It’s apparent after a few listens from Hall Of Fame that Big Sean has made his best project yet. During the release week of his sophomore effort (which dropped on August 27), Sean held a free concert to celebrate the occasion at Terminal 5 in New York City. Performing an hour-long set, he was joined by Wiz Khalifa, Juicy J, and his very own father to show their support for his career thus far. The following morning, Sean talked to XXL about his sold-out show, why Memoirs Of A Detroit Player was left off of his final title, as well as any regrets he had for the album. Oh, he also spoke about the rumor of Miley Cyrus working with Kanye West and the potential it has to be a big event. —Eric Diep (@E_Diep)

XXL: How was your album release concert?
Big Sean: It was definitely a big concert. Packed. It was sold out. It was big. It was great to get love in New York like that. I performed a lot of the new songs that came out [on] the same day. Some of the fans knew the words cause obviously they bootlegged it. [Laughs] You know, they were listening earlier. Some of them didn’t, but they were there. The energy was there. Of course, they knew all the mixtape songs and the album songs. It was just a great feeling. And my dad was there with me. I had my crew.

It was cool because when I performed “Fire,” on the line I sing, “Yeah, I talk about my mom, but shoutout to my dad/Would drive me to school every single chance he had/Tell me ‘bout the crazy girls and all about his past/And gave me the talks that made me to man/Not everybody got a dad, but they got a Uncle Sam.” I brought him out right there at the point. It was crazy.

Hall Of Fame is out this week. Why did you decide to drop the Memoirs Of A Detroit Player part of the title?
It was just too damn long. It was just too much. I call that in my head. The people knew that was what it was going to be called. They can call it still. Hall Of Fame was just clean and easy. I decided to call it Hall Of Fame because I’m somebody who I take it back to living in my mom’s crib. I was somebody who would write down all these goals that I wanted to unfold and manifest. I am a real spiritual dude. A lot of those happened. They were never one of the biggest goals. It was like, "Buy my mom a house. Buy myself a house. Get a car." All these different things that I was able to accomplish just by my processes and thinking and all these different things.

I wanted to share those times on the album, but the reason that I called it Hall Of Fame because I wanted to take that concept and do it a larger scale. I figured if I called my album Hall Of Fame, ten albums later I may be at the end of my career, I definitely want to be in the Rock & Roll hall of Fame. Hopefully by then they have a rap Hall of Fame. Whatever I do in this lifetime, I want to make sure it’s on Hall of Fame level.

No I.D. recently said the “Control” beat was originally for Jay Z and it was supposed to be a freestyle. That was a pretty nice come up for you.
Yeah, it was. It kind of was a freestyle type of song. There was no chorus on it. It didn’t really change format-wise, but I was just mad because I wanted to put it on the album but it couldn’t go on there just cause sample clearances, artist clearances. So many dumbass things you gotta worry about when you are making an album as opposed to doing a mixtape and shit. But, like I said, everything happens for a reason. There’s a lot of negative and positive energy surrounding that song. I feel like my album has a lot of positive energy. So, it might have been a good thing that it didn’t get on there. But, I definitely wanted it on there for sure.

Do you think the Kendrick verse overshadowed your buzz a bit?
Do I feel like it did? Nah, I don’t feel like it did. I think I dropped the biggest rap song in the last couple years. People were talking about it. I’m glad I can make that play happen. Everybody knows how I came about, how the song happened, how all that. Yeah, everything’s good.

Do you have any regrets on this album? Anything you wish you could have done?
Yeah, I just wish I had more songs. More skits and stuff, but it doesn’t matter. That’s why you make more albums and more music. I’m one of those artists that nothing is ever perfect no matter what you do. I am really proud of this project and I think it’s great. My next album is going to be even better. Everything I do is going to be better than the last. And my next album is going to be better than my last album. My next mixtape is going to be better than my last mixtape. Always. I appreciate the people who rock with me, I appreciate the fans, the believers. Everybody repping that Finally Famous Over Everything. Reppin’ that G.O.O.D. Music.

Tell me about your “Beware” single. You decided to sample The Four Tops’ “Ain’t No Woman (Like The One I’ve Got).” Why did you lift that for the record?
It was actually a part during Wayne’s verse, but that song, a lot of the producers like Mike Dean—who is a legendary producer that did a lot on Watch The Throne and did a lot of Geto Boys and UGK and Jay Z and all these different things—he co-produced it with my producer Key Wane, who is also a new producer getting in the game and the first producer I signed. He’s working with Drake and Beyoncé and all these different people.

Key Wane Goes From Remixing Songs In Class To Working On Big Sean’s Hall Of Fame

It’s funny because I used to tell him his beats were wack in high school. Now, he’s on his way to being a legendary producer and my first producer. So, him and Mike Dean’s vision on the track. It brought like an eerie, simple vibe. I thought it was cool. I thought it fit the album really good.

You are known to be Kanye’s protege, but now that you are growing into your own artist, what advice do you take from him and what is something you do on your own as a gut reaction?
I definitely love to take what people have to offer. But most importantly, I listen to what I feel in my heart. Sometimes when I didn’t listen to my heart and things weren’t working out like how I wanted to. I made a promise to myself, especially after this album, I always listen to my heart. Always go with what I believe in. That’s one of the things [Kanye West] taught me indirectly without even saying. Just from his actions. He’s the best. Kanye West is the best. Period. Nobody can argue with that.

You gotta take risks at some point. You live and you learn. He had a lot to do with this, like DONDA and his company. The music. He was the reason that my album packaging looked so good. It’s such a conceptual album packaging. Everything from the music and the videos all went together so well. It really felt like a real project. He’s the reason I have a “Fire” beat. He gave me the beat for “Fire.” He had it and he loved it, but [he said], ‘I think this will be great for you.’ He gave me input on songs like “Nothing Is Stopping You.” I used his voice on “Nothing Is Stopping You.” He gave me a lot of input, the songs he liked. What were his favorite, what were his least favorite. All that. It’s just great. He’s a great dude and he let’s you be artistic.

Finally Famous debuted at No. 3. With your newfound buzz, do you think you’ll do a lot better?
Yeah, I hope so. You can only hope for the best, you feel me? I got a long time in this game, so whatever happens, happens. I’m definitely gonna keep putting albums out. Keep making music for my fans, for my believers. People who are inspired and for the dreamers. Yeah, I definitely hope for the best for sure. I hope people can go out and support.

Miley Cyrus is rumored to be on Kanye West’s remix to “Black Skinhead.” What are your thoughts on her becoming hip-hop?
I love that genres mix, man. I don’t get why people have to be so judgmental and so damn stupid. I think its cool. Whatever they want to do, whatever Miley and Kanye do, I’m sure it would be an event.

It was also supposed to be part of a remix EP. Would you do something similar for your fans?
Yeah, that actually sounds like a great idea. [Laughs]

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