I <3 Saaheem
Dear Diary,
I’ve been listening to Sahbabii’s voice of an angel sing about his Auntie’s macaroni since 2018. It’s 2025. I know there are people who have been Sahbabii stans even longer than me! We’re not talking about them. This is my diary. Sahbabii was my #2 streamed artist on Spotify in 2024. The only reason he wasn’t #1 is cause Future and Metro Boomin’ dropped that crazy tape with Kendrick Lamar calling out J.Cole and Drake! My #1 streamed song was “House Party” ft. T3. He’s in my Spotify Wrapped each year. On Wednesday, March 26th, I had the pleasure of attending Sahbabii’s concert at Center Stage Atlanta and the show was amazing! T3, his blood brother, previewed a new song, the opening artist knocked it out the park, he brought out artists who sang a popular TikTok song, there was a squid attacking his childhood home on Sylvan Road- it just meant something to me. I knew every song he performed, I was elated to see him. Now, let’s get into why Sahbabii, why do I listen to his music, why did I set an alarm to go off at work when the tickets were available months in advance? To me, Sahbabii sounds so different from anyone else! His music is so much fun, it’s great if you want to be mellow or if you want to be hyped up. So, what makes his sound so unique and what makes it resonate with me?
His voice sounds nice. You could empty your bank account on singing lessons, but you cannot make your voice sound pleasant to the ear. You either have it or you don’t. Saaheem has it! He has a wide range, although he normally hovers at second tenor, which allows him to manipulate his sound to tell a story.
His flow is smooth and his cadence is seamless. He uses his voice and words as instruments to marry the beat which creates cascades of beautiful sounds.
His production and beats are SO much fun to me! The way his team uses sound is so different and experimental - it truly sounds so martian at times. Listen to his songs “100 Round Drum” or “Titanoboa ft. T3” to understand what I mean by this. The use of deep bass in his voice and in the beat is so eargasmic.
His lyrics are throwed. What do I mean by throwed? I mean insane. Crazy. Just really out of left field. I love it. His earlier music from his “S.A.N.D.A.S.” and “Barnacles” eras definitely reflect this more than his more modern music, but his new stuff has it in there too. I don’t even want to write any lyrics that I’m thinking of, but just pick a song off those albums and you’ll see what I mean. “Giraffes and Elephants” is a good start if you want a clear idea of how throwed his lyrics are.
His artistry is consistent and evolving. He’s always referenced apes, squids, shooting opps, indulging in women and anime in his music. Once his brother DemonChild (R.I.P.) passed away, we see his music take a new turn with the release of his album, “Do it for Demon”. He’s since continued to grow into his sound and truly embrace his natural talents. His latest self-titled album “Saaheem” reflected his evolution as an artist while remaining true to what makes his fans love him! His song “Viking,” went viral on TikTok in 2024 and got a shout out from Tyler, The Creator. The songs seamlessly play into one another and show the growth of Sahbabii as an artist, visionary and person.
I’m so ready to see what he drops next!
