@Big_Sean Talks Def Jam Debut, Detroit Roots, and Working With Kanye & Pharrell

I just caught this fresh interview from Complex Blog with my dude Big Sean ! It was hella dope, and I rarely waste my time reading rapper interviews, but this one was actually really interesting. Check out the except below..

Complex: How far along is the album?

Big Sean: It’s like 89% done. As of now, it’s called Finally Famous: The Album. I might put a subtitle with it, because I wanted to make it a series, but we’ll see. And I’m calling it Finally Famous not just because a nigga got on, it’s more like, when you’re famous, you’re recognized for doing something great. I put “finally” in front of it just to symbolize what we’ve been working so hard for. It’s kind of like a lifestyle, because that can relate to everybody. People in college, if you’re getting recognized for getting good grades, you’re finally famous. If you get recognized for playing the drums, if you’re being recognized for making good ass beats, good ass raps, good ass interviews like this one, you’re finally famous. I think it’s something that’s very relatable and easy. I just love it.

Complex: Awesome. So as far as contributors to the album, you’ve named a bunch of people earlier. Are these confirmed for your album cuts?

Big Sean: Yeah, Drake for sure, just talked to him a week ago about our record. Rick Ross, Pusha T, Mr. Hudson…oh and by the way, the version of “Way Out” that leaked is not the album version. I wanna make sure people know that. As far as producers are concerned, NO I.D. did a lot, Kanye did a couple, Pharrell did one, producers like WrighTrax did a couple, The Olympicks, Filthy Rockwell, who did stuff for Slaughterhouse and Royce, it’s a great variety, and it comes together so beautifully. It sounds like one producer did the whole thing, how it meshes so well.

Complex: What motivates and inspires you to keep on going?

Big Sean: My mom keeps me going, man. She deserves such a good life. I just wanna give it to her. My dad too. My family, my friends, they keep me motivated. Just knowing my personal legend, just knowing what I’m supposed to do, that keeps me going. Another thing that keeps me going is people like Kanye, uh, what he gets a show? If you knew how much he gets a show? Like hundreds of thousands of thousands, a show? Just to perform on stage and do the songs you love?! That keeps me going all the time. [Laughs.] I heard drake gets $75,000 a show, and he ain’t even got an album out. I was like, “Shit!” That keeps me going for sure. I’ll be in the studio until nine in the morning, falling asleep, and then think about that, and be like, “Man, we gotta get this shit done!” [Laughs.] So yeah, that’s a big motivation. A better life, basically, is the motivation.