Big Sean – Finally Famous: The Album on iTunes ($7.99 right now)
1. “Intro”
2. “I Do It”
3. “My Last” f/ Chris Brown
4. “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me”
5. “Wait For Me” f/ Lupe Fiasco
6. “Marvin & Chardonnay” f/ Kanye West & Roscoe Dash
7. “Dance (A$$)”
8. “Get It (DT) f/ Pharrell”
9. “Memories (Part II)” f/ John Legend
10. “High” f/ Wiz Khalifa & Chiddy Bang
11. “Live This Life” f/ The Dream
12. “So Much More”
13. “What Goes Around” (Bonus Track)
14. “Celebrity” f/ Dwele (Bonus Track)
15. “My House” (Bonus Track)
16. “100 Keys” f/ Rick Ross & Pusha T (Bonus Track)
I’ve been doing my hip-hop Hail Marys and today it’s finally paying off. Not one, but two huge releases by artists that hog up my iTunes playtime (proof). On top of that, Curren$y’s Weekend at Burnie’s dropped as well (never been a big spitta fan but still a big release) Before I go further, GO COP Dom Kennedy‘s first official available for purchase project, From The West$ide with Love II. I don’t care if you haven’t bought a CD since Nelly dropped Country Grammar, this man has given out multiple mixtapes that should have brought in revenue and the album is $6.99 for 17 tracks. DOM is a step ahead of everyone else rapping right now as far as I’m concerned. More on that soon, though.
I was first put on to Big Sean when my homie showed me “Getcha Some” and after that, the rest of Finally Famous: The Mixtape. At the time I was still kind of strictly about independent hip-hop and artists with substance who talked about things besides money, clothes, cars, etc. Get’cha Some was the opposite material-wise of what I endorsed, but I couldn’t stop listening to it. His wordplay and style were too fucking catchy and had a unique sound to it, something that I really value in artists (that’s the whole point of creativity, you’re creating something different than what everyone else is doing). It was a dope mixtape, but I knew there was something missing — it was basically his debut to everyone outside of Michigan, showcasing his talent and proving that Kanye made a good decision.
I’m really appreciative about having heard the mixtapes in chronological order and watching Sean’s progression as an artist. Artist growth is one of the coolest things in music to me. While FFV1 was entertaining, it didn’t have the element of what’s made Big Sean among the most revered artists in hip-hop now. My love for music has a lot of different roots, but the biggest, especially when it comes to hip-hop, has always been the ability of an artist to impact my state of mind and provide inspiration. A rapper like Wayne can go apeshit on a track and I’ll love every second of it, but won’t come away with anything from it afterwards. Whereas someone like Sean can do the same thing but utilize honest expression to provide true inspiration. Finally Famous Vol. II: UKNOWBIGSEAN shed more light on Sean’s abilities as well as his whole “Finally Famous” movement. (peep the track where he discusses it below). The first time I heard that I had to run it back.
Big Sean – Finally Famous (skit)
And we should all know by now that Finally Famous Vol. 3 was continuous bangers that could’ve been released as an album. Big Sean embodies what it takes to succeed at whatever it is you do. Dream of what it is you want. Visualize it clearly. Figure out what steps need to be taken to get there. Work harder than you think you’re able to until you get there and don’t settle for anything less. Check his story below if you haven’t before, a reminder that you gotta silence any fear to get where you wanna go.
Big Sean – Final Hour (FF V. 3)
Now, it goes without saying that Finally Famous: The Album has been extremely anticipated by many. Sean built up an unreal buzz through hard work and social networking without an album out. He coined the simplest phrases into mini-sensations (‘boi!’ ‘oh, thats yo girl?!’ etc.). Going into it I had to accept that the album would be catered to gaining commercial appeal; FF3 was the perfect project that I’d want to hear from him and there’s no stopping the album having some cheese tracks to gain some new, otherwise uninterested listeners. Having given the album continuous spins via the stream on his Soundcloud (even got the Soundcloud app on my phone for it), I can say that it’s what I expected. Still a very good album — has fluffy shit but it’s got the bangers too. He goes in briefly on the Intro, straight into going bonkers on I Do It. (My crew is who I be widdity wid it/Rose I sippity sip it/I’m Quagmire, I fuck hoes, my cash flow I giggidy get it.) ‘My Last,’ although getting close to being Black Eyed Peas-level overplayed, is a great collab. ‘Wait for Me’ ft. Lupe is catchy although Lupe leaves something to be desired. ‘Dance (A$$) got the same kinda hard flow as I Do It and is the only song I’ve ever heard to sample MC Hammer. ‘So Much More’ still my favorite track on the album, gives that inspiration I discussed earlier.
My only real qualm with the album is that I wanted more from the collabs… I’d expect more from tracks with Kanye and Lupe. Roscoe Dash belongs nowhere near good music (pun semi-intended) and The Dream tried really hard to kill the phrase “Finally Famous” on ‘Live this Life.’ I would’ve liked to see Sean put on more of the new-school rappers that he’s come onto the scene with. But, I can’t hate on his desire to diversify as an artist. My only hope is that he doesn’t go the Wayne route, throwing great verses on garbage songs, because he’s got the ability to go down that path. For now though, big ups to Sean for where he’s gotten to. Finally Famous Over Everything, boi!
Grab his mixtapes:
Finally Famous Vol. 1
Finally Famous Vol. 2: UKNOWBIGSEAN
Finally Famous Vol. 3
“I would hate to be an almost nigga/I call you that cause you gossip like ya’ll almost bitches/you know, you went to school with Jay and was almost Jigga/or hooped against LeBron and would almost get him/ya’ll niggas make me realize how good almost isn’t/would hate to look back on my life and say ‘I almost did it'”
+jangbar
