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.
Nothing Is Stopping You
Big Sean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heart up on the stage, body in the crowd
Parents always tried keep me home
But I can't get paid from the crib, so I'll be gone till we on
Whats up, Finally Famous
I had it on my jacket way back in high school
Know I wanted to be in them night clubs and not all off in that night school
So me and my niggas real life'd it, every week we did them cyphers
I woke up early on a Saturday
Said I'mma cash my check and hit some ass today
Hit the bank, my nigga called me like: "Go rap for Ye
He at the station, rap that shit that you rap everyday"
Man, that shit sounds stupid then I hang up on his ass
Then called him back like "Fuck, let's do it"
I didn't even cash my check, man can't believe my ass pursuit it
I didn't even have no gas but somehow God just lead me to it
Like, "Let's do it"
When I heard the songs he was doing
Man, I knew he had to be on G.O.O.D Music
Just to think, last night I was in Venice hugging bitches
Thanking God Almighty condoms were invented
Cause I had a yellow bone
That could've come from out the Simpsons man
Who claim she never did it (Yeah right)
But under these conditions she was with it
Then I hopped up on that red eye when I finished
I been gon for five hours, fuck, my head still spinning
Fucked the hotel up, shit she probably still in it
Getting rest that I be missing, but fuck it I'm on a mission
Flight delayed like 30 minutes, now that's the shit that I hate
Now it's eight thirty, I'm officially late, for that eight o'clock spot
I know the Program Director hot, but I spit a freestyle up in there so cold
That everybody in that bitch forgot, now I'm running late for sound check
And I heard the line's already to the lot, walking out the station
And that's around the time that I got stopped, by this shorty tryna rhyme
Manager said we ain't got time, but time to time
You gotta make time when it's time for karma to come back around
I say "Aye dawg, what you got?", "Aw dawg, Big Sean, thanks a lot
Um, alright, stay young ran the game, man they been afraid
Tryna follow me get in a maze, leave you minute maid
Um, I'm like a young black Eminem, it's a riddle and I'm repping that Michigan
Tryna stack my dividends, get my mom a new crib and them
And the bunch just synonyms about how he was living in
I ain't even let him finish shit, I mean I can't lie he was alright
But at his age, shit so was I, so give him my email on a fly
And if it sound good, then I reply uh
Tell me what you know about dreams, what you know about having faith
In something you can't see, tell me how much do you believe
What you know about feeling something, that you can't even touch
What you know bout smelling something, that you can't even breathe
But when the world drives you out, and your gas tank is on E
All the faith that you had, just ain't all the faith that you need
All the faith that I have, just ain't all the faith that I need
I'm sorry
I know you're not my child talking like that
Focus on shifting this negative energy, into something positive
And the easiest way to do that
Is to be grateful for all the things that you do have
For your health, for your family, your friends
All the people that care about you
You've got food to eat, you've got a place to stay
Ugh you know, let's feel good, let's get happy, boi
In the first verse of Big Sean’s song “Nothing Is Stopping You”, the rapper reflects on his come up in the music industry. He acknowledges the doubts and obstacles that he faced from his parents about pursuing a career in music, but remained determined to succeed. He recounts the pivotal moment when his friend called him to rap for Kanye West at the radio station, which he initially dismissed as “stupid”, but later embraced as an opportunity. He details his journey to L.A. to meet with Kanye and the hotel hookup that he had beforehand.
The second verse continues with Big Sean’s reflections on his rise to fame, and the difficulty of balancing his career and personal life. He acknowledges the importance of faith and belief in oneself in the face of adversity, to keep moving forward. The song ends with a voiceover clip of someone giving Sean advice and urging him to focus on the positive aspects of his life, rather than dwelling on the negative.
The song serves as an autobiographical piece for Big Sean, showcasing his journey and experiences in the music industry. It reminds listeners that with hard work, determination, and self-belief, anything is possible.
Line by Line Meaning
I know I'mma get it, I just don't know how
I am certain I will achieve success, but I am unsure of the exact process to achieve it.
Heart up on the stage, body in the crowd
While performing on stage, I am emotionally invested and in tune with the audience's mood and energy.
Parents always tried keep me home
My parents wanted me to stay home and avoid risky behavior, but that wasn't conducive to accomplishing my goals.
But I can't get paid from the crib, so I'll be gone till we on
Staying home won't pay the bills, so I need to leave in order to make a living until I reach my desired level of success.
I had it on my jacket way back in high school
I proudly wore the label of Finally Famous even in high school, signifying my aspirations for success in the music industry.
So me and my niggas real life'd it, every week we did them cyphers
My friends and I practiced and honed our rap skills by participating in rap battles every week.
At the radio, had a crazy flow, man the city ain't heard shit like this
When I first rapped my lyrics on the radio, it was unique and unlike anything anyone in the city had heard before.
Said I'mma cash my check and hit some ass today
I planned to cash my paycheck and have sex with someone that day.
Man, that shit sounds stupid then I hang up on his ass
Initially, I thought the idea of rapping for Kanye was ridiculous and hung up on my friend who suggested it.
I didn't even cash my check, man can't believe my ass pursuit it
I was so excited about rapping for Kanye that I didn't even cash my paycheck, which is something I normally wouldn't forget to do.
Like, 'Let's do it'
Despite my initial reservations, I decided to go for the opportunity and make it happen.
Man, I knew he had to be on G.O.O.D Music
Based on the quality of his music, I knew Kanye had to be associated with the GOOD Music record label.
Thanking God Almighty condoms were invented
I was relieved and grateful that condoms were invented as a form of contraception while being sexually active.
Flight delayed like 30 minutes, now that's the shit that I hate
I was frustrated and upset when my flight was delayed for 30 minutes because it made me late for sound check.
But at his age, shit so was I
I recognized that the aspiring rapper I met was at the same level I was at that age and had potential for growth and improvement.
But when the world drives you out, and your gas tank is on E
When the world has pushed you to the point of exhaustion and you are running on empty, you realize that all your faith may not be enough.
All the faith that you had, just ain't all the faith that you need
In times of exhaustion and discouragement, you will find that you need even more faith than you originally thought you had.
Focus on shifting this negative energy, into something positive
It's important to alter your negative mindset and focus on positive energy to attract success and happiness.
And the easiest way to do that
The simplest way to change your mindset is by cultivating gratitude for current blessings and positive elements in life.
Is to be grateful for all the things that you do have
Find and focus on aspects of life that you are grateful for, such as your health, family, friends, and basic necessities.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PHARRELL WILLIAMS, SEAN ANDERSON, ALEXANDER IZQUIERDO, DWANE II WEIR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind