BIG SEAN

It’s been a big year for Sean Anderson aka Big Sean, “You know I got my first house, I bought my parents a house. It’s cool.”

He pauses before adding, “At the same time I feel like I am at the beginning of my life and my career.”

With two studios albums and a string of mixtapes, Anderson has been through a decade of trials and tribulations that have led him to finally get recognition for his honest, yet witty lyricism, creative flow and stellar collaborations.

“I feel like Hall of Fame is something that I really worked hard on, and some people appreciate and some people don’t,” he muses.

“I didn’t get anybody featured on the album just for their namesake, I got them featured on there because of what they brought to the table and what they added to the song.”

Collaborations are a hot-topic and something that Anderson feels he has the freedom to experiment with.

“The deciding factor for me is if I feel it or if I don’t feel it,” he says.

“I don’t let genres or what critics say affect what rules I make on who I work with because I want to do what I want to do.”

From Fall Out Boy to Jay Z, Miguel to Ariana Grande, his collaborations are varied. Casual mention of some of hip hop’s biggest contenders, in particular Nas, Lil Wayne and his mentor KanYe West, highlights the reality he is immersed in now.

The story of Anderson’s controversial release, Control, with Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar, further illustrates this.

“Kendrick hit me up, because we’re homies, and he was just like ‘Yo wassup, how’s it going? Do you have any songs to get me on, just let me know and I’ll knock it out for you’. So I sent him Control with most of my verse and he loved it. He was like ‘Yo, that verse is crazy!’”

With a return to our shores looming, Anderson is assertive in his love for Australia’s major cities. However, there is one promise that he makes for his fans.

“I don’t have an Australian accent down yet,” he admits.

“But by the time I get there I will.” (CD)

Nov 15, Sydney Hi-Fi, Building 220, 122 Lang Rd, Moore Park, $64 18+ only, thehifi.com.au