Examining Saba's Care For Me: Life After John Walt

Описание: Welcome back to Earzonik, Today will be the first video in the album breakdown series. The album is none other than Care For Me. I examine Saba’s relationship with John Walt and the ensuing grief caused by loosing him. Sorry, I could not get it to y’all sooner, it took a lot of work to make. Some of you may be wondering why this album? This is part of the reason I was so adamant on doing this album. I wrote this back in April:

“The last few days I have been thinking of my own cousin, because of this album. We run this small YouTube channel together, make music together, and I am lucky to call him my best friend. Care For Me made me think about how lucky I am to have him and how I need to appreciate every moment I have with him.

A lot of Saba’s album is based around his especially close relationship with his cousin, John Walt. Who was killed last year over a coat with a pocket knife. I can’t express how sad this makes me, and how this can be a reality for so many people. Saba has talked about his depression and anxiety, but I can’t even imagine the toll the loss of his cousin had on him. I can’t say enough good things about how he was able to express this on the album. You can hear it littered throughout the album. I don’t think I’ve heard a hip hop album articulate grief and loss so well.

Sure, there has been tracks, but this album shows almost a full scope of grief. However, there are other topics like his relationship issues on “Broken Girls”, tackled multi faceted brilliantly. The harsh reality of police brutality on “Sirens” told by a fifteen year old African American, the way he manipulated his voice to fit that is absolutely remarkable. His commentary on the downfalls of social media on “Logout”. But a lot of it returns to John Walt. The isolation, depression, loneliness, and just an utter shift that happened to him. Even on the tracks that sound more optimistic, they are still tinged by his loss. AKA, “Smile” and “Heaven all around me.” Smile has the heartbreaking line, “More than a canvas, you carry me these days. Practice, I’m tryna remember, I’m tryna remember.” And “Heaven on Earth” is about a man being murdered and although he is in Heaven, it doesn’t feel right and he wants to stay down with his brothers. I don’t know if it’s about John Walt, but his story can be likened to it. I hate how some of the best music can be made out of immeasurable pain. I just hope this album can help people cope with pain they have gone through, this has made me so appreciative of the relationships and life I am lucky to lead.”

I hope you all enjoy!