HHNM Staff

Ever since he swiftly levitated into the mainstream hip-hop discussion back in 2011, Big Sean has always been a commanding artist who seems to consistently shift the limelight toward his direction. Not because of any glorious lyrical ability or ingenious concepts; it was Sean’s knack for smash records (“Dance”) and show-stealing features (“Clique” and “Mercy”) that demanded our attention. But despite a quick rise to fame for the Detroit rapper, Big Sean’s first two solo efforts left more to be desired and are not considered to be groundbreaking bodies of work. And while it is a valid claim to state that Dark Sky Paradise is Big Sean’s best album yet, the LP still suffers from his previous undoings and these repetitive weaknesses unfortunately cast a shadow over the multiple high points of the LP. Putting aside the pessimistic thesis statement, Dark Sky Paradise starts off its journey on a promising note. The intro track “Dark Sky (Skyscrapers)” presents Sean’s confidence effectively and the menacing opener transitions seamlessly into “Blessings”, a record which has Drake’s massive footprints all over it. While we can’t fault Big Sean for the reverence of the 6 God, a more level high profile playing field is discovered on album standout “All Your Fault”, produced by Kanye West and his immortal army of sonic specialists. The G.O.O.D Music members flow over the masterfully crafted sample in fine form, and all seems to be well as the listener ponders if Sean can finally deliver on his self-proclaimed hype. However, the impressive moments of Dark Sky Paradise steadily diminish as the project moves along. Once the SportsCenter-esque highlights--such as Sean’s blackout last verse on “Paradise (Extended)” and the refreshing reflection on “Win Some Lose Some”--enjoy their brief existence, a sizable dose of mediocrity sets in and dispiriting feelings are hard to avoid. Sean runs his entertaining on-mic personality into the ground with his litany of corny punchlines, and the lack of substance/conceptual structure is not present in order to give the project a sense of balance. Any emcee who relies too heavily on shock value ‘hey watch me rap’ bars is primed for an inevitable reality check; Big Sean is not exempt from this rule and his overwhelming level of braggadocio makes the flaws of Dark Sky Paradise foreseeable. This album will be mentioned in a glass half full manner for several reasons, with the catchiness of hit single “IDFWU” leading the pack on the depth chart. There are several convincing records on Dark Sky Paradise which make it an enjoyable listen, especially for those who remain enamored with Sean’s ‘I’m the most popular kid in school’ appeal. However, the folks who repeatedly find themselves expecting an upper-echelon, undeniably cohesive body of work from Sean Don will remain unsatisfied. Sean has continued to improve upon his flair for showmanship, but the ramble rapping which runs rampant on the album is hard to ignore. Dark Sky Paradise has plentiful entertaining moments and it is an LP that can successfully hold your amusement, some may even consider it to be Sean’s most maturely developed work to-date (a fair opinion if we’re leaving mixtapes out of the discussion). But ultimately, Big Sean’s instant-gratification style classifies him as a skilled rapper who can win a sprint, but maybe not quite the long-term focused artist you want running in a marathon. Repeatable: “All Your Fault”, “Dark Sky (Skyscrapers)”, “Blessings”, "Play No Games" Skippable: “Stay Down”, “Platinum And Wood” Purchase: iTunes | Amazon

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