A & E

Big Sean’s New Album Proves He’s Back

Erin Nathan
April 6, 2017

The last time Big Sean made a album was way back in 2011, Finally Famous. “He fell off, there’s no way he’s coming back, he’s gone,” was the talk. This all changed February 3, 2017. Big Sean released a game changing album which landed his album second on Billboard 200 chart and allowing him to make his mark as the great artist he is.

Big Sean is a hugely successful rapper and has achieved the hopes and dreams every upcoming rapper wishes to accomplish. He’s been nominated for many Grammys, and some of his songs have actually won. Many of the songs on I Decided have gone platinum. Three of his songs became banger hits: Halfway off the balcony, Moves, and Bounce Back. They have won many outstanding awards.

I Decide is all about the choices Big Sean has made in his life and how each choice has affected him for good or bad. The album is mostly categorized in five sections: inspiring, soul triggers, uplifting and heartwarming, relationships, and, of course, trap. The album contains 14 songs; The intro, Light, Bounce back, No favors, Jump out the window, Moves, Same time part 1, Owe me, Halfway of the balcony, Voices in my head/Stick to the plan, Sunday morning jetpack, Inspire me, Sacrifices and Bigger than me. This album was a fresh statement that proves that Big Sean is continuing his evolution as an artist. He has sold thousands of copies and are still continuing to sell them. While you’re listening you can clearly tell that he is maturing into a serious artist.

Like Big Sean, everyone thought Meek Mill fell off. Everyone thought that he was going to always take L’s, that he was never going to come back, and that he was just done with rapping. Then he came back and showed everyone that he’s not going anywhere and is here to stay. Half of Meek’s DreamChaser4 album is on the top list of the Billboard list, and he has sold over 100,000 copies in the first week alone, with millions of people streaming it in the first few hours it was released all over the world. What the pair have that many new rappers fail to have is actual rapping on their songs. They’re lyricalists. When they rap you can actually understand what they’re saying because they have meaning behind their words; their focus is on the rapping skills and not the beat behind them. On another hand, rappers like Kodak, Lil Uzi, and Young Thug all are what you can call “hype” rappers. They put on a bumping beat and rap/mumble a few words and everyone is drawn to it for the instrumentals, not because of their “rapping” skills. That’s why people like Meek Mill, Big Sean, J.Cole, Montana 300, Young M.A, G herbo, and Lil bibby are different. Their songs are popular, and they succeed at being lyricists and for the bars they spit.

“Last night took an L but tonight I bounce back, wake up in the morning by the night I count stacks,” Big Sean sings. Bounce back is what made I Decided pop and gave it that extra push into greatness. Bounce back has him explaining that it doesn’t matter how long he has been gone, he can be cocky and say he can come back whenever he wants to, as he’s proven with his hit album. He hasn’t made a album since 2011 (that’s six years… six years!!!!). Even still, in three minutes he can show that it doesn’t matter, he can always come back, and that’s exactly what he did. He did exactly what he said in the song; he bounced back.

Big Sean can be described in two words: game changer. Do you understand how good an album has to be for you to be gone for sic years without barely any freestyles or quick mixtapes and just come back as if you never left? Pretty dang good. Big Sean and I Decided define comeback. His album highlights all the aspects of his personality and proves what an amazing rapper and human being he is. Speaking from everyone who has listened to the album, everyone can agree on that he is an astonishing and important piece to the rap game puzzle. He’s back and better than ever.

Below are stories published in the April 7 Issue of The Roaring Gazette.

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Student Art Wows at the MOCA by Ariana Hernandez

When Senioritis Gets Real by Kayla Smith

Passing Students Just to Pass Them: Why this is Harmful by Dave Nimer

Let’s Face it: Cursive is Dead by Amari McCoy

Schools Should Re-Think Standardized Testing by Tyanna Lamar

Immigration is Great, but the U.S. must Ensure it is Safe, Legal by Dylan Klepk

In a Digital World, Why do Teachers Make us Print? by Marissa Howell

Achieve 3000 Causes Undue Stress by Tyler Dennis