Album Review: Big Sean - Dark Sky Paradise
Who is Big Sean? And, I guess, more importantly, just what
is Big Sean?
By trade, Big Sean is a rapper, and on his new album, Dark Sky Paradise, there is much rappity
rappin’ to be had. There are bars. Lots of them. And certainly in the studio,
Sean though that the bars he was spitting to be hot fire. But, unfortunately,
they are not.
Big Sean is just one of many young rappers rising up in a
crop that also includes, but is not limited to, artists like French Montana, Meek
Mill, Tyga, Ty Dolla $ign, 2 Chainz, and J Cole (among countless others, really.)
Rappers who seem to have made a name for themselves somehow, and do marginally
well when it comes to album sales (I think), but I know nothing about them
really, and when I have bothered to
invest time in listening to their music, it does little to nothing for me.
Therefore, they remain just a name in today’s current popular music landscape.
A name, that I seriously doubt, has any real staying power or how to maintain relevancy
into the future. Like ten years from now, will someone, straight faced, be
talking about 2 Chainz?
Big Sean has a lot of big name friends (and is currently
balling Ariana Grande, who provides tepid backup vocals to one of the bonus
tracks)—somehow landing Kanye West to serve as executive producer of all three
of his albums. Ye also plays a larger role in Dark Sky Paradise, guesting on two songs.
I will say that West’s presence, both behind the boards and
on the mic, on “All Your Fault” is a godsend—the beat is a sharp juxtaposition
of the popular minimalistic trap-inspired tempo with blasts of a sped up “How
Much I Feel” by Ambrosia—a trick that shows despite how forward thinking Kanye
can be, he still likes to revert back to what made him a marquee name to begin
with over a decade ago.
Ye’s verse on “All Your Fault” is packed full of
surprisingly clever, light hearted punchlines—“Young Walt Disney, I’ma tell you truthfully—if you leave Mickey, you
gon’ end up with a Goofy.” But then hey, Big Sean comes onto the track—as
he should, I guess, since this is his album after all, and it’s pretty terrible
then, which is too bad. Because I was really enjoying this song until he showed
up.
The real issue with an album like Dark Sky Paradise is that, despite all the big name guest appearance,
it’s how flat out lifeless and uninspiring it ends up being. The production
values seem to be sky high, including turns from Mike Will Made It AND DJ
Mustard—can you believe it? MY TWO ABSOLUTE FAVORITE, NON-OVEREXPOSED PRODUCERS
ON THE SAME ALBUM!—but even when the track sounds kind of neat, the songs are
just kind of sluggish. I guess I blame Big Sean himself for that. Like, I am
not the best rapper. I’m not even a good rapper. I am not even a rapper at all
actually you guys. I’m just an asshole who writes this blog that like 50 people
read regularly (if that.) I have no delusions about my level of greatness. But
like, Big Sean’s flow is awful. It’s lazy and turgid. His diction is horrible.
And hey, while I’m at it—his voice bugs me too. It’s irritating and whiney.
I’m a little disappointed in myself that I didn’t instantly
glom onto Dark Sky Paradise. For some
reason, I thought that Big Sean was a rapper that I need to listen to and that
I would enjoy. Honestly, this is the kind of album that I could have done
without hearing. Not that it’s made my life any worse, but it didn’t really
enrich it. It was just kind of obnoxious background music while I was alone in
the newsroom the other morning.
The first single from the album was the clunky, hot mess “I
Don’t Fuck With You,” featuring rap veteran E-40. You know what Big Sean—the
feeling is mutual buddy. I don’t fuck with you,
either. This is just yet another forgettable album I have suffered through that
is currently taking up space on my hard drive.
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