I'll admit it. I most definitely slept on Big Sean. In fact, I have yet to listen to a single one of his mixtapes. The first time I heard him rap was on Kanye West's Good Friday, where Big Sean left little to no impression on me. However, after hearing that No I.D was behind the boards on his debut, there was no doubt in my mind that even if his "raps were wack" No I.D's production would be enough to salvage the album. In a way, my predictions rung true.
After a thorough listen of Finally Famous, I have only two qualms regarding Big Sean as an artist. Firstly, although Big Sean is able to time his verses to the beat most of the time, he often tries to rush his rhymes, which forces him to play catch up at the start of his next verse. Secondly, Big Sean shows humorous wordplay but almost no substance. Instead of using his platform to discuss more meaningful issues such as his struggle to break into the industry, the pressures of sudden celebrity, or even to perhaps tell a story, damn near every song is about the most typical topics in hip-hop (girls and money). However, if you're like me and are able to enjoy "mainstream hip-hop" as long as the production is tight, you will definitely enjoy most of this album. No I.D's production is marvelous enough to make up for most of Big Sean's lyrical shortcomings.
On Finally Famous, Big Sean shows several strengths: his ear for good beats and his ability to write songs that appeal to a large audience. However, he needs to focus on writing more compelling subject matter if he wants to be considered one of the greats further down the line.
7.5/10
Replay Button Music:
I Do It
Wait For Me ft. Lupe Fiasco
Memories Part II ft. John Legend
High ft. Wiz Khalifa & Chiddy Bang
Celebrity ft. Dwele
