His debut album, Finally Famous, was released in June 2011 and featured guest appearances from hip hop superstars Kanye West, Chris Brown, Pharrell Williams, The-Dream, Wiz Khalifa, and Lupe Fiasco.
He was raised by his mother and grandparents who worked steadfastly to instill in him the principles of hard work and determination. Sean attended the Detroit Waldorf School, a school of art, from Kindergarten to 8th Grade where he was in 102.7FM, a local radio station in Detroit where he displayed his rhyming skills weekly. There, he met Kanye West after a radio interview in 2005 and got a chance to display his talent by freestyling for Mr. West, giving him a copy of his music and sending numerous tracks for him to critique. After months of submitting songs and numerous meetings, Sean finally got a call from Kanye West himself saying that he wanted to sign him. Two years later, West signed Big Sean to GOOD Music. Sean has cited West, Eminem, The Notorious B.I.G., and J Dilla as his influences.
On September 30, 2007, Big Sean released his first official mixtape Finally Famous: The Mixtape. His hit single, "Get'cha Some", produced by WrighTrax, attained media attention and led to articles in The Source and the Detroit Metro Times. He also recorded a music video for "Get'cha Some", which was directed by Hype Williams. Sean released a second mixtape hosted by Mick Boogie on April 16, 2009, called UKNOWBIGSEAN. It featured the songs "Million Dollars", "Get'cha Some" and "Supa Dupa". This mixtape includes 30 tracks. Sean released a third mixtape hosted by Don Cannon on August 31, 2010, called Finally Famous Vol. 3: BIG, which features include major artists like Bun B, Chip tha Ripper, Curren$y, Tyga, Drake, Mike Posner, Chuck Inglish, Asher Roth, Dom Kennedy, and Chiddy Bang. The mixtape includes 20 tracks.
Finally Famous, Sean's debut studio album, was released June 28, 2011, and spawned three hit singles; "My Last", "Marvin & Chardonnay" and "Dance (Ass)". The album featured guest appearances from Lupe Fiasco, John Legend, Pharrell, Kanye West, Roscoe Dash, Wiz Khalifa, Chiddy Bang, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, Pusha T, and included production from No I.D., The Legendary Traxster, Andrew "Pop" Wansel, Xaphoon Jones and The Neptunes. When the songs "O.T.T.R." and "Flowers" were leaked in July 2011, speculation began of a new mixtape. Sean confirmed in an interview on June 28, 2011, that a collaborative mixtape between him and "two other guys in hip-hop that are just killing it right now" will be released "in a couple of weeks". Wiz Khalifa and Curren$y were the suspected featured rappers on the mixtape. However, Wiz Khalifa later confirmed that there would be no mixtape, claiming that the songs were created, "just for fun".
In September 2011, Big Sean confirmed in an interview with the Daily Tribune that he'll be working on his second album during the I Am Finally Famous Tour and plans to release the album sometime in 2012. On October 19, 2011, Kanye West announced on his Twitter plans for a Spring 2012 GOOD Music album release. On April 6, 2012, "Mercy", the lead single from the GOOD Music compilation album, Cruel Summer, was released. The song, produced by newly signed in-house producer Lifted, features Big Sean along with Kanye West, Pusha T, and southern rapper 2 Chainz. Big Sean then announced his fourth mixtape would be titled "Detroit" and would serve as a lead-in to his second studio album. He then began promoting the mixtape, releasing short versions of the songs on his YouTube page. On September 5, 2012, Big Sean released the mixtape Detroit which features guest appearances from fellow rappers J. Cole, Juicy J, King Chip, French Montana, Royce da 5'9", Kendrick Lamar, and Tyga.
Big Sean pushed back the release date of his second studio album Hall of Fame which was eventually released on August 27, 2013. The album has skits to give it a "classic feel", and includes features from multiple artists, including Lil Wayne, Miguel, and Nas. The album's production was primarily handled by No I.D., and Key Wane along with additional production from Hit-Boy, Da Internz, Mike Dean, Travis Scott, Xaphoon Jones, and Young Chop among others. Big Sean also stated in an interview that he was in the studio with fellow Detroit native Eminem. Sean went on to say they made a "Detroit classic" but he is unsure if it will be on Hall of Fame because of "timing issues". Hall of Fame spawned five singles, "Guap", "Switch Up" featuring Common, "Beware" featuring Jhené Aiko and Lil Wayne, "Fire", and "Ashley" featuring Miguel.
A month prior to the release of Hall of Fame, Big Sean told Complex that he had already begun work on his third album due to the inspiration from his new relationship. On September 12, 2014, Big Sean announced that he had signed a management deal with Roc Nation. Later that same day he released four new songs titled, "I Don't Fuck with You", "Paradise", "4th Quarter" and "Jit/Juke". Producers for these songs include, Mike Will Made It, DJ Mustard, Kanye West, DJ Dahi, Nate Fox, Da Internz, L&F, and Key Wane. "I Don't Fuck with You" was released to iTunes on September 19, 2014. In an interview with Sway Calloway, Sean confirmed that Lil Wayne will be featured on the album.
In May 2012, Big Sean founded a nonprofit organization called the “Sean Anderson Foundation,” with the aim of helping underserved children and families in Detroit. Alongside direct donations to local institutions, primarily educational institutions, the foundation has created fundraising programs and partnered with other organizations. In 2016, the foundation launched #HealFlintKids to raise money for the Community Foundation of Greater Flint amid the Flint water crisis - the program raised $100,000.
In 2015, the foundation launched Mogul Prep, which partnered high school students with music industry professionals. During the same year, the foundation donated a recording studio for students at Big Sean's alma mater, Cass Technical High School. Beginning in 2018, the foundation has hosted an annual weekend festival, called D.O.N. Weekend, with free events and performances for Detroit residents and usually by Detroit artists. In December 2018, Big Sean in partnership with Ally Financial, Thurgood Marshall College Fund & the Sean Anderson Foundation, created an annual scholarship competition for HBCU students called “Moguls in the Making.”
On March 25, 2016, Big Sean released a track to celebrate his 28th birthday, "Get My Shit Together". Two days later he announced a self-titled album with Jhené Aiko, Twenty88, scheduled to be released on April 1, 2016, exclusively on Tidal. The album was released on April 5, 2016, on Apple Music and Spotify. A week after the exclusive release of Twenty88 on Tidal, Big Sean and Aiko released a 15-minute short film called Out of Love, which is composed of several recordings from the album. Around the same month, upon the wake of the Flint water crisis, Big Sean tweeted to the city's official Twitter account, asking if he could do anything to help, and later on donated $10,000.
On October 31, 2016, Big Sean released "Bounce Back" as the lead single from his fourth studio album, I Decided, which was released on February 3, 2017. "Moves" was released as an instant-great on December 16, 2016. Sean consulted the advice of Jay Z and Rick Rubin while working on the album. Big Sean achieved his second number-one album on the Billboard 200 chart, as I Decided debuted at the top. It earned 151,000 equivalent album units in the week of February 9, according to Nielsen Music. 65,000 of the amount was in pure album sales. As of April 18, 2017, I Decided was certified gold.
Two months after the release of I Decided, Big Sean was offered the official Key to the City of Detroit for his contribution to his own Sean Anderson foundation.
On November 3, 2017, Sean and Metro Boomin released the single "Pull Up N Wreck", featuring 21 Savage. A month later, it was announced that Sean and Metro were to release a collaborative album titled Double or Nothing. The album was released on December 8, 2017, and included features from Travis Scott, 2 Chainz, 21 Savage, Kash Doll, Young Thug, and Swae Lee, and included the single "Pull Up N Wreck".
On July 24, 2019, Big Sean released his first solo single since 2017 titled "Overtime", produced by Hit-Boy, Key Wane, and the Tucker Brothers. In an interview with Beats 1 Radio, Sean said he was "returning to his roots" with the single ahead of his forthcoming album. On July 26, he released the song "Single Again", which includes background vocals from Jhené Aiko and Ty Dolla Sign. On August 26, he released the single "Bezerk" featuring ASAP Ferg, performing it at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards.
On March 25 (Big Sean's 32nd birthday), he announced that his new record would be titled Detroit 2. On August 25, he released the album's lead single, "Deep Reverence", featuring late rapper Nipsey Hussle. Detroit 2 was released on September 4, 2020, and features collaborations with Eminem, Jhené Aiko, and Lil Wayne. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, marking his third number-one album.
On September 17, 2020, Big Sean revealed in a Reddit AMA that another Twenty88 album is "in the works". A track attributed to the project appeared on Detroit 2. He has also announced that he plans on launching his own record label. On October 29, 2021, Big Sean announced on Twitter that after 14 years, he has stepped away from Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music label, saying "That's a forever brotherhood, but business-wise, I had to start getting a bigger cut! I worked my way out that deal." West also claimed during a November 2021 Drink Champs podcast that signing Sean was the 'worst decision' of his entire career.
Starting in 2020, Big Sean has appeared in the Showtime series 'Twenties' in a recurring role as Trsitan, an anti-social media character who learns the value of online connection. In October 2021, Big Sean, in collaboration with rapper and producer Hit-Boy released an EP entitled What You Expect.
In February 2022, Big Sean and singer Queen Naija released a single entitled "Hate Our Love". The song will appear on Naija's upcoming album. In that same month, Big Sean confirmed the Twenty88 album and revealed that the album would include a collaboration with his then-girlfriend, Jhené Aiko. In September 2022, Big Sean re-released Detroit to streaming platforms, in honor of its 10th anniversary.
In 2019, the foundation partnered with Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan, donating a second $100,000 recording studio to the club during that year's D.O.N. Weekend. Since 2012, the foundation has participated in the annual All-Star Giveback on Thanksgiving, where it distributes turkeys, trimming, and canned goods to Detroit residents.
In May 2021, Big Sean, via his Sean Anderson Foundation, released a video series on wellness and mental health. The series was released during Mental Health Awareness Month and featured a conversation between Big Sean and his mother, educator Myra Anderson, about the intersection between wellness and mental health, including topics like meditation, sleep, and emotional freedom techniques.
Clique (feat. Kanye West
Big Sean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is that the one fighting for your soul
Or your brother's the one that you're running from
But if you got money, fuck it, because I want some
Ain't nobody fucking with my
Clique, clique, clique, clique, clique
Ain't nobody fresher than my muthafuckin'
As I look around, they don't do it like my
Clique, clique, clique, clique, clique
And all these bad bitches, man, they want the
They want the, they want the, they want the
I tell a bad bitch do whatever I say
My block behind me like I'm coming out the driveway
It's grande, from Friday, to next Friday
I been up straight for nine days, I need a spa day
Yup, She trying get me that poo-tang
I might let my crew bang, my crew deeper than Wu Tang
I'm rolling with... fuck I'm saying? Girl, you know my crew name
You know 2 Chainz? Scrrr! I'm pulling up in that Bruce Wayne
But I'm the fucking villain, man, they kneeling when I walking in the building
Freaky women I be feeling from the bank accounts I'm filling
What a feeling, ah man, they gotta be
Young player from the D that's killing everything that he see
Ain't nobody fucking with my
Clique, clique, clique, clique, clique
Ain't nobody fresher than my muthafuckin'
Clique, clique, clique, clique, clique
As I look around, they don't do it like my
Clique, clique, clique, clique, clique
And all these bad bitches, man, they want the
They want the, they want the, they want the
Yeah I'm talking Ye', yeah I'm talking Rih
Yeah I'm talking Bey, nigga I'm talking me
Yeah I'm talking bossy, I ain't talking Kelis
Your money too short, you can't be talking to me
Yeah I'm talking LeBron, we balling our family tree
G.O.O.D Music drug dealing cousin, ain't nothing fuckin' with we, me
Turn that 62 to 125, 125 to a 250
250 to a half a man ain't nothin' nobody can do with me
Now who with me? ¡Vámonos! Call me Hov or Jefe
Translation, I'm the shit, at least that what my neck say
Least that what my check say, lost my homie for a decade
Nigga down for like 12 years, ain't hug his son since the second grade
He never told, who we gonna tell, we top of the totem pole
It's the dream team, meets the Supreme Team
And all our eyes green it only means one thing
You ain't fucking with my clique
Ain't nobody fucking with my
Clique, clique, clique, clique, clique
Ain't nobody fresher than my muthafuckin'
Clique, clique, clique, clique, clique
As I look around, they don't do it like my
Clique, clique, clique, clique, clique
And all these bad bitches, man, they want the
They want the, they want the, they want the
Break records at Louie, ate breakfast at Gucci
My girl a superstar all from a home movie
Bow on our arrival - the unamerican idols
What niggas did in Paris, got em' hanging off the Eiffel
Yeah I'm talking business, we talking CIA
I'm talking George Tenet, I seen him the other day
He asked me about my Maybach, think he had the same
Except mine tinted and his might have been rented
You know white people get money don't spend it
Or maybe they get money, buy a business
I rather buy 80 gold chains and go ig'nant
I know Spike Lee gone kill me but let me finish
Blame it on the pigment, we living no limits
Them gold Master P ceilings was just a figment
Of our imagination, MTV cribs
Now I'm looking at a crib right next to where TC lives
That's Tom Cruise, whatever she accuse
He wasn't really drunk he just had a few brews
Pass the refreshments, a cool, cool beverage
Everything I do need a news crew's presence
Speedboat swerve, homie watch out for the waves
I'm way too black to burn from sun rays
So I just meditate at the home in Pompei
About how I could build a new Rome in one day
Everytime I'm in Vegas they screaming like he Elvis
But I just wanna design hotels and nail it
Shit is real, got me feeling Israelian
Like Bar Refaeli, Gisele, nah that's Brazilian
Went through, deep depression when my momma passed
Suicide, what kinda talk is that
But I been talking to God for so long
And if you look at my life I guess he's talking back
Fucking with my clique
Ain't nobody fucking with my
Clique, clique, clique, clique, clique
Ain't nobody fresher than my muthafuckin'
Clique, clique, clique, clique, clique
As I look around, they don't do it like my
Clique, clique, clique, clique, clique
And all these bad bitches, man, they want the
They want the, they want the, they want the
The first verse opens up with a thought-provoking question asking whether money is worth the soul of the person who bled for it. Then, it transitions into a commentary on the close-knit group of people that the artist identifies with, his "clique". Sean expresses loyalty to his crew's prosperity and status, indicating that anyone who tries to infiltrate their circle is deemed unworthy. The chorus reinforces this idea, depicting that no one can touch his clique, and no one is fresher than they are. The second verse is dedicated to Big Sean's boss status and his ability to control women's actions, as he boasts about his wealth and crew name, and his bragging rights to sleeping with numerous attractive women. Finally, but the penultimate verse is when Kanye West becomes the dominant voice, as he sheds light on his success and riches, making references the Eiffel Tower, hotel design, and his interactions with famous celebrities. He touched upon subjects that could be considered taboo, mentioning suicide and talks with God. The verse closes with a return to the chorus, further emphasizing the group's exclusivity and control over their commercial space.
The lyrics of Big Sean's "Clique" are full of bravado and self-confidence as the artists claim their power over anyone who tries to challenge their success. However, the song's message transcends the braggadocious nature of its verses, including themes of loyalty, power, and exclusivity, common traits in the Hip Hop subculture. The song's chorus ties that pivotal concept to the song's title, "clique" – a tight-knit group that controls the space it occupies. Although the lyrics' content may veer towards materialism, the song's essence is a powerful anthem that supports and empowers its listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
What of the dollar you murdered for
Is that the one fighting for your soul
Or your brother's the one that you're running from
But if you got money, fuck it, because I want some
Have you forgotten the value of the money you killed for? Is that money worth fighting for your own soul, or are you running away from your responsibilities towards your family? But if you have money, never mind the consequences, because I too want it.
Ain't nobody fucking with my
Clique, clique, clique, clique, clique
Ain't nobody fresher than my muthafuckin'
Clique, clique, clique, clique, clique
As I look around, they don't do it like my
Clique, clique, clique, clique, clique
And all these bad bitches, man, they want the
They want the, they want the, they want the
My group of friends is unbeatable and no one is as fresh as us. From my perspective, no one is like us, and even these attractive women want to be part of my group.
I tell a bad bitch do whatever I say
My block behind me like I'm coming out the driveway
It's grande, from Friday, to next Friday
I been up straight for nine days, I need a spa day
Yup, She trying get me that poo-tang
I might let my crew bang, my crew deeper than Wu Tang
I'm rolling with... fuck I'm saying? Girl, you know my crew name
You know 2 Chainz? Scrrr! I'm pulling up in that Bruce Wayne
But I'm the fucking villain, man, they kneeling when I walking in the building
Freaky women I be feeling from the bank accounts I'm filling
What a feeling, ah man, they gotta be
Young player from the D that's killing everything that he see
I can command bad women to do whatever I want. My friends are always with me, and it feels great to be a part of my clique. The fun never stops, and the girls keep trying to seduce me. My friends are close and united like a famous hip-hop group Wu Tang. I am important enough that I need not even bother by explaining who I am, and we roll up in a fancy car like Bruce Wayne. Despite being viewed as the villain, I am respected by women who are attracted to my wealth. Everyone knows who I am because I dominate everything that I see with my talent.
Yeah I'm talking Ye', yeah I'm talking Rih
Yeah I'm talking Bey, nigga I'm talking me
Yeah I'm talking bossy, I ain't talking Kelis
Your money too short, you can't be talking to me
Yeah I'm talking LeBron, we balling our family tree
G.O.O.D Music drug dealing cousin, ain't nothing fuckin' with we, me
Turn that 62 to 125, 125 to a 250
250 to a half a man ain't nothin' nobody can do with me
Now who with me? ¡Vámonos! Call me Hov or Jefe
Translation, I'm the shit, at least that what my neck say
Least that what my check say, lost my homie for a decade
Nigga down for like 12 years, ain't hug his son since the second grade
He never told, who we gonna tell, we top of the totem pole
It's the dream team, meets the Supreme Team
And all our eyes green it only means one thing
You ain't fucking with my clique
I am talking about myself, Kanye West and other influential people like Rihanna, Beyonce, and Kobe Bryant; only individuals as accomplished can talk to me. I come from good music, where some of my cousins deal drugs, and we are unbeatable together. I can turn a small sum of money into a massive fortune, that no one can handle. Who is with me? Let's go! Call me the boss, the chief or the head, because that is what I am. My neck and wealth justify this statement. I lost my friend for ten years, and he never shared his problems with anyone. We are at the top of the food chain, and our group is like the greatest NBA team, only we are incredibly rich and powerful.
Break records at Louie, ate breakfast at Gucci
My girl a superstar all from a home movie
Bow on our arrival - the unamerican idols
What niggas did in Paris, got em' hanging off the Eiffel
Yeah I'm talking business, we talking CIA
I'm talking George Tenet, I seen him the other day
He asked me about my Maybach, think he had the same
Except mine tinted and his might have been rented
You know white people get money don't spend it
Or maybe they get money, buy a business
I rather buy 80 gold chains and go ig'nant
I know Spike Lee gone kill me but let me finish
Blame it on the pigment, we living no limits
Them gold Master P ceilings was just a figment
Of our imagination, MTV cribs
Now I'm looking at a crib right next to where TC lives
That's Tom Cruise, whatever she accuse
He wasn't really drunk he just had a few brews
Pass the refreshments, a cool, cool beverage
Everything I do need a news crew's presence
Speedboat swerve, homie watch out for the waves
I'm way too black to burn from sun rays
So I just meditate at the home in Pompei
About how I could build a new Rome in one day
Everytime I'm in Vegas they screaming like he Elvis
But I just wanna design hotels and nail it
Shit is real, got me feeling Israelian
Like Bar Refaeli, Gisele, nah that's Brazilian
Went through, deep depression when my momma passed
Suicide, what kinda talk is that
But I been talking to God for so long
And if you look at my life I guess he's talking back
Fucking with my clique
I broke a record at Louis Vuitton and had breakfast at Gucci. My girlfriend became famous from a homemade movie. We arrive in style and are the rebels who refuse to conform to traditional American standards. We live like we were in Paris and have fans all over Europe. I am in business, and I even talked to the former CIA director George Tenet, who drives the same car as mine, though his might be rented while mine is tinted. White people are known to gain money but never enjoy it, while Black people prefer spending it outrageously like buying 80 gold chains. Spike Lee might not like me for this, but this is the way I live unconstrained. I am limitless, and these gold ceilings are not imaginary, as seen in MTV Cribs. My new home is next to one of America's biggest stars, Tom Cruise. He was only drunk, not a criminal. Give us a cool drink, and people would want to know more about it. I sail on speedboats, but take caution to avoid crashing into waves. Being an African-American, I never get sunburn. When I am feeling down, I meditate on how I can change the world. Fans in Vegas are smitten by my presence, but my real goal is to build hotels with flair. My life experiences have been severe, but my faith in God keeps me going. People who mess with my crew have to face me.
Ain't nobody fucking with my
Clique, clique, clique, clique, clique
Ain't nobody fresher than my muthafuckin'
Clique, clique, clique, clique, clique
As I look around, they don't do it like my
Clique, clique, clique, clique, clique
And all these bad bitches, man, they want the
They want the, they want the, they want the
No one can touch my group of friends. We are the most stylish and fashionable crew around. No one can match our unique style. We are so captivating even these sultry women want to be in our circle.
Contributed by Sophie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Sareptha
The Illuminati doesn’t make music like this anymore 💔
@danielbirdhead1239
:D
@adb8003
LMFAOO
@petrauhrakova931
Right, I miss this dark shit. 😩
@SufyMax
😂😂
@user-un3jo2iw9x
Damn ur right but idk if I wanna like this comment lol
@hudeyfaabdi610
This what happens when all the kids in the group put in 100% effort
@LuisGarcia-kt8lm
Its only missing Weezy F Baby🔥 or Clipse aka Puussssh
@jjtodd4645
Literally the whole group, not jus the smart one😂😂
@percingsadjmi3260
Trop puissant