Hold up… What?
Hear me out. I happened to tweet something a day ago, after giving Sean Don’s latest drops a little listen. Some people agreed, some others literally exhausted their 140-character limit laughing. If you haven’t yet, I suggest you line up both of those tracks – No More Interviews and Bounce Back – and give them ears while you read through this argument for Sean’s chops vs “Rap’s Saviour”.
Kendrick Lamar is top 5 rapper alive right now. Of that, there is little doubt in my mind. The man hasn’t got a single weak project in his discography, and even his B-Sides get more sales than highly anticipated gangsta rap. He has a technical range seldom seen in modern rap, and his delivery and performance is second to none. So why is Sean even being mentioned in the very first post for The Headphone?
Big Sean just might be Rap’s most underrated lyricist right now
Why doesn’t anyone seem to have Sean in their top 5? Sure, K Dot has a flawless discography as compared to Sean’s own rather checkered release list. Also, Sean is a much more conventional lyricist in terms of his subject matter…. Or is he?
I usually take liberties when discussing music, and to that end I’m not going to explain myself in words. I’m going to leave a playlist of Big Sean’s nuttiest lyrical flexes for you to listen to at your leisure, along with some essential Kendrick. Sean ain’t no punk fam.
He handles real subjects in a simple, yet technically impressive manner, with flows that no one else would even dare tackle. His quick rapping technique is still one of the most interesting out there, and he still manages to have one of the coldest slow flows in rap. How? Kendrick’s best (most talked-about) lyrical flourishes are when he packs insane amounts of rhymes in small spaces. He’s celebrated for this technique, as is (arguably the best rapper of all time) Eminem. But Kendrick doesn’t really say much when he does this, does he? Kendrick’s best work is when he slows down and lets us hear his complex thoughts and diction delivered via his raspy voice. How Much A Dollar Cost? is a prime example of this. Hard-hitting, beautiful, and paced perfectly.
Sean, on the other hand, gets celebrated for his jiggy aesthetic and bangers. That’s fine, he’s getting his papers and that’s great, but knowing Hip Hop heads? They may just shy away from deep-dives into Sean’s catalogue and miss some of Sean’s relatable, clever social commentary – the exact thing that peer Vince Staples receives near endless praise for.
Sean is witty and smart
I’ll admit it, Sean is more fun to listen to than Kendrick even though Kendrick holds a special place in my ears. He’s fun. He’s funny, and even though I would like to term myself a “proper” Rap fan, Sean’s mix of sheer technical ability, diverse subject matter, ign’ance, and wit makes him both approachable and pleasing to analyse. Paradise is a Big Sean doing Rap better than most underground backpack rappers, over a hot beat, with witticisms and sheer fuckery. It’s SO GOOD.
If you’re a fan of sheer musicianship, this assertion that Sean is overall better than Kendrick Lamar will grate. But really, I think as a rapper, Kendrick Lamar is no better than Sean. Kendrick says and does shocking things that set blogs alight. Control is an example. Take away all the name-dropping and you’re left with a pretty average verse. Holy Key? Get over a guy doing what Eminem did for 8 minutes on Campaign Speech (rhyme a whole lot without really saying much) and you’re left with the obvious question – what are you looking for? Someone making an impression on how he says things, or someone who make an impression based on what he says?
It’s all love, though… Right?
People say Sean took a few pot shots and K Dot on Bounce Back and No More Interviews. Well if he really was aiming at Kendrick – check Genius for the bars in question – I’m glad he did, in the spirit of competition. Sean’s biggest problem is that he’s always seemed content to play the background role. He shouldn’t. He’s a much, much better rapper than his label boss, Pusha T. He had the harder verses on both Control and Holy Key for me. He’s on par with or better than Kendrick Lamar as a rapper. Maybe not as a complete artist but when it comes down to bars? I’m betting my money on Sean Don to say more to me than TDE’s Rap hero.
The Lens Blur. 