Chicago’s Saba has long been one of the most underrated acts not only in his own city but in the entire hip-hop genre.
Videos by American Songwriter
Coming off his stellar 2022 album, Few Good Things, which included features from G Herbo, Smino, 6lack, Black Thought, and more, the 28-year-old is already ready for another project. On Thursday (April 13), Saba dropped “Back In Office,” his first single of the year.
Produced by legendary fellow Chicagoan No I.D., who has worked with the likes of Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Nas, “Back In Office” feels like a fresh start for Saba. Mostly straying away from the soul and jazz-influenced side of his artistry, he delivers an aggressive flow with brash lyricism full of double entendres.
Got n****s askin’ “Is it jazz? Or is it rap?”
I’m a bit imaginative, I’m where the ribbon at
In the sky I can write like Jack Kerouac
I can say anything, it don’t even have to match
I can wear anything, it don’t even have to match
When it comes to rap peers, I don’t even have a match
“Back In Office” is potentially a lead promotional single for a joint mixtape from Saba and No I.D. In a recent interview with Apple Music’s Ebro Darden, Saba explained that No I.D. sent him 120 different instrumentals to make songs over while he was on his 2022 nationwide Back Home Tour.
“He was like, ‘You hear that little beat in the background, that’s just number 80 this week, don’t mind me’,” Saba said about a FaceTime call with No I.D. “So when I got up with him, he told me he did 120 in a two-week span. He was like, ‘I got 120, how many of them you want me to send you?’ I was just like, ‘Bro, I’m about to go on tour, send me all 120. I didn’t expect him to actually do it, but he did it.”
Coupled with this information, Saba posted a video to social media where he captioned it, “It’s almost that time. Excited to let these songs go. Mixtape saba otw (on the way).” While promoting “Back In Office” this week, a description he posted noted that the song was “from a private collection of Saba & No I.D.”
So, it’s safe to assume that we will receive a collaborative mixtape from the Illinois rapper-producer tandem soon, in the midst of a swarm of joint projects just like it. Whether it be Metro Boomin and J.I.D., Metro Boomin and Future, or Aminé and KAYTRANADA, Saba is joining in on a growing trend of rappers making music with a singular producer.
Check out “Back In Office” below.
Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images
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