Big Sean facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Big Sean
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Big Sean in 2024
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Sean Michael Leonard Anderson |
| Born | March 25, 1988 Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Origin | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
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| Years active | 2007–present |
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Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known as Big Sean, is an American rapper. He met famous rapper Kanye West when he was a teenager. In 2007, he signed with Kanye West's record label, GOOD Music.
Big Sean became very popular after releasing his third mixtape, Finally Famous Vol. 3: Big (2010). His first two studio albums, Finally Famous (2011) and Hall of Fame (2013), both reached number three on the Billboard 200 music chart. These albums included hit songs like "My Last", "Marvin & Chardonnay", "Dance (...)", and "Beware".
His fourth and fifth albums, I Decided (2017) and Detroit 2 (2020), both went straight to number one on the charts. The song "Bounce Back" from I Decided was a huge hit, reaching number six on the Billboard Hot 100. After Detroit 2, Big Sean decided to leave Kanye West's record label. His sixth album, Better Me Than You (2024), also made it onto the Billboard 200.
Contents
Early Life
Sean Michael Leonard Anderson was born on March 25, 1988, in Santa Monica, California. When he was three months old, his family moved to Detroit, Michigan. He was raised there by his mother, who was a school teacher, and his grandmother. His grandmother, Mildred Leonard, was a brave woman who served in World War II. She was one of the first black female captains in the United States Army.
Sean went to the Detroit Waldorf School and later graduated from Cass Technical High School. He was a good student, finishing with a high GPA.
Musical Journey
Starting Out (2005–2006)
During his last years of high school, Sean often showed off his rapping skills. He took part in weekly rap battles at a Detroit hip-hop radio station called WHTD. In 2005, Kanye West was at the station for an interview. Sean went there hoping to meet him and perform.
At first, Kanye West wasn't sure, but he gave Sean a chance to rap for him. Big Sean says that Kanye West really liked his freestyle. After that, Sean gave Kanye his demo tape. Two years later, Kanye West officially signed Big Sean to his record label, GOOD Music. Big Sean has said that artists like Kanye West, Eminem, The Notorious B.I.G., and J Dilla inspired his music.
Mixtapes and Growing Fans (2007–2010)
On September 30, 2007, Big Sean released his first official mixtape, Finally Famous: The Mixtape. One of its songs, "Get'cha Some", became popular and was featured in magazines like The Source. He even made a music video for it.
He released a second mixtape called UKNOWBIGSEAN in 2009. It had 30 songs. In 2010, he released his third mixtape, Finally Famous Vol. 3: BIG. This mixtape featured many well-known artists like Bun B, Drake, and Mike Posner.
First Albums: Finally Famous and Detroit (2011–2012)
Big Sean's first studio album, Finally Famous, came out on June 28, 2011. It had three hit songs: "My Last", "Marvin & Chardonnay", and "Dance (...)". The album featured many guest artists, including Lupe Fiasco, John Legend, Kanye West, and Nicki Minaj.
In 2011, Big Sean also added two rap verses to Kelly Rowland's song "Lay It on Me". He also helped write and produce the song.
In September 2011, Big Sean shared that he would be working on his second album. On April 6, 2012, the song "Mercy" was released. It was a lead single from the GOOD Music compilation album, Cruel Summer, and featured Big Sean along with Kanye West.
Big Sean then announced his fourth mixtape would be called "Detroit". He released this mixtape on September 5, 2012. It included guest appearances from rappers like J. Cole, Juicy J, and Kendrick Lamar.
Hall of Fame and Dark Sky Paradise (2013–2015)
Big Sean's second studio album, Hall of Fame, was released on August 27, 2013. The album included songs with Lil Wayne, Miguel, and Nas. It had five singles, including "Guap" and "Beware" featuring Jhené Aiko and Lil Wayne.
A month before Hall of Fame came out, Big Sean said he had already started working on his third album. On September 12, 2014, he announced he had signed a management deal with Roc Nation. That same day, he released four new songs.
On January 26, 2015, Big Sean released a trailer for his new album, Dark Sky Paradise. It came out on February 24, 2015. This album was his first to reach number one on the Billboard 200 chart. It included popular songs like "IDFWU" and "Blessings". By February 2016, Dark Sky Paradise was certified platinum, meaning it sold over a million copies.
Twenty88, I Decided, and Double or Nothing (2016–2018)
In 2016, Big Sean announced a self-titled album with Jhené Aiko called Twenty88. It was released on April 5, 2016. They also released a short film called Out of Love with music from the album. Around this time, Big Sean donated $10,000 to help with the Flint water crisis.
On October 31, 2016, Big Sean released "Bounce Back". This was the main song from his fourth studio album, I Decided, which came out on February 3, 2017. I Decided became his second number one album on the Billboard 200 chart.
In 2017, Big Sean was given the official Key to the City of Detroit. This was to honor his work with his Sean Anderson Foundation. On December 8, 2017, Sean and Metro Boomin released a collaborative album called Double or Nothing.
Detroit 2 and Recent Work (2019–Present)
On July 24, 2019, Big Sean released "Overtime", his first solo song since 2017. He said he was "returning to his roots" with this song. He also released "Single Again" and "Bezerk" that year.
On his 32nd birthday, March 25, Big Sean announced his new album would be called Detroit 2. On August 25, he released the album's first song, "Deep Reverence", featuring the late rapper Nipsey Hussle.
Detroit 2 was released on September 4, 2020. It featured collaborations with Eminem, Jhené Aiko, and Lil Wayne. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making it his third number-one album.
In October 2021, Big Sean announced that he had left Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music label after 14 years. He said it was time for him to get a bigger share of his earnings.
In February 2022, Big Sean released a song with singer Queen Naija called "Hate Our Love". Later that year, he re-released his mixtape Detroit to streaming platforms for its tenth anniversary.
In July 2024, Big Sean released the song "Tobey" with Eminem and BabyTron. He then announced his sixth album, Better Me Than You, which was released on August 9. In September 2024, Sean shared that he is working on a new album with record producer The Alchemist.
Personal Life
Big Sean dated his high school girlfriend, Ashley Marie, until 2013. He then dated actress Naya Rivera and singer Ariana Grande.
Since 2016, Big Sean has been in a relationship with singer Jhené Aiko. In 2020, he shared that they had experienced a miscarriage. Their son was born on November 8, 2022.
In 2017, Big Sean bought a large home in Beverly Hills, California. It used to belong to the guitarist Slash from the band Guns N' Roses.
Big Sean has openly talked about his struggles with depression. He has found help through therapy, a healthy lifestyle, exercise, and taking breaks from touring to focus on his music.
Sean Anderson Foundation
In May 2012, Big Sean started a nonprofit organization called the “Sean Anderson Foundation.” Its goal is to help children and families in need in Detroit. The foundation gives money to schools and other local groups.
In 2016, the foundation started #HealFlintKids. This program raised $100,000 to help people affected by the Flint water crisis. In 2015, the foundation also created Mogul Prep, a program that connects high school students with music industry experts. That same year, they donated a recording studio to Big Sean's old high school, Cass Technical High School.
Since 2018, the foundation has hosted an annual festival called D.O.N. Weekend. It offers free events and performances for Detroit residents, often featuring local artists. In 2018, Big Sean also helped create a scholarship program called “Moguls in the Making” for students at HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities).
In 2019, the foundation gave another $100,000 recording studio to the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan. Every Thanksgiving since 2012, the foundation has also given out food to families in Detroit.
In May 2021, Big Sean and his mother, Myra Anderson, released a video series about mental health and well-being. They talked about topics like meditation and sleep.
Other Projects
Big Sean has been featured in fashion magazines and has worked with clothing brands. He has an endorsement deal with Adidas. Through this, he released his own "Detroit Player" line of sneakers.
In 2013, Big Sean started his own clothing company called Aura Gold. In 2018, he launched a shoe collection with PUMA. In December 2020, Big Sean joined the NBA's Detroit Pistons basketball team as a creative director. He helps design team clothing and works on community projects.
Also in December 2020, Big Sean joined McDonald's “Black & Positively Golden” mentorship program. This program provides scholarships for HBCU students.
Music Albums
- Studio Albums
- Finally Famous (2011)
- Hall of Fame (2013)
- Dark Sky Paradise (2015)
- I Decided (2017)
- Detroit 2 (2020)
- Better Me Than You (2024)
- Collaborative Albums
- Twenty88 (with Jhené Aiko) (2016)
- Double or Nothing (with Metro Boomin) (2017)
- SeanChemist (with The Alchemist) (2025)
Movies and TV Shows
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Animals. | Terrence | Voice role |
| 2019 | Trouble | Trouble | Voice role |
| 2020 | Justin Bieber: Seasons | Himself | Appeared in one episode |
| 2020-2021 | Twenties | Tristan | Appeared in several episodes |
| 2023 | House Party | Himself |
Concert Tours
- Headlining Tours
- I Am Finally Famous Tour (2011)
- Detroit Tour (2013)
- Hall of Fame Tour (2014)
- I Decided Tour (2017)
- Supporting Tours
Images for kids
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Big Sean in 2024
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Big Sean's signature
See Also
- List of awards and nominations received by Big Sean
