On October 27, 2016, Saba released his debut album, Bucket List Project. His debut album is about the experiences we long to pack into one lifetime, like a bucket list. The genre of Bucket List Project is Hip hop, jazz rap, and Neo soul. Features of BLP include Phoelix, BJRKNC, Twista, Noname, Joseph Chilliams, Jean Deaux, Mathew Santos, Akenya, Ravyn Lenae, Smino, and Legit. Bucket List Project has 13 songs which adds up to 49 minutes and 32 seconds.
In Loving Memory gives the same great vibes of his second album, Care For Me, and it just sounds amazing. In Loving Memory is a reflection on the artist’s journey and the obstacles he has faced along the way.
Stoney has a really nice sound to it because of the beat production being from Phoelix and Saba. And then you add Saba’s verse along with BJRKNC’s feature, then you have a great song. Stoney explores themes of resilience, determination, and the experiences of growing up in a challenging environment.
GPS is a solid song, and I think that since the background vocals are great in this song. And I really like the audio clip at the end. GPS explores themes of identity, self-reflection, and the search for purpose and direction in life.
Church / Liquor Store is a favorite of mines because of Saba and Noname’s performance on this great beat. This song explores the harsh realities and struggles of growing up and living in Chicago, particularly in neighborhoods plagued by violence and systemic issues.
Westside Bound 3 is a great song because of it’s faster feeling and the feature of Joseph Chiliams. Westside Bound 3 explores the experiences and perspectives of artists who hail from the Westside of Chicago, a part of the city that is often overlooked or disregarded.
MOST’ is solid especially because of Saba’s flow and lyrics. In MOST, Saba explores various themes and realities of life in the city.
Symmetry is awesome with its different feeling of hip hop. Not only does it sound different from all of the other songs on Bucket List Project with its beat production being vastly different, it is also just a good track. In Symmetry, Saba explores the concept of finding one’s perfect match and the idea of symmetry in a relationship.
Photosynthesis is amazing because of its great beat, background vocals, features from Jean Deaux, and overall performance from Saba. Photosynthesis is a song that delves deep into personal growth, resilience, and the pursuit of one’s dreams and aspirations.
The Billy Williams Story is yet another solid track on BKP with its chorus being the best part of the song for me. This track explores themes of resilience, self-empowerment, and a relentless pursuit of success.
Bucket List is a nice uplifting song with the feature of Matthew Santos and just the lyrics of it being uplifting. Bucket List explores themes of gratitude, resilience, and the pursuit of personal growth and achievement.
American Hypnosis is a great song with its instrumentals, Akenya’s feature, and Saba’s verses. I think that Saba is a little off beat but it has its charm. American Hypnosis is a deeply introspective and thought-provoking song that delves into the experiences of the artist growing up in America.
California / Outro has its own vibe to it and that’s what I love about it. With the feature of Ravyn Lenae’s vocals and the other features of Phoelix make it amazing. And with the 2 different songs in a single track that make it different from just regular tracks of this album. This track explores themes of chasing dreams, overcoming adversity, and finding oneself.
World in My Hands is an almost perfect track for me since Saba and Smino are in a single track. And not only is the beat production perfect for them, but then you add a feature from LEGIT, and it makes this track much greater than it could be. World in My Hands explores the theme of empowerment and success.
As a debut album, Bucket List Project is a great first collage of songs from Saba. I would say all his other albums are better but it shows that Saba is getting better from already great performances in Bucket List Project.
