The Detroit rapper shines on his own and on collabs with hip-hop’s finest.
About Big Sean
Artist Biography
On the eve of releasing his fourth album, 2017’s I Decided., Big Sean told Apple Music something that might as well be his mantra: “Manifest what you want in the universe.” That mindset has defined the Detroit rapper’s rise from self-released mixtapes to multiplatinum success. Born Sean Anderson, he began writing poetry as a kid and was selling CDs by high school. His break came in 2005 when he freestyled for Kanye West in a radio station parking lot—an encounter that led to a deal with West’s GOOD Music label. After a trio of mixtapes, Sean debuted in 2011 with Finally Famous, an album that balanced wit, introspection, and swagger. He quickly became one of the most versatile rappers of the 2010s, delivering bangers, heartbreak ballads, and all sorts in between. His chemistry with singer Jhené Aiko shined on their 2016 collaborative project TWENTY88, and with Metro Boomin on the following year’s Double Or Nothing. By the time Sean released his sixth album, 2024’s Better Me Than You, it was less manifestation and more opening himself up to the world. Of its release he said, “I’m at a point in my life where I just let things happen.”
Hometown
Detroit, MI, United States
Genre
Hip-Hop/Rap
Big Sean: Member of
Big Sean is also a member of, or has been a member of the following groups