For one reason or another, Big Sean has yet to achieve that "classic album" status that's so sought after in hip-hop. Finally Famous was a charming debut, but by no means substantial enough to deserve that label. His last project, 2013's Hall Of Fame, was primed to be "classic" (what with its lofty title and Sean's use of that fickle C-word in at least three pre-release interviews), but ultimately failed to live up to the hype that Sean Don preached. That's not to say it was a bad or even a boring album, but as he was out there calling it a "Detroit classic" and comparing himself to Eminem, we expected nothing less than greatness.
We're now a little under two weeks away from the release of Big Sean's next album, Dark Sky Paradise, and again, the hype is building. This time, though, we're almost certain that Sean will knock it out of the park. We've only heard three tracks from it thus far (as well as an unauthorized snippet), but we're willing to put our money on it: this will be Sean's best album yet.
Here are five reasons why Dark Sky Paradise will silence the haters and give Sean his best shot at that elusive classic status.
kanye
Kanye's 100% On-Board This Time
As Big Sean might not have a career if it wasn't for Kanye West, his presence and involvement on his protegé's projects is always going to be viewed as a plus. Ye had a big hand in Sean's coming-of-age debut, Finally Famous, and although he also executive-produced HOF, Sean said he took more of a backseat role on that project, contributing backup vocals on a few tracks but contributing no actual beats. This time around, it's a different story. West produced at least two Dark Sky Paradise tracks, and raps on two more (or three, depending on which version of "Blessings" makes the tracklist). That level of involvement is rare for him, and with Pusha T's widely-acclaimed MNIMN being the only other recent example of a hands-on executive production job by West, the precedent for greatness is there. It's also worth mentioning this recently-released clip of Sean, Push and Ye in the studio (below), as Kanye has some high praise for DSP.
“You’re on god’s path, man, and only success can happen to you now."
patience
Patience
It may seem silly, but if you watch the similarly-titled video Sean shared yesterday (below), you'll get it. While Hall Of Fame took almost two years to record, it still felt a little rushed. The guest list was all over the place, with Nas and Kid Cudi appearing on the same track, and Jeezy and Sean's somewhat conflicting styles clashing on "It's Time", and the beat selection wasn't the greatest (more on that in the next section). This time around, Sean's slimmed down the tracklist to keep DSP under an hour, and doesn't seem like he's reaching with any of the features, mostly sticking with people he's worked with in the past. We can't knock the one exception to that, E-40's verse on "IDFWU", as it's amazing. He also recorded the entire album in his home studio, whereas HOF was pieced together in various studios, so he definitely had more time to sit with the music and make touch-ups as needed.
production
More Dynamic Production
As soon as Sean dropped four tracks out of the blue last September, it was clear that he was upping the ante as far as beats went. The two of those that made the cut for Dark Sky Paradise, "IDFWU" and "Paradise", boast production from the twin pillars of rap radio dominance in the 2010s, DJ Mustard and Mike WiLL Made It (as well as some co-production from Mr. West on the former), which is a huge get for Sean. Other zeitgeisty names like Vinylz, DJ Dahi, Travi$ Scott and Boi-1da also pop up, showing an increased desire to fit in with current trends, rather than mining the past for "classic" sounds. Expect some eclectic choices too, as someone who attended the album listening party mentioned "club bangers," a track with an "80s feel," and an "up-tempo" duet with Ariana Grande. HOF & Finally Famous did feature a ton of work from the legendary No I.D., but for him, the beats were rather middling, so it's probably a wise decision that Sean ditched him this time around.
maturity
Maturity
As someone who's often credited with inventing "hashtag rap," and whose recent single is a sophomoric, somewhat petty ode to a "little dumb ass bitch" that he used to date, Sean's always seemed a little juvenile. That usually results in fun, carefree music, but when he delves into more serious subject matter, the message can often be lost in his method of delivery. For example, the weighty HOF cut that dealt with a child seeing his mother sleeping around was misleadingly titled "MILF". As Sean said in the recent listening session, “There’s so many emotions [on Dark Sky Paradise]," and while you can still expect dick jokes and Naya Rivera disses galore, look for him to intersperse those with more meaningful cuts.
control
No Earth-Shattering "Control" Verse
There's no doubt that "Control" did wonders for Kendrick Lamar's already-flourishing career, but for Sean, it's another story. Leaked out two weeks before Hall Of Fame was released, and not included on the album due to sample clearance issues, the song stole almost all of the hype from the album. You can't blame Sean for wanting the world to hear the song, as it's now an important piece of modern rap history, but he didn't seem to account for the massive impact and aftershocks that it would produce. In the internet age, momentum and hype take on even more importance (just look at how premature leaks can ruin entire projects), and Sean seemed like he hadn't yet mastered the curatorial art of the album release. There's absolutely no telling if Sean's currently holding onto tracks that didn't make it onto Dark Sky Paradise, but if he is, we can only hope he wields them more wisely this time around.