Big Sean is making good on his promise to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Dark Sky Paradise in a major way. This past February marked a decade since the album’s rollout. And now, fans are in for a treat as he returns to his old stomping grounds in Detroit for a free concert on Sunday, May 11 at Saint Andrews Hall.
The witty wordsmith announced the show on social media, writing, “My first time performing my album front to back this Sunday, May 11. A NIGHT OF DARK SKY PARADISE! Celebrating 10 years! Tix are absolutely free,” which is thanks to his partnership with the banking app Chime. The first-come, first-served passes go live on Friday at 3 p.m. EST, and the lights go up at the music venue two days later at 8 p.m. EST.
A decade ago, Sean set out to deliver one of the best rap albums of the 2010s with Dark Sky Paradise. The two-time platinum project boasts some big-name features like mentor Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and Drake, just to name a few. Tracks like “I Don’t F**k With You” with E-40 and “Play No Games” with assists from Ty Dolla Sign and Chris Brown scored him Billboard Hot 100 hits.
According to Billboard, during a listening session for his third studio effort, the Detroit native proclaimed, “I want to be in this for the long run. I want to be the best at what I do, and I give it 110 percent.” The body of work’s popularity — it is arguably considered his best album — has not waned, just as Sean continues to have a cemented spot in Hip Hop.
Dark Sky Paradise is a transformative record in Big Sean’s discography
In his own words shared in an Instagram post, he said it was “the album that changed it all for me!... I’m actually in New York shooting videos and working, which is where I was 10 years ago when this album dropped, and honestly, life has never been lining up and feeling so meant to be. Through the ups, downs, all of it is amazing. I can’t even lie, this muf**kin’ album had such an impact on me and my family.” Dark Sky Paradise followed the success of a handful of mixtapes and his freshman and sophomore releases Finally Famous and Hall of Fame.
The six-time Grammy nominated artist has been dropping with “Precision” ever since. For Sean, there is no such thing as taking a loss that he can’t rebound from. As a matter of fact, he said just that, in “Bounce Back,” featured on the album I Decided in 2017. In 2020, he reminded listeners that he was still a lyrical titan on Detroit 2’ s “Friday Night Cipher,” where he spit lethal bars alongside Tee Grizzley, Kash Doll, Cash Kidd, Payroll Giovanni, 42 Dugg, Boldy James, Drego, Sada Baby, Royce Da 5’9”, and Eminem.
Better Me Than You, his sixth album, was released in August 2024.