RESPECT BIG SEAN
“Sean has always been in the top 5 discussions as a rapper, but now we need to ask is he the best rapper out?” — Charlamagne the God (2015)
Transitions in the music industry are hard to live through and difficult to transfer your fan base from each scene. One artist that has had troubles with these shifts is one of my favorite artists, Big Sean.
A blog era favorite, the Detroit rapper was best known for his mixtape series “Finally Famous” and his debut album under the same moniker was his entry point into the music business under Kanye West’s G.O.O.D Music label. The mixtape to mainstream path for Sean left many questioning Sean’s album offerings. With singles like “A$$”, “Marvin Gaye & Chardonnay”, and “My Last”, Sean never quite embodied the lyrical output seen on his mixtapes.
The success of his singles along with a Kanye co-sign positioned Big Sean to be one of the elite newcomers alongside Drake, J.Cole, Wale, Kendrick Lamar, and other rising mixtape acts. Expectations were set for the Detroit rapper with a fanbase that was a split between his Finally Famous mixtape core that knew Sean for the TI$A snapbacks, radio freestyles, and blog era hits like “Supa Dupa Lemonade Freestyle” and “What You Doin”. The other side were the new fans who’s first introduction was “Marvin Gaye and Chardonnay” with Kanye or his verses on “G.O.O.D Friday”, “Don’t Look Down”, & “Looking For Trouble”.
Sean’s debut album was followed by “Hall of Fame”, his sophomore project which failed to resonate with his mainstream following. Coming off of his verses on “Mercy” and “Clique” from the Cruel Summer album, there was little Kanye involvement. The album went away from the mainstream radio records of his debut and instead was a showcase of Big Sean’s depth as an artist; seen on tracks like “Nothing is Stopping You” (such an inspiring intro song), “Sierra Leone” and “First Chain”. This album to me is a continuation of his Finally Famous core. Tracks like “Fire” and “Beware ft. Jhene Aiko’’ had verses that were voided of ego and flash and more introspective and mature.Tracks like “10 2 10” and “Guap’’ were tracks that got pushed with underserved videos. Creatively it seemed like the artist Sean truly was wasn’t being recognized.
Sean’s most stable time as a legit Top 5 rapper in hip hop came after his second album, appearing in a run of great features and releases which include his performance on GOOD music’s “Cruel Summer album”, the classic “Detroit” mixtape, and his following two albums of “Dark Sky Paradise” and “I Decided”.
Sean’s Detroit mixtape blended his artistic core and elite rap ability in potentially his best project to date. The intro track “Higher” positioned Sean as a legit contender in conversations (or debates) about whether Big Sean was the best in the game. “Paradise” off the Dark Sky album is a complete double down of that sentiment. This era of Sean felt very dark and personal, which he’s alluded to in interviews during that period. It’s a phenomenon many fans are guilty of experiencing. Some of our favorite artists’ darkest times produced the best art. “I Don’t Fuck With You” became the breakup anthem and “Bounce Back” was the battery I needed in my back headed to work daily.
With standout features on Drake’s “All Me” , Meek Mill’s “Burn” & “B Boy”, and performance on “Deep ft. Lil Wayne” Big Sean seemed to be able to hang with any elite level rapper on a track. Once “No More Interviews” dropped and it looked like Sean was ready to truly compete for top spot, then everything changed. So where is the disconnect?
Big Sean’s albums have lacked the cohesive direction and Kanye involvement that many anticipated. It appears that his introduction as Kanye’s protege has hindered his ability to have a separate identity in music. As a Big Sean fan it pains me that his projects don’t connect as much as his early releases and current features. His collab album “Double or Nothing” with Metro Boomin was a big deterrent to his status as a top tier rapper. Although I enjoyed the Twenty88 collab album with Jhene, it left a portion of his fanbase confused. Even his collabs with Hit Boy haven’t been a great display of the artist Sean is, instead feeling like he’s morphing into what he thinks his fans will be receptive to.
The game has changed from mixtapes, to pure album sales, streaming, and now personality and content. It doesn’t feel like it, but Sean’s 15 year presence in hip hop is understated and overlooked despite his elite standout moments. Once a competitor to the big 3 of rap, Sean has found himself in an underrated, overlooked position that only he can dig himself out of.
His fans are rooting for him as his talent is enough for any rap fan to fully support and get behind. Casual fans seem to judge him off early impressions that they can’t shake. Big Sean’s best moments compiled showcase him as a top 5 talent in the game if you ignore the questionable releases, lack of consistency, and diversions of what he does best, RAP. Sean’s new independent stance could be a start of a new era where he’s unapologetically making the music that is true to him. Being concerned about where the game ranks him should be a thing of the past. Regardless, I’ll continue to champion Sean as a top artist. His discography and features are top 5 worthy that has evolved from freestyle rapper to well rounded artist that can do anything on a track. RESPECT BIG SEAN!
