Big Sean is keeping his spirits lifted ahead of the release of his first book, “Go Higher: Five Practices for Purpose, Success, and Inner Peace.” The guidebook of meditation, affirmations and tips to help readers reach their full potential became available for pre-sale on Friday (Oct. 11) and will officially be released Jan. 21, 2025.
The book mirrors the enlightenment and self-reflection displayed on Sean’s new album, Better Me Than You. He resurfaced with the 21-track project after taking a four-year hiatus following the release of Detroit 2 in 2020. The “Motor City” rapper’s fans got a glimpse of the vulnerability he had to overcome to roll out the LP during an Instagram Live session in August.
He recently addressed some of the backlash he received from the raw display of emotions in his music and online during his conversation with Uproxx for their October cover story. To begin, he acknowledged that there was a bit of a dogpile mentality that took place.
“This industry can be gut punching, man. Sometimes people can be really relentless on me,” said the platinum-selling artist. Still, he added, “I keep it authentic with what's going on with myself, and I'm just sometimes surprised at it. I'm like, ‘Really? That's what you got from that?’ Or a lot of things get manipulated into a different message or twisted from what you meant and what you said to an idea that they have of you.”
Moreover, Sean proclaimed that there was not a single mixed reaction that could sway his confidence in his sixth studio album. “I stand on it and I stand on this project. I love this project. I don't care. I don't have a radio single. I have no real super label push or nothing,” he explained.
The 36-year-old rapper continued, “I know it's not going to sell as well as my other albums and all these things, I already know that – at least initially, it could pick up. But I still stand on it and I still love it, and it's still where I'm at, and I'm going to just keep going. It's quite a privilege and quite a pleasure to live the life I live, man.”
REVOLT spoke with Sean’s engineer, Milan Beker, about how their recording sessions can be intense as the rapper shared deeply personal experiences for Better Me Than You. “This is a person who has had such an incredible career filled with so much,” said Beker. “I’m sure he carries so much day in and day out, and music is his outlet. The music is his outlet to really open up about whatever he wants to talk about.”
Sean has already hinted about a tour as well as the possible release of new tracks that were not completed before the release of Better Me Than You.