Chicago’s Own Saba Delivers One Of The Most Stunningly Stellar Sets On Day One Of Lollapalooza

Saba gives gives high fives to the crowd during his performance by the American Eagle stage for his evening set on opening day of Lollapalooza on Aug. 1st, 2019. Photo courtesy of Greg Noire

Though he may not be among some of the more recognizable names in Chicago’s current burgeoning Hip-Hop scene, local Chicago rapper, Saba, is definitely among some of the most talented from the bunch though.  So it should be no surprise that when he hit the American Eagle stage on Thursday evening for the opening day of Lollapalooza in Chicago’s famed Grant Park that he was easily one of the best performers of the day.

Last playing the festival in 2016, when he played it for the first time he had an early afternoon slot by the same stage with a not so big crowd.  While this year showed how much can change in three years, as he had a much larger crowd.  Thanks in large part to how much he has grew as a rapper, producer, songwriter and performer since than.  The passion he put into his performance really showed and why his payoff was a little later set time than when he last played Lollapalooza.

Putting out a mostly critically-acclaimed debut album, Care For Me, last year, as well as his group Pivot Gang’s debut album, You Can’t Sit With Us, back in April, Saba performed mostly cuts from his album.  With of course a few from his Pivot Gang crew, who brought out for a few songs.  Saba would also bring out fellow Chicago emcee Smino as a surprise guest performer to perform their verses from their collaboration, Sacrifices, off the recent Dreamville Records compilation album, Revenge of the Dreamers III.

One of the more engaged crowds of the first day of the festival, Saba managed to match the high-energy of the large crowd throughout most of his set.  The crowd waving and rapping along throughout the set knew most of the words verbatim.  As Saba even came out to the crowd at one point giving high-fives to the crowd, before hoping back on stage.  He brought a very powerful energy that really helped elevate the crowds high-energy with his own for a very amazingly great performance that showed why he’s among the best emcees, performers, producers and songwriters in all of Chicago’s currently stellar Hip-Hop scene right now.

Showing how much he has truly grown as an artist since he first played Lollapalooza three years ago, he showed what great things constant work and dedication can bring you.  As long as you work at whatever your craft is you will always get better.  Saba and his very powerfully poignant closing of his set with his record, Life, the perfect way to prove it and close such a stunningly stellar set.