For much of his time in the Hip Hop industry, Big Sean‘s career has been defined by his attempts at finding his place amongst his blogging era peers such as Drake, J. Cole, and Kendrick Lamar. The aforementioned rappers have entered elite status as the music is concerned, but Big Sean has struggled in hitting that level in his career despite having a similar entry point.
Coming off the 2017 releases of I Decided and his Metro Boomin collaborative project Double or Nothing, Big Sean embarked on a lengthy hiatus. During his time off, his Unfriendly Reminder Tour was canceled, he revealed his fight with depression in an interview with Billboard and had thoughts of retirement while also breaking up with Jhené Aiko the following year.
In various interviews, Big Sean said he was going through a tough time, and his fifth studio album Detroit 2 acts as a memoir of that dark period and a self-help guide fueled by the love he has for his city.
Throughout the album’s languid 70-minute runtime, Big Sean takes a big step in crossing that elite threshold in spite of being lumped in with an extensive guest roster that mirrors the Grammy night’s front row of invited talent.
Big Sean Says He's Ready To Start His Own Label
Detroit 2 hits a strong start with the booming “Why Would I Stop?” in which Big Sean dishes out a stern declaration that he’s far from giving up on anything. It’s hard not to notice the improvements Big Sean has made to his raps as he’s dishing out some very good, quotable rhymes like “Lucky Me” where he raps about his status and hunger. “If they want my spot, then they gotta come for me/Just know I want this shit more than whatever it is you want from me/And the only thought at night that comforts me is starvin’ whoever’s huntin’ me,” he flows.
One criticism Big Sean has constantly faced throughout his career is the lack of depth in his music. In the past, the Midwestern lyricist was predictable thanks to his repetitive use of solid, yet often corny, rhymes and booming club-ready production. On that same note, Big Sean is at his best on Detroit 2 when he opens up and invites listeners into his personal life. The first half of the album has a vulnerable Big Sean reflecting on different periods of his life like being diagnosed with heart disease at 19 on “Lucky Me” and speaking on his fight with suicidal thoughts alongside dealing with Aiko’s miscarriage on “Deep Reverance” which also features the late Nipsey Hussle.
There’s a burst of energy in Big Sean’s voice and flow when he opens up and shares stories of his health and wellness and more, a far cry from the lazy effort he put into Double or Nothing.
On Detroit 2, when Big Sean opens up as much as he does, Records like “Harder Than My Demons” and “Guard Your Heart” leave room for more mature, polished bars and the latter track doesn’t get overshadowed by the confident features from Anderson .Paak, Earlly Mac and Wale.
The city of Detroit is beautifully presented on this album. Big Sean wastes no time repping his city whether it comes from samples of Detroit artists like Dale 1’s “Soulful Moaning” on “Body Language” featuring Ty Dolla $ign and Jhené Aiko or skits by Dave Chapelle, Erykah Badu and Stevie Wonder about the experiences in the city. The 10-star deep “Friday Night Cypher” that covers the past, present and future of Motor City Hip Hop also helps shine a major light on a city with a rich music and entertainment history.
However, there are moments on Detroit 2 where Big Sean gets a bit shaky and proves there’s still more work to be done.
The project finds Big Sean trying to fit his past few years into the album’s 21 tracks but after a while, it’s clear the raps are redundant with topics such as his perseverance and overconfidence. “FEED” drags listeners through three minutes of Big Sean focusing on his life goals while the only difference between “The Baddest” and “Don Life” is the beat and Lil Wayne’s stellar feature on the latter. And for an album that digs deep into his life, Sean didn’t need this many features to help tell his story. For example, Post Malone’s Auto-Tuned crooner flow doesn’t make the boring “Wolves” sound any more than formulaic TikTok fodder and Diddy’s verse on the otherwise excellent “Full Circle” amounts to nothing more than name recognition.
By taking risks rapping and experimenting with his voice on beats he’s not accustomed to, Big Sean’s daring effort inadvertently gives credence to weak tracks where he simply stretches his creativity too thin. For example, he sounds out of place on “ZTFO” and “Lithuania” — two records that could’ve easily been Travis Scott throwaways. On “Time In” featuring Jhené Aiko, Big Sean tries his hand at singing but ends up delivering a dud for one of the worst produced songs on the album.
Big Sean Earns His 3rd No. 1 Album As 'Detroit 2' Tops Billboard 200 Chart
Big Sean has been seen as the rapper on the outside looking in when it came to his class, but now he’s realizing how to elevate his music to a place where he’s considered elite. Detroit 2 shows when Big Sean opens up and tells his story he’s an artist worthy of being in the conversation of the best of his era. He just needs to come back stronger with more airtight songs and not attempt to attract every audience that’s out there.
I’m not surprised, Muthafuckaz!!
A feature from King Tekashi would’ve raised the rating by at least 1.5 points. Big Sean still had a good outing on this one though.
I can’t even listen to Michael Jackson for that long.
This coming from a site that would rank 69’s album a classic…
I decided was better BUT that doesn’t mean D2 is. 3.5. I rate this a 4 it didn’t get a perfect score because of one beat for me and that Better Than My Demons but other than that one beat this is his second best album for me dude snapped on this album and Sada Baby stole the cypher track for me…
“predictable thanks to his repetitive use of solid, yet often corny, rhymes and booming club-ready production.”…..I’ve never been able to put that into words, but I totally agree.
Agree 1000x
The review is trash. Firstly, to call something ‘borderline average’ and give it a 3.5 shows how weak your scale is. Secondly, Sean is solidified, he doesnt need your opinion on where he stands with regards to other rappers in his era. Also, you call his previous raps solid but often corny but his “corny” bars are harder than 99% of the dudes rapping’s best bars and all these clowns get love on this site. He has outrapped the greatest rappers in the world when on the same song, he deserves some respect. I Decided was better, but this shit was good. The worst part of the album was the 7 other rappers on Friday Night Cypher. Em, Royce and Sean were miles ahead.
Someone below you said Sada Baby stole the show and I’m inclined to believe them over U because you are caping for this weak azz album!!!!!
Someone below me is retarded. Flow and bars go to those 3. Plus, Kash Doll outdid Sada lol
Honestly I don’t even like Big Sean but this album is crazy. I’ve said that if he dropped a project like this back then, his name would be in that Kendrick, Drake, Cole conversation. 4/5. It’s not perfect but this is his best showing and best project. This album really caught me off guard. Idk wth y’all listening to. Smh. Especially the editor.
I agree. Was never feeling Big Sean like that. His singles are loud spectacles that I soon forgot about. But this joint here …..Been playing nonstop.
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Bad review.
Straight up Dope album showcasing that he is still a force to be reckoned with representing the D. Including the All Star collaborations of various Artists .Love it
I actually enjoyed the album. A few skips here and there but overall, good album. I give it a 7/10
hahaha what a trash review . THIS IS QUALITY. THE END
Bigsean sucks Dick and this albums sound like shit! Be real!
We never stay that are selves at certain level so i know your a little guy , because take more serious and two heart , but actually this album better then the last,
This is a very good album probably second greatest of this year after Eminem’s MUSIC TO BE MURDERED BY.
The thing about reviews they are just opinions nothing more, reason I find most 4.5 rated albums here to be trash.
Regardless of whatever, Big Sean really delivered here.
This dude is so corny. He is a fruitbowl. I bet he cries when he fucks. His albums are average at best. The only good thing he did in his career was fucking Jhene Aiko.
Terrible Review. This guy should get fired…….There I said it. Good album overall. Good music.
My thoughts exactly…
5/5 Best Big Sean album of his career and I would venture to say best album of 2020! These mumble rap stans (including this reviewer) please sit down with that garbage. This is what you call a complete body of work from start to finish – lyrics, beat selection consistency, versatility all top notch
This website is below average
Th watered down generalizations about h hip hip has to stop. Why do Kendrick and J Cole always get mentioned when someone is lyrical and not a mumble rapper? Kendrick and Cole are good but not the best there are 1000 rappers way better then all the above that are mentioned. Kendrick hasnt put out an album for 2 years yet his name is always brought up for some reason? Why is that? Because he is popular not because he is the best. You could have mentioned real rappers like MF Doom or Havoc or Jada lets be real those dudes time as come and gone. They had there chance to make an impact and leave something legendary but 10 years from now they will be like T.I and J-Kwon
Chuck D of Public Enemy is the greatest MC of all time. He’s rarely mentioned.
Dope
How do you call your album Detroit 2 and not have any JDilla fam representin?
This is easily Big Sean’s best album. But it still is just ok and I say that after giving it more spins than I should have.
Still not a fan of the album, after listening to it a few times.
I wish I had more hands, so I could give this review four thumbs down. Read the Conway review- then hop over and read this one. How they’re on the same site is baffling to me. But what do I know?
This was better album from Big Sean, he has definitely improved and earned my buck.
big sean is so fucking weak. i can’t believe he’s still putting out albums with his off the beat, punch in crazy ass.
An album with a clear theme, dense with substance, great production and bars on bars… below average? Guess he didn’t kill enough people or pop enough pills? “Lotta shade being thrown [his] way/Man I guess it’s just the season/ [Good Thing] God got [him] workin harder than [his] demons.”
‘Guard Your Heart’ is Fire. Wise decision to work with Wale on that one.