Dark Sky Paradise is Overrated

By Luke Bond

Big Sean’s Dark Sky Paradise is an album mostly supported by critics- except by this one.

Dark Sky Paradise album cover. Photo by iTunes
Dark Sky Paradise album cover. Photo by iTunes

Dark Sky Paradise lacks lyricism, and Big Sean is annoying, simply put. Big Sean has always been the rapper stuck somewhere in the middle, between two tiers of the great rappers (Drake, Kanye) and the forgotten ones that will never make it (Tyga).

This album is Big Sean’s attempt at releasing from the gallows and attempting to finally being taken seriously by the rap community. He failed. The album is supported by good production and guest appearances by Kanye West, Drake, Chris Brown, and Jhene Aiko, but it’s not enough to make up for Big Sean’s lack of talent.

Kanye West at the Grammy's. Photo by Getty Images
Kanye West at the Grammy’s. Photo by Getty Images

Many would argue the fact that Big Sean is a talented rapper, but his voice is obnoxious. The lyricism is far from brilliant (“wrap my roley round my wrist, yeah time’s a wastin’”). The first six songs on the album are decent, and then it takes a nose dive. Big Sean attempts to switch between rap to R&B and embarrasses himself.

Drake is one of Big Sean's biggest rivals. Photo by Getty Images.
Drake is one of Big Sean’s biggest rivals. Photo by Getty Images.

But it’s not all bad. Big Sean displays some promise in the fact that he has a growing fan base. But by the same token, I can’t appreciate much more about this over-promoted “rapper.” Big Sean set the bar so fantastically low on his last two albums, anything up to this point would be an improvement.

The only standout track on the entire album is “All Your Fault” featuring Kanye, who happens to carry the song. Sometimes the truth is difficult to hear and understand, but Big Sean is not a talented artist. At least, not on the same level that many of these fans are comparing him to, such as Drake, Kanye, or J Cole.

Perhaps with his next album, Big Sean can silence some of the critics, including myself. I wish him luck.