Album Preview: Big Sean "Finally Famous: The Album"

Get our exclusive take on the G.O.O.D. Music signee's debut album.

big sean album cover
big sean album cover

On June 28, Big Sean will finally be famous. His journey started in 2005 when he met Kanye West and impressed him with a freestyle. A few years later he signed to G.O.O.D. Music, built his buzz through his acclaimed Finally Famous mixtape trilogy, and helped popularize the #hashtag rap flow along the way. Now he's ready to make his mark with his debut Finally Famous: The Album.

The album is executively produced by his mentors Kanye West and No I.D.—the latter of whom produces the bulk of the album—and features guest spots from 'Ye, Wiz Khalifa, Lupe Fiasco, Rick Ross, The-Dream, John Legend, and Pusha T. Since we're sure you've been anticipating the album, we decided to give you our thoughts after getting a chance to hear it...

Written by Insanul Ahmed (@Incilin)

Intro

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“Intro”

Produced by: Kevin Randolph, Key Wane

Complex says: Sean kicks a quick 16 over a piano beat that slowly picks up. Sean has a couple of quoteables, "I turn mistakes into lessons, dead ends to exits," but it's just a quick intro nonetheless.  

I Do It

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“I Do It”

Produced by: No I.D., The Legendary Traxster

Complex says: Sean’s single has been out for a minute now and it pretty much plays the same way on the album as it did as a single. One note though: Sean seems to really be trying to "make fetch happen" because he throws an “I do it” on just about every song on here. Sorry, but nothing is going to beat the Rick Ross grunt for now. That shit is on the Mount Rushmore of ablibs right next to Jada’s “AHAA,” Pusha’s “EGHCK,” and Diddy's "Take that, take that!"

My Last

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“My Last” f/ Chris Brown

Produced by: No I.D.

Complex says: The Breezy-assisted single works its magic and rocks with the best of them. Although the song is a pretty good summer single, there are some troubling bars. Namely, “She a seven in the face but a ten in the ass/And she even look better by the end of my glass.” Hmm...sounds like a classic case of drunk-smashing a buttaface. No Sean! Don’t it! You’re finally famous, you should be able to splash off on model bitches.

Don't Tell Me You Love Me

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“Don’t Tell Me You Love Me”

Produced by: No I.D.

Complex says: Amber Rose once tweeted, “Breakups are hard, dating is stupid, and love sucks.” That’s kinda the feeling you get on this one as Sean goes through the motions of a breakup, which always gets complicated when you’re ready to bounce and your soon-to-be-ex tries to get you to stay by saying they love you. Sean is somewhere between angry and thoughtful about his relationship (“Crazy when a heart breaks, it never breaks even”) and musically he’s somewhere between similar relationship anthems from Wiz Khalifa and Drake.

Wait For Me

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“Wait For Me” f/ Lupe Fiasco

Produced by: No I.D., Exile

Complex says: Sean hooks up with Lupe and hopes he’s not too late for the good things in life. He rhymes about, “Riding in a Chevy that should’ve been a Mercedes.” We’re sure Joell Ortiz could relate. Meanwhile, Lupe swings by and rhymes about how they’re both from different cities, but their chains are from Japan. Hey, at least they have something in common.

Marvin Chardonnay

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“Marvin & Chardonnay” f/ Kanye West & Roscoe Dash

Produced by: Pop Wansel, Mike Dean

Complex says: Here it is, the long-awaited Kanye x Roscoe Dash collaboration! LOL. No, but seriously, apologies to ‘Ye fans who were hoping he’d lend some production to this album. Even though he doesn’t provide any beats, he does come through with a verse and a half (him and Sean split the third verse) and rhymes about getting head from chicks who are still wearing their shades and how his pants sag because he’s rapping his ass off. The song itself is on some “No Hands” meets techo-type shit.

Dance

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“Dance (A$$)”

Produced by: Da Internz

Complex says: Here’s something we didn’t see coming—a dance song that’s much more minimalist than most of the songs on here. Sean spits a swift flow and the hook literally repeats “ass” like 50 times in a row. Not our favorite cut.

Get It

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“Get It (Donald Trump Level)" f/ Pharrell

Produced by: The Neptunes

Complex says: The soothing track provided by The Neptunes is a welcome addition as Sean comes through with some inspired bars that would make any 1-900-Hustler jealous, “Got a million on line one and another mil dialing in/Mama on line four telling me how much not to spend/’Ye on line three telling me how we bout to win/You on hold trying to get conferenced in.” Pharrell handles hook duties and sings about reaching Donald Trump’s level. Hey P, here’s some advice: Inherit $400 million from your father, go bankrupt four times, and get the world’s worst comb-over.

Memories

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“Memories (Part II)” f/ John Legend

Produced by: No I.D.

Complex says: Has John Legend ever disappointed on a feature? That’s a serious inquiry because he just does what he does on here. Meanwhile, Sean and his mentor No I.D. find the right soulful groove to get introspective as Sean spits about having been everywhere but a coffin and reminisces over a friend he lost along the way, “A workaholic addicted to bills/People addicted to me cause they addicted to real/My best friend got addicted to pills/I can’t look at him in his eyes, you don’t know how that shit feel.” Damn.

High

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“High” f/ Wiz Khalifa & Chiddy Bang

Produced by: Xaphoon Jones

Complex says: It seems like at this point the Drake/Wiz Khalifa blueprint of success for new artists is the standard because Sean comes with plenty of sing-songy hooks including this one. Still, there are some memorable punchlines from Sean including, “Kicking it with my shirt off, on some Liu Kang shit.” But we can’t front, Wiz kinda steals the show as he basically pops up, does his own version of the hook, spits with more vigour than he’s known for, and basically makes this sound like a Rolling Papers outtake.

Live This Life

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“Live This Life” f/ The-Dream

Produced by: No I.D.

Complex says: Here’s the “Oh shit, I’m finally famous” song for the album. The-Dream handles hook duties and Sean lives the good life observing, “Stress turns me to a weed-head and parties to a alcoholic/And money turns me to a workaholic/And money turn into a twerkaholic.”

So Much More

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“So Much More”

Produced by: No I.D.

Complex says: While counterpart Drake might spend all his time making songs about how much being famous sucks (not that there’s anything wrong with that), Sean is ready to stunt on anyone who ever doubted he’d get to this level. He rhymes about how his old teachers told him not to drop out of school, but now that he’s famous they ask him to come speak to the kids in their classes. So we guess his message is just like Waka’s and Odd Future’s—fuck school!

What Goes Around

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“What Goes Around”

Produced by: No I.D.

Complex says: Sean kicks off this bonus track (the first of four) saying, “Instead of saying fuck all of y'all and turning away/Man I was cool enough to say fuck it and let em' stay.” Aww, what a nice guy Sean is.

Celebrity

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“Celebrity” f/ Dwele

Produced by: Filthy Rockwell, No I.D.

Complex says: This song—just like the one before it—could have easily replaced “So Much More” as a closing cut since they’re all pretty much about saying “I told you so” to everyone who ever doubted Sean. However, we’re not surprised this and “What Goes Around” did become bonus cuts. “So Much More” is the best of the bunch.

My House

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“My House”

Produced by: Boi-1da

Complex says: For fans upset that this album had just a tad bit more singing (or melodic rapping) on it than they were hoping for, they should be happy to hear this. The beat bangs, Sean actually raps the hook, and he comes through with a gang of slick lines. Not really understanding why it didn’t make the regular tracklist.

100 Keys

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“100 Keys” f/ Rick Ross & Pusha T

Produced by: Hilton and Brian Wright (WrighTrax Productions)

Complex says: This is a dope song that’s rightfully a bonus cut. Although Ross and Pusha bring the heat (“Call them penny loafers, they cost a pretty penny too” - Rozay) there’s just no place for their brand of brash anywhere else on this album.

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