If you have not been keeping tabs on Big Sean lately you might want to start hopping back on the bandwagon again. The proud Detroit, Michigan native has been quite silent since the release of Detroit 2 back in 2020. He did collaborate with Hit-Boy for a six-track EP What You Expect in 2021. But outside of a small dose of features, the hitmaker has been taking his time getting back into it. Last week though, it was clear that the rapper was on a mission. He put out two incredible tracks, “Anderson Estate Freestyle” on Instagram, and the ruthless braggadocious single “Precision.” To keep up the momentum, Big Sean made his first-ever appearance on NPR’s Tiny Desk.
He put on one of the longest shows ever, performing 14 songs. Sean went through his entire catalog, giving the live audience a look into each era of his music. From tracks like “One Man Can Change The World,” to “Beware” and “Bounce Back,” Big Sean definitely wanted to showcase his range. After performing “Nothing Is Stopping You” from you his second album Hall Of Fame, the MC took the time to give some background on his situation at the time, which was a difficult one for him.
Big Sean Is Making 2024 His Year With This Tiny Desk Performance
“It was a stressful time for me because when my second album dropped it didn’t do as well as my first,” Sean said. “People was like, ‘sophomore slump its over for him,’ countin’ me out crazy. Then I was able to lock in and make my third album which was Dark Sky Paradise which was one of my biggest albums.” Big Sean then left the fans with some inspiring words before hopping into “Blessings” from that aforementioned LP. “The point of bringing that up is that don’t let people place they curse on you of what they want you to be or of who they think you are… wherever you at… there’s always a path to get to where you gotta go and anything you go through you grow through.”
What are your thoughts on Big Sean’s NPR Tiny Desk appearance? Did he curate a good setlist, or did he leave some key tracks out? What was your favorite rendition and why? Are you excited for him to possibly drop a new album this year? Are you bumping his latest single “Precision?” We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Big Sean and Tiny Desk. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on around the world of music.
On March 20th, Big Sean made waves online when he released his new freestyle “Whole Time” on social media platforms X and Instagram, along with new visuals. Setting the tone for the release of “Precision,” which arrived two days later, the track’s video features the Detroit MC dropping bar after bar as he walks around a room in his LA home. “Whole Time” uses a slowed-down sample of Pharcyde’s classic beat on “Drop” by J. Dilla. It’s laced with smart, witty writing, and a few jabs here and there. However, some lines stand out as the best on the track — affirming Sean’s position as one of the greats. Clearly, Big Sean is back, and here are seven of the best bars.
“I Just Haven’t Had The Energy To Compete With Enemies / Or Y’all So Called Bigger Three”
Big Sean opens the “Whole Time” freestyle admitting how inconsistent his career has been without necessarily stating the cause. Nonetheless, he quickly makes it known that he is not in competition with anyone. “I just haven’t had the energy to compete with enemies / Or y’all so-called bigger three,” he raps. Naturally, many who have seen this quickly compared it to Kendrick Lamar’s bombshell in his surprise cameo for Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That,” where he goes: “Motherf*ck the Big Three…it’s just f*ck the big three…it’s just big me…” However, there is little chance Kendrick could have been sneak dissing Big Sean, considering he would have submitted his verse long before Sean’s freestyle, though many joked that his scathing verse on “Like That” overshadowed the release of “Precision.”
“Every Verse I Lay, Fans Love To Say Man N***as Is Sleep / But 200 Million Records Up Tho, It Isn’t A Dream / Even If You Was My Son, You Couldn’t Belittle Me”
INDIO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 15: Big Sean performs onstage at the Sahara Tent during the 2022 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival on April 15, 2022 in Indio, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella)
A fan of double entendres, Big Sean makes it clear in his freestyle that he won’t be put down or underestimated, even if he never achieved similar commercial success as a few of his peers. He quickly brags that he has an undeniable impact, selling over 200 million records throughout his career. On the flip side, Big Sean and his longtime girlfriend Jhene Aiko welcomed their baby boy Noah in 2022. Therefore, it’s safe to say that Noah will have to discover his own identity since there can only be one Big Sean.
“How Long You Been Plotting On A B?…Back When You Was a Fly On The Wall And Dropped Out Of School To Help Ye Finish Graduation?”
ANAHEIM, CA – JUNE 03: (L-R) Rappers Kanye West and Big Sean perform onstage at the Power 106 Powerhouse show at Honda Center on June 3, 2016 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/FilmMagic)
The theories that Big Sean wrote several songs off Kanye West’s Graduation (without getting credits) continue to swirl around timelines, though it appears that we received confirmation. Top considerations of Big Sean’s Graduation contributions include “Champion,” “I Wonder,” and “Barry Bonds.” Regardless of absent evidence, however, Big Sean may have confirmed it in the “Whole Time” freestyle when he asks about the now-famous bar. This is also quite interesting, considering how important the album is to Ye’s discography. Ye also proclaimed that signing Big Sean to GOOD music was “the worst thing I’ve ever done” on an episode of Drink Champs. Big Sean subsequently retorted that Ye owed him money, when he visited the same podcast, though the two have seemingly squashed any beef between them.
“B.I.G. But Somehow I Need A Shrink”
Big Sean has always been vocal about his struggles with mental health, and he makes a few references throughout the freestyle. “I used to be held back and hide behind fear / but F.E.A.R is just false evidence appearing real,” he spits. However, none hit harder than “B.I.G. but somehow I need a shrink.” It’s pretty self-explanatory, but it’s been commended for his vulnerability.
“Since The Pow Chain, Setting Trends”
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 16: Rapper Big Sean performs onstage during day 2 of Rolling Loud 2024 at Hollywood Park Grounds on March 16, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
Sean seemingly intended this bar on “Whole Time” for the cultured fans. Although Hip Hop now transcends genres, it is still a lifestyle and a statement, and Big Sean was the first to speak Pow Chains into existence. He disclosed how he started the Pow Chain trend in a 2012 interview with GQ. “Verbal from the Teriyaki Boyz in Japan gave me and Kanye samples,” he said. “We were the first people to have it. Then I became homies with Verbal, and I told him it’d be so tight to have these iced-out and a little bigger… Chris Brown came up to me and was like, ‘Yo, I try to get my chains like this.’”
“Living A Dream Inside of a Dream / I Feel Like I’m Leo Inside Of Inception”
Sean speeds up his flow numerous times in “Whole Time,” like with his Inception bar. However, before then, he first dropped this round, “I hate when people tell me it’s never that serious / You ain’t have to shoot your first album cover at Sears.” Rapping in the second person, he makes a few more references to when he first started his career: recording at Earl and A-Tone’s basement and the same studio as J.Dilla in just 30 minutes. The nostalgic walk down memory lane ends with his dedication to growing his career. “Before you made a dollar off of rap / But it was your full-time job though regardless”
“Sh*t, How Long You Knew Your Mind Was A Goldmine?”
Big Sean closes the freestyle in the most self-assured way possible. From the start of his music career, through the downtimes with the label, he has never doubted his talents. “Right now I’m talking to the old Sean / Sh*t, how long you knew was your mind was a goldmine? / Before you got signed? Sh*t, both times? / How long you knew it be like this? / N*gga, the whole time.” Big Sean is cocky all through, and he’s definitely earned the right to be.
Grammy®-nominated artist Big Sean ignites the music scene again with his latest single and video, “Precision,” now available via Def Jam Recordings. This release marks his first solo venture in two years, signaling the start of a new chapter for the rap sensation.
“Precision” showcases Big Sean’s signature lyrical prowess, delivered with rapid-fire precision over a dynamic blend of soulful samples and infectious beats. The accompanying music video adds visual flair to the track’s energetic vibe.
In addition to the single, Big Sean treats fans to a personal VLOG titled “Clarity,” offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse into his creative process and personal journey. Through intimate footage and reflections, the VLOG sets the stage for what promises to be an exciting season for Big Sean, hinting at the depth and innovation in his latest musical endeavors.
Big Sean’s career took a nice turn in 2020 with the release of Detroit 2, a sequel to his acclaimed mixtape. He was more focused and hungrier than ever before, placing some of his best rapping on that project. However, the prideful Detroit MC has been low-key since then. He did put Detroit and the deluxe version of the second installment on streaming, but there has not been anything separate from them.
Luckily though, Big Sean seems like he is back in album mode once again with the release of “Precision.” He is quickly capitalizing on the “Anderson Estate Freestyle” that was gaining lots of positive feedback on social media. Sean was bringing some bars over a late great J Dilla beat “Drop.” For this latest cut, FNZ, Zacari and others give the technically skilled rapper a nasty trap beat.
One thing we can say for certain is that Big Sean has tons of “Precision” when it comes to his flows. There are not many mainstream MCs that have better pure rapping skills than him. While there a still a couple of so-so bars, we do not have much to nitpick. Be sure to check out the new track above.
What are your thoughts on this brand-new single, “Precision,” by Big Sean? Is this the better track than the “Anderson Estate Freestyle,” why or why not? Does these cuts have you pumped for his upcoming album? Should he drop it this year or next year? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Big Sean. Finally, stay with us for the most informative song posts throughout the week.
Quotable Lyrics:
Grandma was in the A, aunty was in the A, and momma had Triple-A I wasn’t scared to crash anyone in the way I’m ridin’ shotty while bro had a shoty (Swear) like we in the getaway I gotta penetrate, I gotta generate, I gave like twenty some years to my hood, now I gotta go live away I’m out of town but I’m not on the getaway, I spend a giveaway F*** you mean? I’m the generous king for real
Big Sean is back. And this time, he’s making a sharp return. Tonight (March 22), the Detroit legend has shared “Precision,” his scorching new single.
Over the past few days, Sean has been teasing a new era on social media. This week, he shared a series of clips on Instagram, each of them sharing one common theme — clarity. And in the four years since he dropped his last album, Detroit 2, he seems to have gained quite a bit.
On “Precision,” Sean raps over an energetic beat, reminding us that while he’s been away for a minute, he’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
“I’m gettin’ harder to beat, Hadouken / They sendin’ shots but somehow I just juke it / Hittin’ my death mode, f*ck it, I’m B-I-G, you know I can’t forget, I adore it,” he says on one of the song’s verses.
“I had to just accept it, stop trying to control everything, and live in the moment and go with your feelings,” he says. “And I applied that to the studio, and that’s when things really started popping for me.”
Last December, TMZ approached (read: accosted in a parking lot) Big Sean and asked him several questions about the term “rizz” before sneaking in a more pointed question about “the Kendrick diss,” a reference to Kendrick Lamar’s leaked alternate version of “Element,” an unreleased diss track that found Lamar (allegedly) roasting several of his contemporaries, including Sean.
“Ain’t no diss,” Big Sean told TMZ, ensuring everything was cool between him and K. Dot. And that may very well be true, but Big Sean seemed to allude to Lamar in a new freestyle posted on Wednesday, March 20.
“Look I been in the crib getting over this food poisoning (Norovirus),” Sean captioned his Instagram video. “I figured if Jordan can play in the Finals w/ food poisoning, least I can do is drop some bars! WE LETTING MORE FLY TOMORROW!!!”
Big Sean rapped “over this J Dilla flip Boi-1da, Leon Thomas, and Jahaan Sweet” sent him, as he explained on X (formerly Twitter): “I think where I lack most as an artist is consistency / I just haven’t had the energy to compete with enemies / Or y’all so-called Bigger Three.”
On March 15, Big Sean teased “new music [is] on the way” in the caption of a five-minute mini-documentary entitled “Clarity,” capturing him reflecting on becoming a new father and staying grounded. The video shows behind-the-scenes footage of Sean presumably working on his next album, including footage in the studio with the likes of Cole Bennett, Hit-Boy, Lil Yachty, and Tyler, The Creator.
Shortly after posting his freestyle, Big Sean also wrote on X, “This next run personal, LFG!!!” So, it would appear there is more where that “so-called Bigger Three” bar came from.
In the video for Eminem’s “Doomsday 2,” Bennett even goes so far as to revisit the office building set from the first “Doomsday” video with Cordae and Juice WRLD. This time, though, the lyrical destruction has the office hallway in an even worse state than before, with ceiling panels falling out, exposed wires sparking, and bodies littering the walkway.
In addition to Eminem’s percussive performance, the video also features cameos from many of All Is Yellow‘s other stars, including Babytron, Big Sean, Cordae, Denzel Curry, JID, and Teezo Touchdown — all of whom you could argue take massive influence from Eminem as an artist. Even Swae Lee shows up.
A lot of jokes have been made about Eminem falling off in recent years, but if the “Doomsday 2” is anything to judge by, it looks like his respect among the younger generation is just as high as it’s ever been.
You can watch the “Doomsday 2” video above and check out All Is Yellow, out now via Def Jam, here.
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