NEW MUSIC | Big Sean 'I Decided' Review
Big Sean’s highly anticipated fourth studio album, ‘I Decided’ is a fitting follow on to his 2015 release ‘Dark Sky Paradise’. Both of these serve to further cement his status in the upper stratum of the rap game and complete his transition from underdog to GOAT.
Attention grabbing highlights on a first time listen include lead single ‘Bounce Back’, the anthem of defiance ‘No Favours’ featuring Eminem, and ‘Moves’. The latter includes a rapid-fire verse and an infectious trap beat that Big Sean slides into comfortably.
A more mature body of work, ‘I Decided’ is a pensive and deeply descriptive journey guided by an evolved artist who explores themes of sacrifice, loss, fame and making it on your own. This is clearly important to Big Sean, who strives to be better with each album he releases.
Although stylistically, tracks like ‘No Favours’ and ‘Owe Me’ seem to tap Drake with a dreamy trap twist, lyrically Big Sean does his own thing entirely. Flexing his expressive muscle and spitting faster than mentor Kanye West has shown he’s capable of, the rhymes are pointed and tight. Never more so than ‘Sacrifices’ where Big Sean introspectively ponders the detriments of fame:
“I cut the f**** s*** drama out my energy /
Focused on the inner me, never on the enemy /
And I done sacrificed my own time / I done sacrificed my own mind /
I done sacrificed the club life / I done sacrificed my love life.”
In addition to Eminem’s characteristically effortless but totally fire verse (a big get for Big Sean), ‘I Decided’ boasts several other notable features, including Jeremih, The-Dream, Migos, Jhene Aiko and Starrah. Covering production duties are heavyweights DJ Mustard and Metro Boomin’, as well as Wondagurl, DJ Khalil and Key Wane.
The album is a pleasingly confident and self-assured collection of tracks, and a step in the right direction for the ever-hungry artist. It may not be a game-changing album, but Big Sean is a hard worker and will continue to build on his skills and climb the musical mountain, joining the ranks of top tier rappers and bolstering his place in Hip Hop’s elite.
‘I Decided’ is out now via GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings. Available on Spotify, Apple Music and iTunes.
