Sean Michael Leonard Anderson, known professionally as Big Sean, was born on March 25, 1988, in Santa Monica, California, but moved to Detroit, Michigan, at three months old, where he was raised by his mother and grandmother. His grandmother was a World War II veteran and one of the first Black female captains in the U.S. Army. He attended the Detroit Waldorf School and graduated from Cass Technical High School.
Career Beginnings
In his later high school years, Big Sean honed his rhyming skills at a weekly rap battle contest held by Detroit hip-hop station WHTD. A pivotal moment came in 2005 when he met rapper and producer Kanye West at a radio station. After freestyling for him, Sean began a relationship that would shape his career. In 2007, West signed Big Sean to his label, G.O.O.D. Music. He gained wider recognition with his third mixtape, "Finally Famous Vol. 3: Big" in 2010.
Rise to Fame
Big Sean's debut studio album, "Finally Famous," was released in 2011, debuting at number three on the Billboard 200 chart. The album featured hit singles like "My Last" featuring Chris Brown, "Marvin & Chardonnay" with Kanye West and Roscoe Dash, and the remix of "Dance (Ass)" featuring Nicki Minaj. He followed this with his second album, "Hall of Fame" (2013), which also reached number three on the Billboard 200 and included the single "Beware" with Lil Wayne and Jhené Aiko.
Mainstream Success
His third album, "Dark Sky Paradise" (2015), became his first to debut at number one on the Billboard 200. It was propelled by the highly successful single "I Don't Fuck with You" featuring E-40, along with other platinum-certified tracks like "Blessings" featuring Drake and Kanye West. In 2017, he released his fourth album, "I Decided.", which also debuted at number one and featured the hit single "Bounce Back". He also formed the duo Twenty88 with singer Jhené Aiko, releasing a self-titled collaborative album in 2016.
Later Career
Big Sean's fifth studio album, "Detroit 2," was released in 2020 and became his third album to debut at number one. It featured collaborations with artists like Eminem, Lil Wayne, and a posthumous appearance by Nipsey Hussle on the lead single "Deep Reverence". In October 2021, Big Sean announced his departure from G.O.O.D. Music after 14 years. He has since signed a new management deal with S10 Entertainment.
Personal Life and Philanthropy
Big Sean has been in a long-term relationship with singer Jhené Aiko since 2016, and they have one son together, born in November 2022. He is also the founder of the Sean Anderson Foundation, a non-profit organization that assists in the education, health, and safety of youth in Detroit and across the United States. The foundation has launched initiatives such as #HealFlintKids to support children during the Flint water crisis and has provided a recording studio for his alma mater, Cass Technical High School.