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.
Dance )
Big Sean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ass ass ass ass ass
Ass ass ass ass ass
Stop! Now make that motherfucker hammer time like'
Wobble-dy wobble-dy wa wobble wobble
I'm st-stacking my paper my wallet look like a Bible
I got girlies half naked that shit look like the grotto
Drop that ass make it boomerang
Take my belt off, bitch I'm Pootie Tang
Tippy tow tippy tay you gonna get a tip today
Fuck that you gonna get some dick today
I walk in with my crew and I'm breaking they necks
I'm looking all good I'm making her wet
They pay me respect they pay me in checks
And if she look good she pay me in sex
Bounce that ass (ass) it's the roundest
You the best you deserve a crown bitch
Right on that,
Ass ass ass ass ass
Ass ass ass ass ass
Ass ass ass ass ass
Stop! Now make that motherfucker hammer time like'
Go dumb, go stupid, go stupid
Wobbledy wobble, wo-wo-wobble, wobbin'
Ass so fat, all these bitches' pussies is throbbin'
Bad bitches, I'm your leader, Phantom by the meter
Somebody point me to the best ass-eater
Tell 'em "pussy clean!" I tell 'em "pussy squeaky!"
Niggas give me brain 'cause all of them niggas geeky
If he got a mandingo, then I buy him a dashiki
And bust this pussy open in the islands of Waikikiiiiii'
Kiss my ass and my anus, 'cause it's finally famous
And it's finally soft, yeah, it's finally solved!
I don't know, man, guess them ass shots were off!
Bitches ain't poppin', Google, my ass
Only time you on the net is when you Google my ass
Y-y-you fuckin' little whores, fu-fuckin' up my decors
Couldn't get Michael Kors if you was fuckin' Michael Kors
B-B-Big Sean, b-boy, how big is you?
Gimme all yo' money and gimme all yo' residuals
Then slap it on my ass, ass, ass'
Ass ass ass ass ass
Ass ass ass ass ass
Ass ass ass ass ass
Stop! Now make that motherfucker hammer time like'
Woah, white girls, black girls, tall girls, fat girls
Shake that ass girl, shake that ass girl, shake that ass girl, shake that ass girl
Short girls, small girls, skinny girls, all girls
Shake that ass girl, shake that ass girl, shake that ass girl, shake that ass girl
And I want all of that,
Ass ass ass ass ass
Ass ass ass ass ass
Ass ass ass ass ass
Stop! Now make that motherfucker hammer time like'
Go dumb, go stupid, go stupid, go stupid
Go stupid!
The lyrics of the song 'Dance' by Big Sean highlight the rapper’s obsession with female bodies and their ability to dance. The repetitive use of the word “ass" in the chorus and throughout the song suggests that the artist is objectifying women and reducing them to nothing more than their physical attributes. The verse where he talks about having girlies half-naked, as if they are mere objects of pleasure, adds to the misogyny of the lyrics.
However, as the song progresses, it also becomes apparent that Big Sean is aware of his problematic attitudes towards women. He describes himself as a “bad boy” who is all about shaking that ass and having fun, but also conveys that he treats the women with respect and pays them well for their work. It portrays an ironic situation where the artist knows the negative message he is sending out but does not attempt to change it. The song can be seen as a reflection of the societal attitudes towards women and how male artists exploit that to gain popularity.
Overall, "Dance" is a song that is catchy, upbeat, and has a clear message. However, the message it portrays towards women can be considered problematic and highlights the wider issue of female objectification within the music industry.
Line by Line Meaning
Ass ass ass ass ass
The artist is expressing admiration for the physical attributes of a woman's behind
Stop! Now make that motherfucker hammer time like'
The artist is urging the listener to dance in a similar style to MC Hammer's infamous dance move
Wobble-dy wobble-dy wa wobble wobble
The artist is describing a dance move that involves a wobbling motion
I'm st-stacking my paper my wallet look like a Bible
The artist is proclaiming his financial success and comparing his stack of money to the thickness of a bible
I got girlies half naked that shit look like the grotto
The artist is surrounded by scantily clad women and comparing his location to a grotto, which is typically associated with luxury and leisure
How your waist anorexic and then your ass is colossal
The artist is highlighting the contrast between a woman's petite waist and large behind
Drop that ass make it boomerang
The artist is urging the listener to dance and make their behind move in a boomerang-like motion
Take my belt off, bitch I'm Pootie Tang
The artist is referencing the character Pootie Tang from a comedy film and using his belt as a symbol of his coolness and superiority
Tippy tow tippy tay you gonna get a tip today
The artist is making a play on words, using 'tip' to mean both a monetary reward and a sexual encounter
Fuck that you gonna get some dick today
The artist is openly discussing his sexual intentions towards a woman
I walk in with my crew and I'm breaking they necks
The artist is suggesting that he and his crew are so attractive that other people are turning their heads to look at them
I'm looking all good I'm making her wet
The artist is so attractive that he is able to arouse a woman simply by looking good
They pay me respect they pay me in checks
The artist is boasting about his monetary success and how he is compensated for his work
And if she look good she pay me in sex
The artist is suggesting that women are willing to have sex with him in exchange for the opportunity to be associated with him
Bounce that ass (ass) it's the roundest
The artist is praising the shape of a woman's behind and encouraging her to show it off by dancing
You the best you deserve a crown bitch
The artist is complimenting a woman on her physical appearance and suggesting that she is deserving of praise and admiration
Woah, white girls, black girls, tall girls, fat girls
The artist is describing the diversity of women who should feel comfortable dancing and showing off their behinds
Shake that ass girl, shake that ass girl, shake that ass girl, shake that ass girl
The artist is urging women of all shapes and sizes to dance and show off their behinds
Short girls, small girls, skinny girls, all girls
The artist is again describing the diversity of women who should feel comfortable dancing and showing off their behinds
Go dumb, go stupid, go stupid, go stupid
The artist is encouraging the listener to let loose and dance without inhibition or concern for how they look
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: SEAN MICHAEL ANDERSON, ONIKA TANYA MARAJ, STANLEY KIRK BURRELL, JAMES A. JOHNSON, MARCOS ENRIQUE PALACIOS, ERNEST CLARK, ALONZO H. MILLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@chris20907
the cultural impact this had on middle schoolers will never be matched
@terrispencer4913
😭😂
@stopit9280
Real shit lmao
@TheUlquiorraCifer
As someone who viewed this song in 7th grade but wasn't affected by it, I had to observe that impact first hand.
@bigcloutchasing9936
LMAOOOOOO
@morii7575
@@TheUlquiorraCifer 😭😭👋🏾
@Rickby
I swear when Nicki debuted, music changed forever, she made my childhood so fun and amazing. I’m so glad Wayne gave her a chance
@FriendshipIsMagic6214
Music is always changing. Its not because of one artist. Maybe she changed rap, but not music as a whole.
@brandins
@@FriendshipIsMagic6214 nicki changed music.
@aliyahalese2254
@@FriendshipIsMagic6214 bro nicki created music