Big Sean just released Detroit 2, a 21 song album that was originally announced in March of 2020. With features like Lil Wayne, Jhené Aiko, and Post Malone this is definitely an album for anyone into rap.
The album opens with the song “Why Should I Stop?” which had a heavy bass as well as confident lyrics describing his unstoppable success. This was then juxtaposed by the track two, “Lucky Me”, a song with a soft bass that then gets increasingly harder and faster and describes the luck that made Big Sean feel like the “World turned him cold,” and the “game turned him colder” and almost got him falsely diagnosed with a heart disease.
After it’s initial release, an interview with Billboard revealed Big Sean’s struggles with mental health while producing the album. This was reflected in songs such as “Harder Than My Demons”, and “Guard Your Heart”. His description of being “rich in a world where nothing's free” described the tone of this album perfectly.
The R&B track “Body Language” with Ty Dolla Sign and Jhené Aiko was a surprisingly sentimental piece that elevated the mood of the album from somber to sultry. Lyrics like “Don't just take your clothes off/ take the problems off/ Take the armor off/ take all the drama off” showed the distraction that lust and affection was for Big Sean during his time of sadness and struggle and the distraction that this song was from the album for his audience.
The rest of Detroit 2 follows a loose pattern of highs and lows in the rap game and the fame that comes along with it. Spoken word “Stories” by Dave Chapelle, Erykah Badu, and Stevie Wonder are featured on the album to describe the trials and tribulations of the entertainment industry outside of rap and acted as intermissions for the album.
Big Sean’s twelfth track, “Lithuania ft. Travis Scott”, was the most viewed track on his album but a personal favorite was his nineteenth track featuring TEN different artists excluding Big Sean. “Friday Night Cypher ft. Eminem, Kash Doll, Tee Grizzley, 42 Dugg, Sada Baby, Cash Kidd, Boldly James, Royce da 5’9”, Drego, Payroll” is a ten minute song that features a booming bass and a melody, tempo, and tone change that switches with the introduction of every new feature. This whirlwind collage of a song is definitely the song to listen to if you just want to sample the album.
Detroit 2 definitely presents a story that you have to listen to fully, but the individual tracks could easily appeal to anyone who is a fan of rap, R&B, and/or hip-hop. Without a doubt if you are in the mood to take a journey through the rap game, you should give this album a listen.