On March 25, 1988, Sean Michael Leonard Anderson was born. Twenty-seven years, 187 days, three albums, and five awards later, Big Sean performed at the Aviva Centre on Keele campus.
And the people loved it.
Despite Excalibur‘s recent coverage of Big Sean’s controversial past, the York community was not phased. The Aviva Centre was exploding at the seams, with a line wrapping around the entire venue, leaving students waiting in a crowd outside the door.
Wearing white denim shirt and a matching zip-up, Big Sean was centre stage. In a 50 minute set list, Big Sean performed a medley of songs, including “My Last,” “One Man Can Change The World,” and the infamous “I Don’t Fuck with You.”
As a free concert, you can’t assume that the entire audience are Big Sean fans. It was obvious to see from the mindless head-bobbing that Big Sean wasn’t performing to his biggest fans.
Until the last song, “I Don’t Fuck With You.” Let’s say that there is something unsettling about hearing almost 3,000 people chanting such profanities.
His other lyrics might not be interpreted as punny, particularly to an audience that is sensitive to sexual assaults: “I got your dream girl, yeah she actin’ like a ho at that,”, “Stunting on hoes, I stunt with my bros…When all I did was safe sex, latex, the first time I slipped up, wished I had a homemade AIDS test, fuck. But I aint flunk once,” and the entire lyrics to “How Many Times,” describing his romantic encounters as “she fuck me like she want the rent paid.”
It is shocking how the YFS would allow Big Sean to perform to a crowd that is constantly bombarded with consent and anti-sexual assault agenda.
Regardless of his lyrics, his affiliations, or his actions, it is clear that the York community wanted to see him. Big Sean tweeted about the event:
Thank u York University for the luv! I heard there were another 8,000 kids outside that didn’t get in n I’m mad about it!!!
— Big Sean (@BigSean) September 29, 2015
In the moments between songs when Sean would address the audience, it felt insincere. He wasn’t grateful or happy to be there. It seemed like he was paid to say that he loved Toronto. It felt fake and downright cheap. He thanked his fans, mother, and late grandmother, saying that if it weren’t for them, he wouldn’t be where he is today.
Big Sean walked back and forth across the stage, without really connecting to the audience. Despite his lackluster performance, a longer set list would have allowed a chance for the crowd outside to catch a glimpse of Big Sean.
It would have been a different performance if a Toronto-based upcoming artist was selected. An artist with a smaller ego might not have brought in this many people, but would at least provide a killer show. A performer must do that, perform. They must make a connection with us and appreciate our time and ears. What Big Sean gave us was a C+ performance when we were expecting an A+.
Alicia Del Ros, Contributor
Victoria Goldberg, Arts Editor
Featured image courtesy of Liam Higgins
