Saba Teams Up With G Herbo For “Survivor’s Guilt”
On January 27th, Chicago rapper Saba released the fourth and final single from his then-upcoming, now-released new album, Few Good Things. “Survivor’s Guilt” sees Saba team up with fellow Chicago rapper G Herbo for a hard-hitting track about the feelings that come with moving away from a dangerous situation. As Saba says at the end of the first verse, “This album’s confessions of a man movin’ quick, wonder he regret it.” At the same time, though, “Survivor’s Guilt” brings an energy that is distinctly Chicago: it’s open to others joining in for the celebration and the conversation, but if you try to put any sort of outside notion on it without experiencing it yourself, it will smack you in the face.
And that’s what the production of this track feels like. The bass hits so hard that if you aren’t prepared or are trying to assume what Saba might do from his previous work, your ears will feel the pain. The drums are secondary to the bass in the beat. They’re present, but the bass is what you will feel when listening to “Survivor’s Guilt.” Even when the bass isn’t present, the drums don’t actually hit as hard. It’s an interesting discrepancy.
However, the highlight of “Survivor’s Guilt” is the vocal performances of Saba, G Herbo, and the chorus of voices on the hook. Saba’s voice betrays not only the pain and anger that comes with the titular “Survivor’s Guilt,” but also the hope and tenacity that comes from knowing you can make a difference in your family’s lives. G Herbo does the same in his verse, but the chorus is where the most raw emotion is felt. Not only does the hook allow everyone to join in and feel whatever they’re feeling within the chorus of voices, but it also acknowledges that survivor’s guilt is amplified by “the snakes.” “Let the snakes do you cold, it’s the same as before.”
As always, Saba has a wide range of emotion within his work, and the execution on both a lyrical and musical level is incredible. This man does not miss. Check out “Survivor’s Guilt” below, listen to Few Good Things, and let us know what you think! Also, don’t miss Saba on his Back Home Tour. You can find dates here.
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