Earlier this week, Big Sean announced plans to drop a new mixtape, titled Detroit, on September 5. The Michigan-bred rapper recently explained the title of the tape to XXLMag.com.

"I feel like that’s my number one thing that I represent, is my city, where I come from," the former Freshman said. "It means more than just an actual city. It’s my whole upbringing, my childhood, my family. There’s a lot of stories being told on it—not even from me, from other people, too, about Detroit. I feel like my city really needs that love, that light. It’s kinda down, right now, as far as the energy, the people, the economy. Anyway I can help lift it up, I’d love to. To me, I feel like it was the best title."

He also said that despite the project not being put together as meticulously as his upcoming album, the mixtape project is a cohesive body of work. "It’s a theme to it," he confirmed. "It’s kind of like, what Detroit players go through coming up. It’s the dream aspect of it all, the grind aspect of it all, the fun aspect, the player aspect, rocking furs. It’s a lot of soul on there."

Sean is also currently working on the G.O.O.D. Music compilation, Cruel Summer, as well as his untitled sophomore album, both due out later in 2012.

"The album’s coming along great," he added. "The best thing about the album is I took my time on it. The mixtape really doesn’t have anything to do with the album. It’s not like I’m trying to promote anything for my album on the mixtape or nothing like that. They’re two separate projects. I feel like [the album is] a way better project, way better concepts, real intricate. Not to say that the Detroit project isn’t, but I really took more time out for my album. The Detroit project is more for the fans, more for the believers, more for people who really were into my mixtapes. I wanted to give them that aspect of me. The album is taking it further conceptually. It’s really something I’m proud of. We’re still working on it. I’m gonna keep working on it until I can’t work on it anymore." —Adam Fleischer (@AdamXXL)

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