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.
Respect It
Big Sean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whoa (TrapAdix), whoa, whoa, whoa
Man, they ain't plotting on me
I'm plotting on them plotting on me, man, stupid, man
Look (Hit-Boy)
Ain't nobody finna do me any type of way (way)
Ain't nobody finna do that
Ain't nobody finna do me dirty, no way (respect it)
You can't touch me, you not worthy
Dirty bitches don't deserve me
I be careful who I love
'Cause who I love is who could hurt me
I'ma give dat ass a cruise
So I'm a Lamborghini Murcie
Niggas thought they had the 2020 vision, it's still blurry (whoa)
I done dodged the murder rate
I done earned what they can't take
Pull up to the house you thought you died
And seen the pearly gates
Nowadays respect the ones who talking good behind my back
And say the bad shit to my, to my face
Why complain about things I can change? Yeah (I can change)
Souljas 'round me, we done been through major pain (major pain)
Laser focused, AOL, been had AIM
Got a lot of hundreds, stayed a hundred, life just changed (life done changed)
What you doing? You got bitches blowing you kisses
Oppositions sending death wishes, either way, it make me no difference
I done out did the predictions, I'm a underground king
Always had the tunnel vision, I'm constantly constant
So ain't nobody finna do me any type of way (way)
Ain't nobody finna do that (yeah)
Ain't nobody finna do me any type of way (respect)
Ain't nobody finna do me dirty, no way (respect it)
Ain't nobody finna do me any type of way (type of way)
Ain't nobody finna do that (ayy)
Ain't nobody finna do me any type of way
Ain't nobody finna do me dirty, no way
Monday Magic, Tuesday (woo)
Spent a quarter million on the coochie (ayy)
Wednesday he had ranned up on me, I got ruthless
Thursday I'm Ferrari horsing, niggas moosin', yeah
I just had to wake up and pay Uncle Sam today
I been in the trenches giving back like anyway, yeah (no cap)
I just bought the pinky Birky for my Easter baby
Got her throwing diamonds in the air like it's a play pen
Can't let 'em trick me out of nothing long as I'm livin'
I can't let her go outside long as I'm gettin' it
I won't let never hold a freak ho against her will
Still won't let 'em do me any kind of way with no skill
Ain't nobody finna do me any type of way
Ain't nobody finna do that
Ain't nobody finna do me any type of way (respect)
Ain't nobody finna do me dirty, no way (respect it)
Can't no one do me dirty
Can't no one do me like that, no
Can't no one do me dirty
Can't no one do me like that, no
I know
No-no-no
No-no-no-no-no-no-no-no
Can't nobody do me dirty, bitch (bitch)
All that fake shit over, we don't take, we take shit over
Army, Navy, paper soldiers, cut the grass and face the cobras
I'm a walking bucket list, product of my suffering
Kobe at the Rucker, bitch
Triple and double and running this shit, I learned that praying is God ammunition
Please let it rain down 'til it drown out my city
The fruits of my labor came all to fruition
You talkin' 'bout I, you ain't got no vision
We, not me, little bitch, built like we sell bricks
Fuck blogs, read my lips
Doing me dirty the only thing that you won't do in this bitch, bitch
Bitch
In Big Sean and Hit-Boy's "Respect It," the opening lines "Man, they ain't plotting on me / I'm plotting on them plotting on me, man, stupid, man" convey a sense of alertness and anticipation for any potential threats coming his way. Big Sean emphasizes that he is staying one step ahead in case anyone is plotting against him, figuratively or literally. This is followed by several variations of the refrain "Ain't nobody finna do me any type of way / Ain't nobody finna do that / Ain't nobody finna do me dirty, no way / Ain't nobody finna do me any type of way (respect) / Ain't nobody finna do me dirty, no way (respect it)," which expresses his self-confidence and desire for respect from others. He doesn't want anyone to hurt, disrespect, or deceive him and expects people to treat him the way he deserves to be treated.
As the song progresses, Big Sean addresses his haters, critics, and enemies by asserting that they cannot touch him since they are not worthy of his time or attention. He uses car metaphors such as "I'ma give dat ass a cruise / So I'm a Lamborghini Murcie" to illustrate his luxurious and fast-paced lifestyle. He has overcome the odds and dodged the murder rate, so he feels like he has earned what no one can take away from him. He also values loyalty and honesty above everything else and prefers people who talk behind his back positively rather than negatively. Big Sean concludes the song by reminding himself of his achievements and focus, affirming his resilience against any attempts to do him dirty.
Line by Line Meaning
Ain't nobody finna do me any type of way (way)
No one will treat me badly or disrespect me.
Ain't nobody finna do that
No one is going to hurt me.
Ain't nobody finna do me any type of way (respect)
Respect is the only way to treat me.
Ain't nobody finna do me dirty, no way (respect it)
No one will ever do anything to harm me because they will respect me.
You can't touch me, you not worthy
You are not worthy of touching me.
Dirty bitches don't deserve me
I do not want to be with anyone who is not respectful and clean in their ways.
I be careful who I love
I am cautious when it comes to who I show love and affection towards.
'Cause who I love is who could hurt me
I am careful because the people I love can be the people who hurt me the most.
I'ma give dat ass a cruise
I'm going to treat that person really well.
So I'm a Lamborghini Murcie
I am a luxurious and expensive thing that not everyone can afford.
Niggas thought they had the 2020 vision, it's still blurry (whoa)
People thought they knew what was coming in the future, but things are still unclear and uncertain.
I done dodged the murder rate
I was able to avoid becoming another statistic in a dangerous environment.
I done earned what they can't take
I have worked hard to achieve my success, and no one can take that away from me.
Pull up to the house you thought you died
And seen the pearly gates
I am so successful that my presence alone can make you feel like you are in heaven.
Nowadays respect the ones who talking good behind my back
And say the bad shit to my, to my face
I value the people who will talk positively about me in private, but also criticize or tell me things to my face when necessary.
Why complain about things I can change? Yeah (I can change)
Instead of wasting time complaining, I focus on the things I can actually change or control.
Souljas 'round me, we done been through major pain (major pain)
I have a group of people around me who have been through hardships and difficult times together.
Laser focused, AOL, been had AIM
I have always been focused on my goals, even from a young age.
Got a lot of hundreds, stayed a hundred, life just changed (life done changed)
I have plenty of money and still stay true to who I am, even though my life has changed drastically.
What you doing? You got bitches blowing you kisses
I don't have time for people who are only focused on getting attention from women.
Oppositions sending death wishes, either way, it make me no difference
I am so unfazed by the people who wish me harm that it doesn't matter to me either way.
I done out did the predictions, I'm a underground king
I have exceeded expectations and become a successful leader in my own right.
Always had the tunnel vision, I'm constantly constant
I have always been extremely focused on my goals, and I stay driven consistently.
Monday Magic, Tuesday (woo)
Every day is great for me.
Spent a quarter million on the coochie (ayy)
I spent a lot of money on my women, but I don't care about the price.
Wednesday he had ranned up on me, I got ruthless
Someone tried to harm me on Wednesday, so I had to act ruthlessly to protect myself.
Thursday I'm Ferrari horsing, niggas moosin', yeah
On Thursday, I am doing well and my competitors are jealous of me.
I just had to wake up and pay Uncle Sam today
Today, I had to pay a lot of taxes to the government.
I been in the trenches giving back like anyway, yeah (no cap)
I have been working hard and giving back to my community, without expecting anything in return.
I just bought the pinky Birky for my Easter baby
I bought an expensive pink diamond ring for my special someone.
Got her throwing diamonds in the air like it's a play pen
She is so happy that she is throwing diamonds around like they are toys.
Can't let 'em trick me out of nothing long as I'm livin'
I won't let anyone deceive me or take advantage of me.
I can't let her go outside long as I'm gettin' it
As long as I am getting what I want or need, I won't let her leave or do anything without me.
I won't let never hold a freak ho against her will
I won't force anyone to do something they don't want to do, even if they are promiscuous.
Still won't let 'em do me any kind of way with no skill
Regardless of their abilities, I won't let anyone treat me poorly or disrespect me.
All that fake shit over, we don't take, we take shit over
I am done with all of the fake and inauthentic people, and I am taking over everything.
Army, Navy, paper soldiers, cut the grass and face the cobras
I am ready to face all of my enemies and potential threats.
I'm a walking bucket list, product of my suffering
I have accomplished so much and lived such an incredible life so far because of all of the hardship I have faced.
Kobe at the Rucker, bitch
I am a true leader and star athlete, just like Kobe Bryant.
Triple and double and running this shit
I am doing really well and consistently dominating my field.
I learned that praying is God ammunition
I have realized the power and importance of prayer when facing challenges or difficult situations.
Please let it rain down 'til it drown out my city
I am asking for help and support from a higher power to help my community in times of need.
The fruits of my labor came all to fruition
I have worked hard and am finally reaping the rewards of my efforts.
You talkin' 'bout I, you ain't got no vision
If you are talking about me, but you can't see my talent and vision, you don't understand me.
We, not me, little bitch, built like we sell bricks
I am not alone in my success and have a team of people working with me towards our goals.
Fuck blogs, read my lips
I don't care what the media or other people say about me because I know the truth.
Doing me dirty the only thing that you won't do in this bitch, bitch
Even though people may try to bring me down or hurt me, I won't let them because I am too strong.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Sean Michael Anderson, Chauncey Hollis Jr., Jeffery Williams, Brook Oba Rowland, Earl Patrick Taylor, Greg Davis, Dustin James Corbett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Coronaboii88
The real ones are actually listening to the words that Big Sean is spittin 💯💯💯
@sonetbrits8065
Word
@joshacook4012
instead of the noises thug and Travis are making
@lamontedali4932
Yep 💯
@trayrill8151
Right
@Dj_khalido
No cap
@veronica6058
“I be careful who I love cuz who I love is who could hurt me” 😓 really felt that
@richyung9085
That’s my favorite part I felt that in my soul
@armanicoulibaly2425
So true
@michaeldowd8108
Realest bar ever.