Big Sean Shares Sharp New Song And Music Video For “What a Life” Featuring Hit-Boy

[D J C]

 

Big Sean has shared a sharp new music video for his new song “What a Life,” featuring multi-grammy nominated producer, Hit-Boy. The Def Jam rapper is coming off of his successful 2020 studio album, Detroit 2, and seems to be gearing up for a run in 2021. 

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“What a Life” starts off with a menacing high-pitched synth melody that seems to be put together by fast-played reversed chords. The beat drops with heavy 808s, a church bell and classic Detroit style drums, accentuated by the thin snares and hi-hats. But the Detroit style doesn’t end right there. The tempo of the beat is super fast –– a uniquely Detroit rap style. Behind the main aspects of the beat, Hit-Boy adds many different sound effects to keep the loop sonically interesting. There’s also a vocal running through the whole song in the background that serves as a countermelody. We are also thrown a bone in the outro with a Mike Dean-style synth closer. 

 

 

Big Sean hops on the beat with swift bars and charismatic flow. Except it feels like his flow doesn’t stop the entire song. It almost feels breathless the way he keeps rapping on the song. With multiple flow switches as well, “What a Life” is definitely a bright highlight of Big Sean’s year.  He hits us with clever bars like “I ain’t married yet so it’s rocky on my right hand,” and hard flexes like “I went triple platinum more than three times, what a life, man.” And that’s just what the song is. It’s a fun, fast-paced flex that shows that Big Sean is still here to stay in the rap game. 

 

He stays true to his Detroit roots as well, as Big Sean always does. Near the end of the song, he pays respect to the Detroit Lions’ Ford Field in a bar, “I’m at Ford Field like a tight-end.” But the entire music video takes place in Detroit as well. It starts off with shots of the camera seemingly floating through Detroit as Big Sean floats through Detroit as well. He is literally floating, suspended in mid-air above his city. It’s as if Sean’s portraying himself as the hero of his city. There’s also interesting shots of Big Sean covered in hundreds of bees, cleverly placed in the video as he raps, “Go ahead then, tell me what your price is/mine is a hundred B’s n**** you can’t swipe this.” The video has a very fun energy as it rapidly switches from scene to scene. 

 

This year, Big Sean released the 10th anniversary edition of his 2011 debut album, Finally Famous. It included remastered editions of the entire album and new album art. Earlier this year he also released the music video for his grammy nominated single “Deep Reverence” with late L.A. rapper, Nipsey Hussle.

 

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