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.
Last For Life
Big Sean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I promise we gone live how we want
I promise we gone get all we want
Split the bill, naw forget the bill
Look, We gone buy the whole resturant
Remember way back when we gone say back then
We'll be the ones that will have arenas packed in
Livin big time yup big time to the point were our name coulda been Big Ben
I'm finally famous til the lights is faded then the crowd is jaded when I hop on stages
(Hook)
(Hey) You don't live for life so live your life when you live and die look back and say you did it right When you get it right I hope it lasts for life
(Chorus) (X2)
Last for life
Last for life
Last for life
Man I wish that this could last for life
(Lookin back) Lookin back on all we saw who woulda thought we'd get this far You search your life for heaven on earth when you get it right hope it lasts for life
(Verse 2)
I promise they gone all try and be me
I promise they gone know who we are
I promise we that gone be successful with or without the college degree
Remember old head use to tell my momma That boy will be somethin one day I promise
So they should not expect nothin less then to see us set like dine nets I guess and we all waitin for tomorrow and sometimes without actin we gotta deal with drama
Hey to get these dreams I figure its gone take more than nyquil and pajamas
But they know whats up We hoppin out and they know it's us
When we get it right look back and say that we did it right and hope it lasts for life
(Chorus) X2
Last for life
Last for life
Last for life
Man I wish that this could last for life
(Lookin back) Lookin back on all we saw who woulda thought we'd get this far You search your life for heaven on earth when you get it right I hope it lasts for life
(Big Sean Talking)
Yo I remember I use to ride to school with my dawg Tom and we be listening to Kanye jay z man you know every body basically and it's crazy now cuz I do business with them. You know people always ask me like you know, Why didn't you go to school? Why didn't you go to college? Its like man I didn't go to school cuz this is what I wanna do you know what I mean this is my dream. The thing is you can go ask Jay Z who Big Sean is? you can ask Pharrell who Big Sean is?, you can walk into Def Jam offices right now be like who is Big Sean is and LA Reid will tell you Who Big Sean is. you can ask Nigo who Big Sean is and they Know. Man I'm 20 years old and I've been around the world. I've been around the world u know doing the thing I love to do. Like what more could you ask for and thats real.
The lyrics of Big Sean's "Last for Life" are about fulfilling one's dreams and conquering life's challenges. The song speaks of Big Sean's aspiration to live his life the way he wants to and getting all that he desires. The verse one illustrates a life without limits as he promises to live his life the way he wants and get all he desires without relenting. He talked about splitting bills and buying out the restaurant, something people couldn't even think of. He also talked about the dream back then and how he wanted to be among the pacesetters with perfect arenas.
In the chorus and the hook, the song stresses the fact that it is essential to live life the way you want it and leave without regrets. More so, one should make sure to get everything right, use all opportunities available to live life to the fullest, and hopefully, it lasts for life. In the second verse, Big Sean talked about how people will always want to be like him, and he added that success does not depend on college degrees. The song also stresses the importance of living a drama-free life to achieve one's dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
I promise we gone live how we want
I promise that we will live our lives the way we want, without anyone holding us back.
I promise we gone get all we want
I promise that we will achieve everything we want, as long as we work hard for it.
Split the bill, naw forget the bill
We'll pay for everything, and won't be stingy or forgetful about it.
Look, We gone buy the whole resturant
We will be so successful that we can buy the entire restaurant.
Remember way back when we gone say back then
Remember when we used to talk about our dreams way back then?
We'll be the ones that will have arenas packed in
We'll be so famous that we will have packed arenas full of fans.
Livin big time yup big time to the point were our name coulda been Big Ben
We will live such a luxurious lifestyle that we could have named ourselves anything, like 'Big Ben.'
No matter what they gave I'da neva gave in wit out sun shine I neva caved in.
I won't give up on my dreams no matter what obstacles I face, and I won't cave in to pressure or negativity.
I'm finally famous til the lights is faded then the crowd is jaded when I hop on stages
I am finally famous and I will continue to perform on stage until the crowd is no longer interested.
You don't live for life so live your life when you live and die look back and say you did it right When you get it right I hope it lasts for life
You only live once, so live your life the way you want to and make sure you can look back and say you did it right. And when you do get it right, I hope it lasts forever.
Man I wish that this could last for life
I really hope that this good life will never end.
Lookin back on all we saw who woulda thought we'd get this far You search your life for heaven on earth when you get it right hope it lasts for life
Looking back at everything we've experienced, we've come so far from where we started. You spend your whole life searching for happiness, and when you finally find it, I hope it lasts forever.
I promise they gone all try and be me
I promise that everyone will try to be like me, but they won't be able to replicate my unique qualities.
I promise they gone know who we are
I promise that everyone will know who we are because we will be so successful.
I promise we that gone be successful with or without the college degree
I promise that we will be successful whether or not we have a college degree.
Remember old head use to tell my momma That boy will be somethin one day I promise
An old person once told my mother that I would be successful one day, and they were right.
So they should not expect nothin less then to see us set like dine nets I guess and we all waitin for tomorrow and sometimes without actin we gotta deal with drama
People should expect nothing less than for us to be successful like fishing nets catching all our dreams. However, we still have to deal with drama and wait for tomorrow to make progress.
Hey to get these dreams I figure its gone take more than nyquil and pajamas
To achieve our dreams, we realize that we have to work hard and make sacrifices. It's not as easy as just sleeping in Nyquil and pajamas.
But they know whats up We hoppin out and they know it's us
People know who we are and what we're capable of, and they recognize us when we enter the room with confidence.
Yo I remember I use to ride to school with my dawg Tom and we be listening to Kanye jay z man you know every body basically and it's crazy now cuz I do business with them.
I remember riding to school with my friend Tom and listening to Kanye West and Jay-Z. It's crazy to think that I now do business with them and others in the music industry.
You know people always ask me like you know, Why didn't you go to school? Why didn't you go to college? Its like man I didn't go to school cuz this is what I wanna do you know what I mean this is my dream.
People always ask why I didn't go to college, but the reason is because this is my dream and what I truly want to do in life.
The thing is you can go ask Jay Z who Big Sean is? you can ask Pharrell who Big Sean is?, you can walk into Def Jam offices right now be like who is Big Sean is and LA Reid will tell you Who Big Sean is. you can ask Nigo who Big Sean is and they Know.
I am so successful and renowned that you can ask famous musicians and producers like Jay-Z, Pharrell, and Nigo who I am, and they will know.
Man I'm 20 years old and I've been around the world. I've been around the world u know doing the thing I love to do. Like what more could you ask for and thats real.
I'm only 20 years old, but I've already traveled the world doing what I love. What more could I ask for?
Contributed by Scarlett B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Harrison Orr
Never will get old, classic song
Leighton Poston
I love this song listen to it at least once a day uknowbigsean is a compilation of masterpieces
Ricky Tan
Love this track bruh..gonna blast this on the way 2 class in the morning haha
Spanky Dufresne
this song right here means too much to me i mean it got me through some tough shit and everytime i play it i get that feel G.O.O.D vibe. Its been well over a year now since i've been playin this and i always get the same feeling
DeepEnd Wonup
I need this type of vibe again bro
xXKiDCuDi1
fucking love big sean, keep doing what you're doin
KhanWonOfficial
Always my motivation!
Zob Kush
This song is played at least 10 times a day in my household
Cory Addison
Knew I was a big Sean fan for life after this
Devon Holsapple
"Inspiring Song" ♥