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Big Sean: The Music Speaks for Itself

Detroit rapper talks to BET.com about Dark Sky Paradise and why 2015 is "shaping up to be a great year for music."

With seven days until Dark Sky Paradise drops, Big Sean can confidentially say that the “music speaks for itself.” That’s good news, since 2015 is already turning into a competitive year for hip hop.

The last week alone has been enough to get even the most stubborn of hip hop heads marginally excited. Kendrick Lamar led the wave of surprise releases with “The Blacker the Berry,” followed by Kanye West’s Wolves," Drake’s surprise mixtape, If You're Reading This, It's Too Late, and lest we not forget, all the work Sean’s been putting in.

| CLICK HERE TO SEE BIG SEAN ANNOUNCE DARK SKY PARADISE ON 106 & PARK  |

Before he released “One Man Can Save the World,” plus two additional cuts off the new LP, and his verse on "Drizzy's "Used To," the Detroit-born spitter headed to the Big Apple for a 24-hour turnaround of performances. He hit the Roc City Classic and Snoop Dogg and Diddy’s Madison Square Garden takeover, then doubled back to La La Land the next day for Power 106’s Valentine’s Crush concert alongside Eric Bellinger, Mila J, Ne-Yo and John Legend.

We caught up with the 26-year-old after the L.A. show, where he spoke on the new album and making it to the home stretch. 

BET.com: Hip hop had New York City on lock last week. How was it being in the thick of things?

Big Sean: “We did the G.O.O.D. Music thing. Yeezy’s line dropped, we shut down New York, it was blistering cold, thousands and thousands of kids out there and people. Puff and Snoop had their [show] and Meek’s [show]. Everybody was just going hard, and all them are my dogs, feel me? So it’s all good. The energy, the vibe was insane. It [was] cold as s**t! I was jealous of the [L.A. weather].”

You’re schedule has been so crazy lately. How are you holding up? 

I’m a little tired, but I’m good. 

There’s a lot of new music for rap fans to pick from right now. Are you feeling any jitters with Dark Sky Paradise on its way out?

It’s a lot of stuff going on but the music speaks for itself. You gotta let the people choose.

It’s not just music, either. Artists are becoming more visual. What was the motivation behind your “Patience” video blog?

We document a lot what I do. My homey’s job is to document me. We been doing those videos for a while, not on schedule or anything, just when we feel like we personally need them or when we feel like [fans] need them. That’s what’s its all about. When you have a platform, you’re supposed to help people any way you can. That’s just the whole purpose of it. There’s no other point than to enlighten.

Do you ever spread that message to some of your rapper friends?

Not directly. On a level, yeah sometimes, and people respect it, too. Everybody’s on their own path, though. Everybody got something to learn. Just like you got something to learn, I got something to learn. It may not be the same thing. Some people master patience, some people got other stuff on their plate, but as long as we just keep putting that information out there, helping each other out, we’re going to get further along.

Speaking of your peers, have you heard Drake’s new mixtape?

Yeah, I love it! I bought it.

I'm sure you heard Ye's album as well? 

When we were doing "Blessings" I heard some of that project already, and obviously you know Ye, we all be in the studio together, so it’s good to see all this good music out. 2015 is shaping up to be a great year for music already.

BET.com is your No. 1 source for Black celebrity news, photos, exclusive videos and all the latest in the world of hip hop and R&B music.   

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(Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

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