Even though he had already put out a couple mixtapes and had features on Noname's
Telefone and Chance the Rapper's
Coloring Book, Saba formally introduced himself to a larger audience in 2016 with his debut album
Bucket List Project. The stark difference between
Bucket List and
Care for Me shows just how much can change in a couple years. While
Bucket List was a solid, often upbeat and playful debut LP,
Care for Me is very much on the opposite side of the spectrum. Saba's sophomore effort is a poignant and mellow album that, more than anything, is informed by loss. Although
Bucket List opened new doors for Saba in 2016, the young rapper's life quickly took a turn for the worse in 2017, when he lost his cousin, best friend and Pivot Gang collaborator, Walter Long, Jr (dinnerwithjohn), to a fatal stabbing in Chicago.
