song, 41-minute tribute to the Westside of Chicago, where Saba transformed from a school hallway performer to a bonafide superstar. Produced by the backbone of Chicago hip hop, No ID, his Southside roots and Midwest influence decorate the album.
Saba further salutes his stomping grounds by including Midwest-born favorites Jordan Ward, Smino, BJ The Chicago Kid and Ogi. Knowing the majority of the artists that had a hand in “The Private Collection of Saba and No ID” are from Saba’s neighborhood or a nearby city made the project more personal than your typical hip hop album.
Everyone pulls their weight on this project, which is the first aspect of the album that stood out to me. Each song and sound is distinct, and Saba manages to use each beat to its fullest potential. It never feels like something No ID creates goes unnoticed, and whether he’s storytelling, showboating or looping in a feature, Saba makes sure this quality of production is appreciated.
“Westside Bound Pt. 4” is always a staple in a Saba project, and the fourth volume of this song – filled with trumpets, beat switches and monologue – beats out the trio of “Westside Bounds” that came before it.
“head.rap” follows the aforementioned track, and flaunts the perfect harmony of Saba’s lyricism with Jordan Ward and Ogi’s vocals. “You keep growin’ your garden / Waves and winds, they harden it / I don’t even know what sparked it,” sings Ward over a melody that will play out of every windowside radio in Chicago as spring approaches.
No ID brilliantly refuses to stay in one spot for longer than a song. The once bright and bubbly tune of “head.rap” does a 180 for the jazzy, experimental beat of “Acts 1.5;” a two-minute solo performance for Saba that serves as both an interlude and a way for him to show off his raw flow.
“BIG PICTURE” is another fun mix of Saba’s limitless talent with Ogi’s R&B touch. It’s a harsh story about the realities of being an artist, and while the lyrics don’t directly convey the message, verses like, “They asked for more until they saw the house lights / ‘Cause everybody pretty in the dark,” and “Gotta get the frame right, fitting in is hard / Best case scenario, they stick it to a wall / Where stuck up motherf*ckers walk by and give their thoughts.”
Saba’s not one to sugarcoat the highs and lows of what 10 years in an unforgiving industry has done to him. “BIG PICTURE” isn’t an outlier, though. The unfiltered track that kicks off the final third of this project is only following suit, as Saba and No ID lean on their intimacy and uncut stories throughout the 41-minute playtime.
The early contender of “Album of the Year” concludes with a three-minute ballad backed by a head-bopping piano beat that Saba and Smino glide down. Ogi makes her final appearance and Love Mansuy – the East Coast intruder on this track – provides a soulful chorus while the rappers catch their breath.
What’s so beautiful about “a FEW songs” is that while most rappers choose to flaunt their way to the finish line of an album, Saba chose to reflect. He finds comfort in knowing that his music is bringing positivity to his neighborhood, that his music has changed his life, but not his heart, and that all the strife from a decade of being in the music industry ended up being worth it.
“Did a show and all the proceeds went to the hood / They was giving trophies out I was good,” Saba raps, “Four gold chains on but I’m awkward in person / We ain’t talkin’ ’bout watches and purses.”
“From The Private Collection of Saba and No ID” is a win for the Chicago duo, their city and all of us hip hop fans. It’s a breath of fresh air in an industry plagued with superficiality and stunting. It’s a full circle moment seeing Saba create a skipless project with the producer that paved the way for the lunch table rapper to find stardom.
Tony Le Calvez