REVIEW: Saba @ Brighton Music Hall 04/12

Brighton Music Hall played host to Chicago rapper Saba on April 12, and he brought both the frigid midwest chill and a poetic, encapsulating performance.

The show was opened by three different artists, Latrell James, Mfn Melo and Joseph Chilliams. The latter of the two are members of an independent West side Chicago rap group who refer to themselves as “Pivot Gang.” Mfn Melo, the first opening act, has a sound is slightly darker than the rest of the group with a powerful voice and inviting stage presence. Joseph Chilliams drew us in with witty lyrics and his certified “funnyman” attitude onstage. Saba, the main act, also is a part of the group. Their fourth founding member, John Walt, cousin to Saba and Chilliams, was killed last year in an incident in West Chicago. Saba’s just-released album Care for Me is largely dedicated to him.

Chilliams was particularly memorable, debuting songs from his upcoming release, an album based on the movie “Mean Girls.” With Chilliams quick-witted lyrics and hilarious stage presence, he immediately had the crowd on his side. He had the crowd laughing throughout the night, at one point announcing that his first album Henry Church was a loose translation of the artist Enrique Iglesias. Later, the audience watched intently as mid-set he decided to walk across the stage on his hands amid shouts of “Don’t do it!” from the audience. He then casually picked up the mic and continued his set. This nonchalant attitude was central to his charm, and the ease with which he shouted lyrics like “Zootopia better than Finding Dory / They trapping out at Garfield Conservatory,” only added to it.

Opening his set with my personal favorite from the new album, Saba knew how to engage the audience. As he slid effortlessly from the hook of “Broken Girls” into smooth, perfectly timed bars, the room followed his every breath, his flow and delivery translating beautifully to the stage. It had hardly been a week since the album had dropped, but the crowd already screaming the words.

If his debut album, Bucket List, was an optimistic look to the future, his sophomore album Care For Me, is overwhelmingly emotional, giving insight into the struggles the rapper has experienced in the past year. Saba’s poetic lyrics, like “Write it away / I just got tired of runnin away, runnin away / Everyone leavin’ I write ‘em away” from “Calligraphy,” evoke powerful emotion. The live version was all the more compelling. His connection to and gratitude for the crowd was incredibly genuine. Deservedly, Care For Me has just charted 45th on the Billboard R&B & Hip Hop charts, an impressive feat for an independent rap group.

His song “Fighter” is something of a rap ballad, and he moved artfully between heartfelt moments into impassioned chants of “I war no more…cause I’m not a fighter.” His charismatic demeanor was almost overshadowed by his striking realness and sincerity. This carried through his commentary and performance. Every word felt profoundly emotional, but was accompanied by clever lyricism and hooks that cause you to root for him.

Throughout the night, Saba had the audience completely enraptured with a nervous excitement as they longed to hear what was next–a stark contrast to how Saba ended the night, strolling coolly off the stage.

-Phoebe Pacheco