Big Sean - I Decided.

Big Sean
I Decided.
2017
Spotify

Dark Sky Paradise did not end up being the smash that the powers that be expected it to be so Big Sean had some ground to make up on this new album. You would expect him to bring some real heat here because he had to yet instead Big Sean seems to be sleep walking through the entire record. "Bounce Back" features Future... for about two seconds, which is so incredibly odd. Why have him on the track at all if He isn't going to do anything. That is the problem with this record, it feels slapped together. The beats as a whole are fantastic, but Sean's verses are uninspired. Even on the single "Moves" which for all tense and purpose should be a smash is only passably good. The beats often get lost in Sean's rapid fire delivery, but when he sings it's just as annoying. It seems like the overarching theme of the record is a man struggling with his lot in life, whether He be rich or poor, but the actual songs never reflect that sentiment. Instead the intros and interludes mean nothing, impact nothing and are just moody fluff. How many times can Big Sean talk about women being mad at him in one album? I'm not sure but He is definitely going for the record on this one. Eventually it seems like the beats even start to fall flat with "Halfway Off The Balcony" just being one piano note hitting over and over and over.

"Living Single" a track Big Sean did with Chance the Rapper earlier this year, was actually great but somehow does not show up on the album. What we are left with is totally generic hip hop. Nothing even comes close to banging, "Voices In My Head/Stick to the Plan" shows that Big Sean does have some really good skills and speed when it comes to rapping, but He almost whispers the best lines allowing them to fall unnoticed. The features as a whole are forgettable, which with the likes of Eminem and Migos is kind of insane. Eminem in particular delivers a well crafted verse, but sort of locks on to Sean's vibe and doesn't bring the thunderous digs we are used to form him. "Inspire Me" may be the one standout, but it is far to little far to late to set this album apart. At some point, and it could be right now, Big Sean is going to have way more stinkers than He has hits and we are going to have to stop giving this guy more chances. I Decided. had some critical expectations, but it never realizes what little potential it may have had. Sorry Big Sean you can't just put out anything and expect people to keep coming back.

4.0 out of 10