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.
Five Bucks
Big Sean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I pick up that tree, when its not far
Im gone off that tree, when its not tall
Im in love with tree, i'm a avatar
I pick up a o from my nigga ralphie
My bro and me but he is not alfie
Gone off that goo punch, it makes me drowsy
Roll up the windows, it makes it cloudy
I make these girls nice smokin paper and bows
My ladies like blunts, hit em twice if not once
Then i blow em off and just pass em to my bro
Now catch me gettin brain if a nigga not learnin
I be spendin money if a nigga not earnin
Catch me in the back seat if im not stirrin
And i be rollin up if a nigga not burnin
I got 5 on it
(Got it good)
Grab your fo', let's get keyed
I got 5 on it
Messin' with that endo weed
I got 5 on it
(Got it good)
It's got me stuck, cannot go back
I got 5 on it
Potnah, let's go half on a sack
You know a nigga like to stay up at that cruisin altitude up in the sky
Try to fuck with paper planes but its not the same high
Cleveland niggas aint no bitches we prefer the cigarello smoke
If you say it take away from taste then get some better smoke
Cuz the shit i blow can be smoked on the next block
Aint no middle man everything you need is in stock
This glock is all the security i need
I be solo dolo when you see me blowin on some weed
Why speed? no need i be just takin it slow
I be so clean diesel overpowers my cologne
Now all the bad bitches who blaze are shiftin this way
Yall just some white doves with these leaves i am the sensei
Now bow to the bag, never save the best for last
When I come around niggas know to hurry up and pass
Fuck a dime set lets cop a quarter pound
What the fuck is you gonna put down
Nigga I got five
I got 5 on it
(Got it good)
Grab your fo', let's get keyed
I got 5 on it
Messin' with that endo weed
I got 5 on it
(Got it good)
It's got me stuck, cannot go back
I got 5 on it
Potnah, let's go half on a sack
Hot wired 6?4 hydraulics
Not stolen lost my keys I was high patna
Fuck you want this a raw paper
Not a blunt you must got me mixed up with chip cuz
This spitta zig zag a whole zip up
Shit strong shoulda came with a big pick up
Bitches callin me wanna smoke beggin for me to pick her up
She blow me while im blowin rings of that killa
That weed you smokin brown
Fake weed too much makeup clown
Get real smoking green strawberry fields
High standin up feelin like im layin down
Couple boojey judies came round
Actin all stuck up
Now they just stuck from smoking with us
How the hallways smellin is my windows open enough
I hear walkie talkies is security comin up?
I got 5 on it
(Got it good)
Grab your fo', let's get keyed
I got 5 on it
Messin' with that endo weed
I got 5 on it
(Got it good)
It's got me stuck, cannot go back
I got 5 on it
Potnah, let's go half on a sack
The lyrics to "Five Bucks" by Big Sean feat. Chip tha Ripper & Curren$y, are about smoking weed or "tree" and the different ways, experiences, and attitudes towards it. The rapper talks about smoking, picking up weed, being in love with it, rolling windows up, getting drowsy, picking up on signs like smoke and smell, and his preference for it over traditional cigarettes. He also talks about the social aspects of smoking weed, passing it around to friends and women they hit, spending money on it, and going half with others on a sack. He concludes his lyrics by saying how he stays clean, can't be swayed by other types of weed, and that he has five dollars on it.
The meaning behind the lyrics in "Five Bucks" is pretty straightforward. The rapper is smoking weed or "tree," and he enjoys it. The lyrics are quite explicit, but they also show the camaraderie that comes from smoking weed with friends or other people who share the same interests. Smoking weed is also seen as a way to connect with women or some people who want to smoke with them. Additionally, it presents weed as a lifestyle and illustrates the different aspects of smoking weed.
Line by Line Meaning
Im smokin loudly, i woke them all
I am smoking marijuana loudly, which has disturbed everyone around me.
I pick up that tree, when its not far
I acquire marijuana when it is in close proximity to me.
Im gone off that tree, when its not tall
I am under the influence of marijuana, regardless of its potency.
Im in love with tree, i'm a avatar
I am deeply infatuated with marijuana and it controls my actions and behavior.
I pick up a o from my nigga ralphie
I purchased an ounce of marijuana from my friend Ralphie.
My bro and me but he is not alfie
I am with my brother, but his name is not Alfie.
Gone off that goo punch, it makes me drowsy
I am under the influence of a potent strain of marijuana that makes me feel drowsy.
Roll up the windows, it makes it cloudy
I close the windows to contain the smoke from the marijuana so it doesn't make it foggy inside the car.
Daaamn if you aint know
An expression showing surprise that the listener is not aware of something.
I make these girls nice smokin paper and bows
I impress girls by rolling marijuana into joints with nice aesthetics.
My ladies like blunts, hit em twice if not once
The women I am with enjoy smoking marijuana in the form of blunts and I make sure to hit it at least once or twice before passing it to them.
Then i blow em off and just pass em to my bro
After smoking marijuana with the women, I pass the blunt to my brother.
Now catch me gettin brain if a nigga not learnin
I engage in oral sex if there are no other activities to do.
I be spendin money if a nigga not earnin
I often spend money even when I am not earning any.
Catch me in the back seat if im not stirrin
You will find me in the back seat if I am not driving the car.
And i be rollin up if a nigga not burnin
If there is no one with me to smoke marijuana, I will roll it up in preparation for future use.
I got 5 on it
I have $5 to contribute towards purchasing marijuana.
(Got it good)
Refers to the quality of the marijuana.
Grab your fo', let's get keyed
Refers to the act of smoking marijuana and becoming high.
Messin' with that endo weed
Refers to smoking high-quality marijuana from indoors.
It's got me stuck, cannot go back
I am currently under the influence of marijuana and cannot return to a sober state.
Potnah, let's go half on a sack
My partner, let's split the cost of purchasing a bag of marijuana.
You know a nigga like to stay up at that cruisin altitude up in the sky
I enjoy being high and staying in that state of mind for an extended period of time.
Try to fuck with paper planes but its not the same high
I have tried to smoke rolling papers instead of marijuana, but the high is not comparable.
Cleveland niggas aint no bitches we prefer the cigarello smoke
People from Cleveland are not weak and prefer smoking cigarillos instead of traditional cigarettes.
If you say it take away from taste then get some better smoke
If you believe using a cigarillo takes away from the taste of marijuana, you should purchase higher quality marijuana.
Cuz the shit i blow can be smoked on the next block
I have very potent marijuana that can be smoked and smelled from in the vicinity.
Aint no middle man everything you need is in stock
There is no need to go through a middle man when purchasing marijuana because everything is in stock and directly available.
This glock is all the security i need
I do not require any other security besides having a gun for protection.
I be solo dolo when you see me blowin on some weed
I am usually alone when smoking marijuana.
Why speed? no need i be just takin it slow
There is no need to rush through smoking marijuana, I am content with taking it at a relaxed pace.
I be so clean diesel overpowers my cologne
I smell like high-quality marijuana, and it is stronger than my cologne.
Now all the bad bitches who blaze are shiftin this way
Attractive women who smoke marijuana are gravitating towards me.
Yall just some white doves with these leaves i am the sensei
Compared to me, others who smoke marijuana are novices and don't have the same level of experience or knowledge.
Now bow to the bag, never save the best for last
Show reverence to the bag of marijuana and consume the best buds first.
When I come around niggas know to hurry up and pass
When I am around, people know to smoke quickly and pass the marijuana so I can have a turn.
Fuck a dime set lets cop a quarter pound
I do not want a small amount of marijuana, let's purchase a quarter pound.
What the fuck is you gonna put down
What amount of money are you contributing for the marijuana?
Nigga I got five
I only have $5 to contribute towards purchasing marijuana.
Hot wired 6?4 hydraulics
The car I am in has had the ignition system circumvented and has hydraulic suspension.
Not stolen lost my keys I was high patna
I did not steal the car, I lost my keys while under the influence of marijuana.
Fuck you want this a raw paper
This is not a blunt, it is a joint rolled in a raw paper.
Not a blunt you must got me mixed up with chip cuz
I do not smoke blunts, you are mistaking me for Chip who does smoke blunts.
This spitta zig zag a whole zip up
This marijuana was rolled into a joint with zig zag rolling papers and an entire zip (ounce) of marijuana was used.
Shit strong shoulda came with a big pick up
This marijuana is very potent and should be purchased in a larger quantity.
Bitches callin me wanna smoke beggin for me to pick her up
Women are interested in smoking with me and are requesting to be picked up for that purpose.
She blow me while im blowin rings of that killa
During smoking marijuana, a woman performed oral sex on me while I was blowing smoke rings.
That weed you smokin brown
The marijuana you are smoking is of poor quality and is brown in color.
Fake weed too much makeup clown
Synthetic marijuana is like putting too much makeup on a clown, it is not genuine.
Get real smoking green strawberry fields
Smoke high-quality, genuine marijuana that has been grown and flushed properly.
High standin up feelin like im layin down
Even when standing, my state of mind from being high feels like I am laying down.
Couple boojey judies came round
A few snobbish women have arrived at our location.
Actin all stuck up
They are behaving in an aloof and stand-offish manner.
Now they just stuck from smoking with us
Now that they have smoked marijuana with us, they are stuck or have had their perception altered.
How the hallways smellin is my windows open enough
The smell of marijuana has wafted out into the hallways, and I am wondering if my windows are open enough.
I hear walkie talkies is security comin up?
I can hear people on walkie talkies, and I am concerned that security is approaching us.
Contributed by Leo G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@pclaxboyz60
Damn still playing this in 2047. Crazy how time flies
@MyNameSheesh
Hell yeah 😂😂
@pandeni4512
Hahahaha your not cereal bro😂😂
@ProGamer-lk9qw
Lmfaoooooo😐
@njsick1
This tape was my intro to Sean.. Definitely a classic!!!
@hiphopvibesthepodcast8904
Same
@LAKingsFan24
This is the version of five on it i grew up with. Remember it dropped when i was in 10th grade
@mikesudderth3071
Lol it’s not the one I grew up with 😂😂😂😂
@LAKingsFan24
Mike Sudderth yeah not the version the generation before mine grew up with
@TheLordMyStrength
Smoking blunts in the car listening to this shit.. we just didn't know better 😎