Big Sean Reveals His First Advance From Kanye West Was $15k

With Big Sean being in promo mode for ‘Detroit 2,’ the rapper spoke with Fat Joe on his brand new REVOLT series “The Fat Joe Show.”

Sean discussed about the exact moment when he got signed by Kanye West at a radio station when he rapped for him on the spot.

Sean says his music career started around 11 years old. However, it took years to build into what he is today. Upon graduating from high school in 2006, he chose music over a full-ride to college. It was then that the city’s icon gave him the keys to success. “It was four years when I was heavy on the grind and in those four years, Street Lord Juan really helped me and gave me a foundation and support system to get my music done, recorded, hooked me up with the right engineers that he had and just helped me.”

It was also during this time, he signed a deal with Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music in 2007 and Def Jam in 2008, and his first album released in 2011. Sean even revealed his first advance was only $15,000. “That ain’t last four years,” Joe shockingly responded. “You gotta remember everybody I knew was in school and they would always hit me like, ‘Man what’s going on? What you doing?’ I’m like, ‘Bro, I’m still in the same crib that I grew up in. I’m still at my mama house,” he shared. “It was a moment where I didn’t know this was gon’ work out.”

A moment that came full circle, he shares he used money his grandmother saved to send him to college on studio sessions simply because he believed in himself. Fast forward to where Sean’s career finally took off, he was able to move his mother and grandmother into new homes with the money he earned making music.

Watch from around the 32-minute mark via the video above.