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.
My Closet
Big Sean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
West Side
West Side
West Side
Yeaaaaaa
I Got that Bape all in my closet
BBC all in my closet
To all your shopaholics
If you wanna ball (ball)
Step thru them double doors inside my closet is a mall
I got some Louie in my closet got some Gucci in my closet (I do)
I'm Feeling like Biggie got some Coogie in my closet (say what?)
Gotta a zoo all in my closet yes I do yes I do
I got some gators buffalo's minks too minks too
If you like my tattoos LA ink is in my closet
Got some haters in my closet and we just use them as targets
I be sparking cause we got a gun range all in my closet
I be balling with my partners we be hooping in my closet (swish)
Full court press like all the suits that's in my closet (okay)
Like O my fucking god did you just see my closet (closet)
Yea I got it all except them hangers in my closet (wassup)
But I can even call it got a switch up in my closet
Bitch!
Ooooo
You cant buy whats in my closet if you had stacks instead of wallets
And for you fucking haters who don't like it I cant see you past the way haters the flaps of my eye lids
Ok Ok
So tell tell me who the freshest of them of them all I step inside my closet and that shit look like a loft
You claiming that you fresh when you ain't fresher then my balls
Tryna get whats in my closet
Nah bitch I bought it all
Yeaa bitch i got it all
You aint know nuthin about this fresh shit hoe
Ill fuck your bitch with a Louie Vuitton condom
Bitch I'm king wasbie in my closet
Got a lobby in my closet (okay)
I'm big bitch I'm big I got Versace in my closet
(what)
O that your girl (girl)
I seen her in my closet she was hanging of the hangers when I banged her in my closet
I got fergie in my closet (what)
I be rocking Tisa
You might catch tiger woods tryna hit a birdie in my closet (Fore)
Hood niggas steady flipping birdies in my closet (it is)
Polo looking like I got Kentucky derbies in my closet
Bitch got MCM in my closet (closet)
MGM in my closet (closet)
Boy! im from the D I got that big GM in my closet
Yea I shine hoe I shine so much its sunny in my closet (bling)
Got a track where all the baddest girls be running in my closet
Like O my god its stunning in my closet
I got diamonds I'm so rocky you can bungie in my closet
I got gators I got furs minks and monkeys Lions tigers bears
Damn I got Jumanji in my closet
Bitch!
You cant buy whats in my closet if you had stacks instead of wallets
And for you fucking haters that don't like it I cant see you past the way haters the flaps of my eye lids
Ok Ok
So tell me who the freshest of them of them all I step inside my closet and that shit look like a loft
You claiming that you fresh when you ain't fresher then my balls
Tryna get whats in my closet Nah bitch I bought it all
100 doors in my closet
15 floors up in my closet
Taking elevators everywhere I go up in my closet
Lovely pad in my closet
Yea its bad in my closet
Billy jean not my lover
But I thriller in my closet
Can can you hear me (hello)
Got that network in my closet
I got a couple groupies giving neck work in my closet
Man your net-worth in my closet match the sweatshirts in my closet
I opened up the doors and seen R-kelly in my closet (what the fuck)
Aww man god damn ice cream man in my closet
Got the whole motor city auto show up in my closet (vroom)
Got two runways in my closet one for models one for planes
Autotuning t-pain he be singing in my closet
I cant believe it
Ooo dats in my closet water
Faucets in my closet (splash)
We play paint ball we play eight ball
On the great wall in my closet
Now you seen all my closet
You don't gotta go home but get the hell out my closet
You ain't know nothing about this fresh shit Nigga
You talking to the king of fresh what the fuck is you saying
I do it
In this song, Big Sean is expressing that he has a large collection of valuable things in his closet. He lists off all of the designer brands that he owns, such as Bape, BBC, Louie, Gucci, and Coogie. He also mentions his jewelry and mentions that he even has a gun range in his closet. He boasts that his wardrobe is so impressive that stepping into his closet is like stepping into a mall.
Line by Line Meaning
West Side
Referring to the West Side of town or city, possibly where Big Sean grew up or currently resides
Yeaaaaaa
An indication of excitement and confidence in what is to follow
I Got that Bape all in my closet
Big Sean owns clothing from the brand Bape, and keeps it in his closet
BBC all in my closet
Big Sean owns clothing from the brand Billionaire Boys Club, and keeps it in his closet
Dat Pow Jewelry and ambush rings we just made a deposit (money)
Big Sean recently made a deposit or payment towards jewelry from the brands Pow and Ambush
To all your shopaholics
Big Sean is addressing those who love to shop
If you wanna ball (ball)
If you want to show off your wealth and fashion, or if you want to play basketball
Step thru them double doors inside my closet is a mall
Big Sean's closet is so large that it feels like a shopping mall, with many high-end clothing brands and accessories
I got some Louie in my closet got some Gucci in my closet (I do)
Big Sean owns clothing and accessories from the brands Louis Vuitton and Gucci
I'm Feeling like Biggie got some Coogie in my closet (say what?)
Biggie Smalls, a famous rapper, was known for wearing clothing from the brand Coogi. Big Sean feels similar to Biggie with his own collection of Coogi clothing in his closet
Gotta a zoo all in my closet yes I do yes I do
Big Sean has a large and varied collection of clothing and accessories in his closet, comparing it to a zoo
I got some gators buffalo's minks too minks too
Big Sean owns animal skins from alligators, buffalos, and minks, and keeps them in his closet
If you like my tattoos LA ink is in my closet
If you are interested in tattoo culture, Big Sean has items related to the show LA Ink in his closet
Got some haters in my closet and we just use them as targets
Big Sean has figurative 'haters' in his life who he ignores and uses as targets to improve himself
I be sparking cause we got a gun range all in my closet
Big Sean has a gun range within his closet and enjoys shooting firearms
I be balling with my partners we be hooping in my closet (swish)
Big Sean and his friends play basketball in his closet, enjoying their wealth and fashion while doing so
Full court press like all the suits that's in my closet (okay)
A 'full court press' is a strategy in basketball, and Big Sean uses it metaphorically to describe the many suits he has in his closet
Like O my fucking god did you just see my closet (closet)
Big Sean is amazed by his own closet and how much wealth and fashion he has accumulated
Yea I got it all except for them hangers in my closet (wassup)
Big Sean owns many high-end items of clothing and accessories, but has not invested in quality hangers to keep them organized
But I can even call it got a switch up in my closet
Even though Big Sean's closet is impressive, he is always adding new items and changing things around
Bitch!
An exclamation of confidence and ownership
You aint know nuthin about this fresh shit hoe
Big Sean is addressing someone who lacks knowledge or appreciation for fashion and style
Ill fuck your bitch with a Louie Vuitton condom
Big Sean is belittling someone, saying that he owns so much wealth and fashion that he even has a condom from the luxury brand Louis Vuitton
Bitch I'm king wasbie in my closet
Big Sean is the king of fashion and style, and has many items from the brand Wasbie in his closet
Got a lobby in my closet (okay)
Big Sean's closet is so large that it has a lobby area
I'm big bitch I'm big I got Versace in my closet (what)
Big Sean feels important and powerful, owning clothing from the luxury brand Versace
O that your girl (girl)
Big Sean is addressing someone about their partner
I seen her in my closet she was hanging of the hangers when I banged her in my closet
Big Sean is bragging about having sex with someone's partner in his closet, while also suggesting that his closet is so large that it has hangers capable of supporting a person's weight
I got fergie in my closet (what)
Fergie is a famous singer, and Big Sean owns something related to her or from her, kept in his closet
I be rocking Tisa
Big Sean wears clothing from the brand Tisa
You might catch tiger woods tryna hit a birdie in my closet (Fore)
Big Sean's closet is so large that someone could theoretically practice their golf swing in it, even Tiger Woods, a famous professional golfer
Hood niggas steady flipping birdies in my closet (it is)
People who are from the 'hood' or who are generally considered rough or tough enjoy playing golf in Big Sean's closet
Polo looking like I got Kentucky derbies in my closet
Big Sean owns many Polo-branded clothing items, making it look like he has items from the Kentucky Derby horse race event in his closet
Bitch got MCM in my closet (closet)
Big Sean owns clothing and accessories from the brand MCM and keeps them in his closet
MGM in my closet (closet)
Big Sean owns something related to or from the entertainment company MGM, kept in his closet
Boy! im from the D I got that big GM in my closet
Big Sean is from Detroit and owns something related to or from General Motors, kept in his closet
Yea I shine hoe I shine so much its sunny in my closet (bling)
Big Sean has so much wealth and fashion that his closet is bright and shiny, like the sun
Got a track where all the baddest girls be running in my closet
Big Sean's closet is so large that it has an area in which attractive women can run
I got diamonds I'm so rocky you can bungie in my closet
Big Sean has many diamonds and jewelry, and his closet is so large that someone could bungee jump in it
I got gators I got furs minks and monkeys Lions tigers bears
Big Sean owns clothing and accessories made from animals such as alligators, minks, monkeys, lions, tigers, and bears
Damn I got Jumanji in my closet
Big Sean's closet is so large and varied that it feels like a jungle, referencing the movie Jumanji
100 doors in my closet
Big Sean's closet is so large that it has 100 doors
15 floors up in my closet
Big Sean's closet is so large that it has 15 floors within it
Taking elevators everywhere I go up in my closet
Big Sean's closet is so large that it requires elevators to access different levels or areas within it
Lovely pad in my closet
In addition to clothing and accessories, Big Sean has an area in his closet resembling an apartment or living space
Yea its bad in my closet
Big Sean's closet is impressive and has a lot of high-end items
Billy jean not my lover
Referencing the famous Michael Jackson song 'Billie Jean', but to say that Big Sean is not romantically involved with anyone named Billie Jean
But I thriller in my closet
Referencing the famous Michael Jackson song 'Thriller', but to say that Big Sean has an exciting and impressive closet like the song/video
Can can you hear me (hello)
Big Sean is jokingly asking if anyone can hear him inside his closet
Got that network in my closet
Big Sean has items related to or from the TV network or show, called The Network, kept in his closet
I got a couple groupies giving neck work in my closet
Women who are fans of Big Sean are in his closet, performing sexual acts on him
Man your net-worth in my closet match the sweatshirts in my closet
Your overall value or wealth matches the value or quality of clothing in Big Sean's closet
I opened up the doors and seen R-kelly in my closet (what the fuck)
R. Kelly, a famous musician, is inside Big Sean's closet, surprising him
Aww man god damn ice cream man in my closet
An ice cream vendor or truck is inside Big Sean's closet, giving him a sense of childhood nostalgia
Got the whole motor city auto show up in my closet (vroom)
Big Sean owns cars or car-related items from the Detroit Auto Show, kept in his closet
Got two runways in my closet one for models one for planes
Big Sean's closet is so large that it has areas resembling runways for planes and fashion models
Autotuning t-pain he be singing in my closet
T-Pain, a famous artist known for his use of autotune in his music, is inside Big Sean's closet, singing and using autotune
You don't gotta go home but get the hell out my closet
Big Sean is telling someone to leave his closet, but indicating that they can stay in his home or in his life
You talking to the king of fresh what the fuck is you saying
Big Sean sees himself as the 'king of fresh', meaning he has the best style and fashion. He is addressing someone who is questioning his wealth or fashion sense
I do it
Big Sean is confident in his wealth and fashion sense, and does not need to explain himself to anyone
Contributed by Victoria J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
LockdAwg
i love this song deserves more credit
2p Sarkastic
Yeah considering all this time
GT
@2p Sarkastic Kingsly's episode with BBC America's Almost Royal brought me here. Specifically the line "BBC in my closet." KANG BIG SEAN sounds hurt in this song so he mae an all-Black song. KANGSLY also said in Almost Royal that he's just Black lol.
Shameless Plug
Never gets old
TrackFingers
Still a banger in 2017 🔥🔥
Purple Moon Sunflower
2023!
D'Reil McClain
This is a Banger! Straight Up Winner!
Erick Arciniega
Yo por siempre voy a seguir con la moda de las snapbacks
TheGoldinChyld
This shit STILL Bangs!
lildrummer08
This still my shit! The art direction was perfect for it!