Biography by David Jeffries Born in California but raised in Detroit, rapper Big Sean made big news in 2007 when he signed with Kanye West’s recently formed label, G.O.O.D. Music. Sean had met West through a hip-hop radio station in Detroit. He was just trying to impress the superstar by displaying his freestyle skills, but after Sean’s in-studio performance, West offered him a recording contract and helped set up his debut mixtape, Finally Famous Vol. 1, released in 2007. A second volume arrived in 2009 with a third following in 2010.