Dark Sky Paradise by Big Sean
Dark Sky Paradise feels like Big Sean finally taking advantage of the potential he had shown his whole career. Finally Famous, Hall of Fame, and Detroit were all imperfect projects with very strong highlights but lacked consistency. On DSP, Sean proves he can craft a work of art that is strong from front to back. The low points on this album are few and far between, and they don’t compare to the lows that occurred on his previous albums.
DSP shows the height of Sean’s ability. He displays a unique versatility, executing different types of hip hop songs at a very high level. This album has top tier club bangers (I Don’t Fuck With You, I Know), introspective tracks (Win Some Lose Some, Deep), and posse cuts (Blessings, Play No Games). His Kanye duet “All Your Fault” is also special. Big Sean shows he can veer into several different lanes, and do so exceptionally.
Big Sean’s lyricism is top-notch, solidifying himself as an elite MC. He thrives using double entendres: “ Life’s a fucking paradox and pair of dice / If they not rolling with you, then they parasites.” His rhymes hold a weight that he had only shown in flashes previously: “The deeper it gets, boy, the pressure increases / But pressure make diamonds / And my name is Sean cause I shine, it’s self explanatory.” Ending the album with his phone number shows that Sean’s confidence has also grown with his ability. Dark Sky Paradise is a project riddled with hits, and the lows (Deserve It, Platinum and Wood) aren’t even bad, just somewhat monotonous. DSP is easily Big Sean’s best and proves he can rap as well as anyone. This album is a modern day mainstream hip hop classic.
Favorite songs: Deep, Play No Games, Outro
Rating: 9/10
