Big Sean
Mike CarsonBig Sean's collaborative What You Expect EP with Hit-Boy wasn't the only surprise he had in store for fans Friday (Oct. 29). The Detroit emcee also announced on Twitter that after 14 years, he has stepped away from Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music label. After a fan asked, "Damn no more GOOD Music for Big Sean?" Sean responded in a tweet saying, "That’s a forever brotherhood, but business wise, I had to start getting a bigger cut! I worked my way out that deal."
In another tweet, he elaborated on his decision to release on his own label, adding "By the way this the first project where I’m on my own label as well, no more lil dawg s--t!!!! I bossed up! #DONLIFE"
What You Expect was released with credits to FF To Def Entertainment and Def Jam Recordings, a division of Universal Music Group that also distributes G.O.O.D. Music. FF To Def is an LLC based in Detroit -- Big Sean's hometown -- according to public filings, suggesting this is his own new imprint with Def Jam. Big Sean is managed by Zeno Jones.
Reps for Def Jam, UMG and Big Sean did not respond to requests for comment at time of publishing.
The six-song EP features Lil Durk, Bryson Tiller and fellow Detroit emcees 42 Dugg and Babyface Ray and follows Sean's album Detroit 2, which was also executive produced by fellow former G.O.O.D. Music signee, Hit-Boy.
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During his time with G.O.O.D. Music, Big Sean released seven albums, three of which -- Dark Sky Paradise, I Decided and Detroit 2-- peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. In an earlier tweet dated Oct. 21, Big Sean reminisced on the "GOOD ol days," adding, "I also really miss the brotherhood I use to have with GOOD music, I don’t know what happened."
Since 2010, the once-rich G.O.O.D. Music roster has dwindled, with Common, John Legend, Kid Cudi, Desiigner, Mos Def, Teyana Taylor and now Big Sean leaving in the last decade. Ye himself, Pusha T and 070 Shake are among the handful of artists who remain.
Fontaines D.C. have teamed up with Rosalía for their new collaboration, Where Is Gone?.
The song features on the Irish rock band's forthcoming album, Dopamine Chamber, which arrives on Friday (16.10.26). For guitarist Carlos O’Connell, working with the Spanish superstar is particularly special because of his own Spanish roots.
He explained: “I’ve admired Rosalía ever since her debut album, which I thought was absolutely beautiful.
“What excited me most was the way she continued to preserve Spain's musical traditions, something that felt spiritually connected to what we've been trying to achieve with Irish music. Having roots in both countries, it's been really special to witness. "She's an artist who has continued to amaze me at every point in her career.”
Frontman Grian Chatten has also described the collaboration with Rosalía as one of the most memorable achievements of his career.
He revealed that he felt "humbled" when she agreed to lend her voice to the band's album.
Speaking to NPR, Grian said: “I've always felt there's something almost like a single big idea that I'm personally trying to communicate to the world before I get old and die, if that makes sense. There's one thing I think I'll spend my life trying to express. I have a feeling she has a similar outlook. … I mean, she's an amazing arranger, composer and lyricist. It means so much that she wanted to sing on something we'd put together. It's definitely one of the highlights of my career.”
Rosalía's links to Irish rock music extend beyond Fontaines D.C. She also offered inspiration and helped develop the Spanish lyrics for U2's The Mirror Maker (Rosalía), a track from their forthcoming album, Carnaval de Luz.
During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last week, she spoke about frontman Bono, saying: “I don't know him personally, but he sent me a text explaining that he was working on a new project and had written a song called The Mirror Maker."
Rosalía joked that Bono had invented a few words of his own.
She recalled telling him: “I wasn't sure what to make of it, but I told him he could create his own language if he wanted to.”
She described the opportunity to collaborate with the 66 year old music veteran as a real privilege.
She added: “Bono is a legend.
“It's amazing.”
Bono recently revealed that he was worried about seeming like a stalker when he reached out to Rosalía to ask whether he could name the song after her.
