Big Sean Remembers His Grandmother in “One Man Can Change the World” Video

Last December, Big Sean's grandmother, Mildred V. Leonard, passed away. Though many people are lucky enough to having loving grandparents in their life, Leonard was unique--not only was she one of the first Black, female Captains in World War 2, but she went on to be one of Detroit's first Black, female police officers. Earlier this year, after the release of his latest album, February's Dark Sky Paradise, Sean told Vanity Fair that she died just a few days before he was set to fly home and play her "One Man Can Change the World," his John Legend- and Kanye West-featuring ode to her. Now, that song gets the video treatment, in the form of a black-and-white clip that traces Leonard's funeral from eulogy to internment, capturing all the lonely car rides in between. In the wake of her death, Sean is giving back to his community; he recently installed a recording studio in his old high school.