Detroit

About

Big Sean is a proud product of the blog rap era. Nowhere is that clearer than on his 2012 mixtape, <i>Detroit</i>. Arriving between Sean Don’s debut studio album, 2011’s <i>Finally Famous</i>, and its follow-up, 2013’s <i>Hall of Fame</i>, the project functions as an encapsulation of the moment when he and his peers figuratively dug their heels into the earth of the industry and planted their respective flags announcing their arrival. Big Sean, in particular, crossed over from fledgling freshman to respected upperclassman in the hip-hop scene with a quickne. Boasting features from his idols alongside a who’s who of the incoming generation of MC, <i>Detroit</i> is Big Sean’s opportunity to showcase his determination to make it in the rap game by any means necessary. Initially gifted to his fans for free, <i>Detroit</i> was officially uploaded to streaming services on the 10th anniversary of its release. In the context of Big Sean’s discography, this mixtape serves as his first demonstrable effort to put the city of Detroit on his back musically, and into the mainstream. Sean Michael Leonard Anderson was born in Santa Monica but raised in the Motor City, an environment that had a significant impact on his blossoming creative endeavor. That regional influence exudes through many of Big Sean’s project, but especially here. Conceptually, <i>Detroit</i> is an homage in every sense of the word. A few of Big Sean’s hip-hop predecessors—Common, Jeezy, Snoop Dogg—share stories of their experiences in Detroit throughout the mixtape, bringing the theme full circle. .

via Apple Music

The Clerk says

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