Big Sean Is Actually Famous
In anticipation of his first major label studio album (named none other than … wait for it … Finally Famous), Big Sean unleashed his latest project Finally Famous Vol. 3 to the hungry ‘net yesterday. If you follow Sean or Clinton Sparks on twitter, you could easily think nothing else happened yesterday except for this release (cyberspace hasn’t seen as large a twitter-flood since last month when Game + DJ Skee unleashed Brakelights).
How is it you ask? Very solid. While not quite on a So Far Gone level, this definitely ranks as one of the best so far in 2010. High replay value – I will be bumpin’ this often. From a relative newcomer with less wordplay skills than his peers like Wale or J. Cole, you’d think he’s be upstaged by all his well-known featured-artist-friends, but that’s rarely the case here. Infact, he very much steps his game up on the Drake-collab “Made” (which I’m still hoping they re-record a new hook for the album version) and hangs in there with slick flows alongside Chiddy Bang. Regardless, the tape definitely does benefit from the assist of his superfriends, which smartly does not include too much Kanye. He’s driving down his own lane – rather than finding comfort in Ye’s shadow. And speaking of collaborations – Fat Raps pt. II? Yes please. The original is top 5 hip-hop songs of the year in my book – and this remix certainly knocks (altough I could do without Asher Roth).
From its production value, original beats, and high profile collaborations, at points, you’d think this was a full studio album – if it wasn’t for Don Cannon’s constant reminders that indeed this is a mixtape, and that Big Sean (read: Island Def Jam) paid good money to have him yell over the intros and outros. Can’t hate too hard on Cannon, though, as also produced one of the tape’ best beat in High Rise. But Mr. Cannon did leave me with a SMH moment: the intro track where he exclaims “I know you couldn’t wait to rip the packaging off this CD”. Nevermind that just about every major record store has closed, or that Best Buy continues to shrink its number of dedicated CD shelves, or that major distributors press fewer titles than ever…forget all that. This is a damn mixtape. So unless you’re in deep ATL, NYC or Chi-town, where could you even try to cop a shrinkwapped physical? But I digress…
The new Andre 3000 – Big Sean is not (there’s quite a bit of rhyming a word with itself, then repeating that several times). But the new Fabolous? Very possibly. Great production choices, witty punchlines, clear flow, and an increasingly-impressive industry rolodex. Go cop this tape and check it out for yourself.
Grade: B _
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cover and tracklisting after the jump 
