Detroit 2 / Big Sean / September 4, 2020
- Joshua Yoo
- Sep 13, 2020
- 2 min read
Looking back at his last full length project, elements of Big Sean’s evolved sound and style that surfaced here and there on “I Decided” seem to come rather full circle on this latest project. More mature and more varied than before, Big Sean provides an over-stuffed set of admirably focused yet occasionally hit-and-miss tracks.
Executive production from Kanye and Hit-Boy bring out a plethora of quality and soulful instruments for Sean, accentuating the lyrical tributes for his hometown of Detroit that the album is centered around. On multiple tracks his technical ability is put on full display with a side of infectious energy, a reminder of the skillful delivery and flows that Sean has always had in his bag (“Lucky Me”). The lyrical content and wordplay also attain a level of quality and creativity rarely seen to this extent in Big Sean’s career, as the project contains a multitude of witty one-liners and conceptual narratives.
The guest list for the album is packed wall-to-wall with big name collaborators, but despite the good amount of notable performances and stylistic variation they provide, it also tends to take away some of Sean’s artistic voice. On more than one occasion Sean’s style blends too seamlessly with the featured guest’s style on a track, often putting him into somewhat awkward flows, and sometimes making the track feel like guest’s song rather than his own (“Lithuania”, “Time In”).
This doesn’t, however, detract from the fact that Sean has some of his most polished and versatile hooks and verses ever, the standout moments outweighing the negatives. For all of its inconsistencies, “Detroit 2” is still a memorable and commendable homage to the Motor City.
Best Track(s): Guard Your Heart, Lucky Me, Full Circle, ZTFO, Wolves, Deep Reverance
Lowlight(s): The Baddest, Time In
SCORE: 6/10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcGfpFHtpNs
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