It’s honestly difficult to imagine that Big Sean had a hit in 2014 with “IDFWU.” With its addictive beat and unapologetic lyrics, the track also became a rallying cry for people looking for reasons to forget about negativity. But what if we told you the song nearly didn’t land on his Dark Sky Paradise album? Plus, it resulted in an uncommon discord between Hip-Hop’s royal couple JAY-Z and Beyoncé!
During a recent sit down with Detroit Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown on his podcast, Big Sean revealed a behind-the-scenes story that includes a laid-back freestyle, a suggestion to rap with a queen, and text messages from Hov himself.
Sean Don also explained that “IDFWU” was never intended to be a serious record. At first, he was messing around in the studio with DJ Mustard, hoping to hit the sound of the funk of Too $hort. “I was just f###### around… I was listening to the beat and was like, ‘Freestyle that s###,’” Sean recalled. Initially, he didn’t think of the track for the album at all.
But as Dark Sky Paradise came together, Sean started to see the possibilities. That’s when he received an exclusive listening session at JAY-Z and Beyoncé’s home of all places, where he played the album for the power couple.
When the song played, Beyoncé had some concerns. She felt that “IDFWU” was a little disrespectful and had an idea for a way to even things out, bringing Nicki Minaj on the track to provide a feminine perspective. It was such a shrewd and mindful play, especially when you think about how Nicki’s always been a queen at flipping narratives to benefit her.
But JAY-Z had a different perspective. He enjoyed the song as it was and realized its potential to resonate with audiences. “Now they gon get it that it’s just you having fun,” Hov assured Sean.
Big Sean remembered how JAY-Z wouldn’t let the song get ignored. “I was getting texts from Hov every day,” he said. One message stood out: “Every day you’re not putting that song out, you’re losing.” That is some high-level executive motivation!
Still uncertain, Sean decided to leap of faith based on JAY-Z’s suggestion, which ultimately paid off big time. Upon its release, “IDFWU” went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Sean said, in retrospect, he underestimated the song’s significance. “I almost didn’t put it on the album because I was like, it’s just kinda like… dumb,” he laughed. “And then that b#### dropped and I was like, ‘What the f###! ”
Ultimately, “IDFWU” became one of Big Sean’s signature records, a song fans reach for when they need unapologetic pop-off energy. And even if Beyoncé and JAY-Z initially disagreed on the nature of the track, their different perspectives are part of its legacy. One thing’s for sure: When JAY-Z starts texting you daily about a song, you listen!
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