Big Sean, Drake and Kanye West Get Dark in ‘Blessings’ Video
When two rappers who are dominating the charts--and one who promises to do so in the immediate future--team up for a video, you might expect block parties, strip clubs, car shows, crowded green rooms. Not for "Blessings." Big Sean tapped Drake and Kanye West for the video, uniting three of the dominant commercial forces in rap. (Drake's surprise release, If You're Reading This It's Too Late, is doing Spiderman numbers on Billboard right now.) Meant as promotion for Sean's just-released third studio effort, Dark Sky Paradise, the video is actually not for the album version of the song; when "Blessings" was released as a single, Sean's longtime mentor and G.O.O.D. Music boss, Kanye, jumped at the chance to tag a verse on the end. He shows face here, rapping about condoms and Snapchat as genre-defining artists are wont to do. The three spend the five-plus minutes of the clip slinking and brooding through a black-and-white fog, perfectly in line with Sean's album rollout.
Dark Sky has seen strong early returns from both retailers and critics. "Blessings" was preceded by "IDFWU," the undeniable E-40-featuring, DJ Mustard-produced cut that rattled speakers and gossip blogs this winter. Sean will be performing at Minnesota'a Soundset festival this May, alongside J. Cole, Freddie Gibbs and Madlib, Ice Cube, Chester Watson and a host of others.
Big Sean sat down with NPR’s Microphone Check to discuss his new album Dark Sky Paradise, following his gut, and more. Listen to his interview below.
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