We chat with Detroit rapper and Kanye West protege Big Sean about his rise to fame
Big Sean shot into the spotlight last year with his debut album, Finally Famous, which featured collaborations with Kanye West, Chris Brown, Wiz Khalifa and Lupe Fiasco, to name but a few. Add to that a remix of his single Dance (A$$) with Nicki Minaj and a collaboration with Kelly Rowland on her single Lay It On Me and it's clear the rapper really is finally famous.
Big Sean took a break from his busy schedule of gigs, recording and partying with the biggest names in music to chat with us about his mentor Kanye West, working with Kelly Rowland, his friendship with Wiz Khalifa and his beloved home town of Detroit.
Your first studio album, Finally Famous, has done really well in the US
charts. Did you expect it would be so well received?
I just really wasn't sure, you know. I knew I had fans and believers... but they really came through and supported. So you
know, I've seen my fan base triple since the album's been out - quadruple even
- so I'm excited to see what the next album is going to do. I'm excited to take
the creativity aspect on the next album way deeper and really give an example
of great storytelling, of great concepts... and just be even
better than the first one.
What was it like recording in the studio with so many big names for the first time?
It was great, man. You know, even just like, No ID being the album producer - he's such a legendary producer, from doing... all of Jay-Z and Kanye - it was great that he really took special interest in helping me shape the album. He really gave it a lot of creative direction.
You know, working with people like Kanye - dream come true. Wiz - Wiz Khalifa's been my friend for years. Chris Brown's my homie. So everybody who's featured on there is like my homie and my good friend. It wasn't awkward in any way. John Legend - all those guys are just good people.
You and Wiz Khalifa’s careers really took off at similar
times. How has that affected your friendship?
It's been great, man. He's somebody who deserves it and he'll say the same
about me. We really worked hard - putting out mixed tapes and really building
our own fan base up. It's really been an example of pounding the pavement and
watching it all crumble. So it's great man, it's really paying off.
Do you still see Kanye West as a mentor, or more
of a collaborator now?
Hell yeah, man. Kanye's definitely a mentor to me. He's still my idol, you
know? He was my favourite before I met him, so to be signed to your idol - you
can imagine - it's incredible, man. He's my friend. He's one of the most selfless
people I know - he gives his whole self to music and creativity, clothes, just
anything creative. He doesn't really have too much of a personal life, it seems
like. You know, he lost his mom, he doesn't have a girl, he doesn't have any
kids. He's one of the nicest people. A lot of people think he's an asshole and
I just don't see it.
He rode me and my mom around on his Maybach through New York City, telling
my mom how much I mean to him as an artist and how big I'm gonna be. She never
got to ride in a Maybach before, so what kind of asshole would do something
like that?
What was it like taking the stage with Kanye for
the very first time?
It was in Austin, Texas for SXSW a couple years ago. And I was just so
nervous, being on the stage with him. But you know, once you get on the stage,
it's like you just get caught in that moment. It was great to see your dream
come full circle. When you're on the pursuit of happiness, to see it start
unfolding right in front of you is one of the most emotional things in the
world, man. That was definitely one of the happiest moments of my life.
How did the Kelly Rowland collaboration on Lay It On Me come
about?
Kelly Rowland just hit me up and was like, 'Yo! I really love your stuff - I love your mix tapes, I love your new music... if you need me to hop on anything let me know... You should hop on my Motivation song - the remix.'
That song was like a
big hit already. I was like 'Cool', but then like a week later, she was like: 'You know what? I’ve got this other song that would be dope for me and you. So
forget that, do this song!' And it ended up being Lay It On Me. And you know, I
was excited. I did two verses to it and she loved it.
She’s a fun person. She doesn't have to be as humble and nice as she is. She could be an asshole if she wanted to. She was in Destiny’s child, sold millions of records. She doesn’t have to be... as nice at all, but she keeps herself level-headed and I think that’s why she’s getting the success she’s getting.
Being in a group like Destiny’s Child – even being in a group
with Beyonce – it’s not always guaranteed that you would have your own solo
career coming from a situation like that. So she deserves it all.
What are the chances Kelly Rowland could drag you onto X Factor?
Man, I’d definitely be on X Factor. For sure. As a matter of fact, if they
brought me on as a judge - man, I’d probably make sure the most talented person
in the UK wins! I’d go hard – I’d go crazy on that show.
You've already worked with some amazing acts. What collaborations can we expect on the next
album?
Of course, my G.O.O.D.
music fam - probably expect one from Kanye, [Kid] Cudi - the rest of the
G.O.O.D. music fam. Not really sure... Maybe Rihanna. I might do another one
with Nicki [Minaj].
Any collabs with British stars?
Yeah, maybe Tinie? Just gotta really see - I just was on the phone with Chipmunk and Wretch [32] and wanna see what we do, see what we come up with.
I'm going to the studio with [Tinie Tempah] tonight. Just throwing around ideas.
Which UK acts are you excited about these days?
I think everybody’s excited about Adele, of course, Tinie, Chipmunk,
Wretch, Chase and Status - matter of fact, I’m doing a collab with them for
their next single, Flashing Light.
You’ve talked a lot about being from Detroit. Do
you miss it?
No, I don’t miss it, because I hold it dear to my heart. I rep Detroit everywhere I go. This year I’ve been there about five or six times… and you know, that’s enough. When I’m there, they show me a lot of love. I got an award - I got a key to the city the last time I was there. Done great shows there, get to see my family.
But it’s a place where I’ve honestly worked hard to not be there so much. It’s my job to go around the whole world and make music and inspire, and let people know what city I rep, and you know, let them know I’m trying to make them proud. I can’t bring more attention to the city just being there. I gotta go away and tell people how great it is.
And what’s great about Detroit?
Man, Detroit has so much soul, that’s one of my favourite things about it. Just from the Motown days to now, to J Dilla, to Slum Village, to Eminem, to Royce [da 5’9”] - all these great artists from the D.
It’s tight that I can be a
vessel for the city, in the sense that, you know, bringing that soul to the
game. And also just the originality it has, the style. Detroit has mad style. And that’s one of the things I also hope to really bring to the game, is to really
let people know what it means to be a Detroit player. To make new trends, new
styles, new everything. I’m excited to do that. I’m excited to change the
world. Detroit has really inspired that.
So what do you want your legacy to be?
I want my legacy to be... man, that I was a dreamer that went against the grain. You know, somebody that followed their dreams... listened to my heroes... took their advice. I took my Grandma’s advice to set goals in life and to do what you want to do. Making the people who tell me that music was the wrong path - they tell me I was throwing my life away for doing music, told me I was stupid, even some of my teachers told me that - proving them wrong.
And proving the
point that your heart is the number one thing to follow, only God and your
heart knows exactly what to do. Don’t let anyone tell you anything, man. Nobody knows shit. Nobody really knows anything. Only your heart and God. I
never wanna look back wishing I woulda, coulda, shoulda did anything. And that’s
what I want my legacy to be: to inspire people to do that.
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