Dark Sky Paradise

Dark Sky Paradise
Studio album by Big Sean
Released	February 24, 2015
Recorded	2013–15
Genre	Hip hop
Length	49:57
Label	GOOD Def Jam
Producer	Big Sean (also exec.) Kanye West (also exec.) Allen Ritter Amaire Johnson Boi-1da Da Internz DJ Dahi DJ Mustard Jay John Henry Key Wane L&F Lee Stone Mano Metro Boomin Mike Dean Mike Free Mike Will Made It Nashiem Myrick Noah Goldstein OGWebbie PartyNextDoor Rob Got Beats T-Minus Vinylz
Big Sean chronology
Hall of Fame (2013) Dark Sky Paradise (2015) Twenty88 (2016)
Singles from Dark Sky Paradise
"I Don't Fuck with You" Released: September 19, 2014 "Paradise" Released: October 7, 2014 "Blessings" Released: January 31, 2015 "One Man Can Change the World" Released: June 19, 2015 "Play No Games" Released: September 22, 2015

Dark Sky Paradise is the third studio album by American hip hop recording artist Big Sean. It was released on February 24, 2015, by GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions took place from 2013 to 2015, primarily in Los Angeles, California. The album features guest appearances from Kanye West, Drake, Ariana Grande, Chris Brown, Ty Dolla Sign, Jhené Aiko, PartyNextDoor, Lil Wayne, John Legend and E-40, while the production was handled by a variety of collaborators, including Key Wane, DJ Mustard, DJ Dahi and Kanye West, who also serves as the record's executive producer alongside Big Sean himself.

Dark Sky Paradise received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the change in Sean's production and lyricism being more atmospheric and substance-filled. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 173,000 album-equivalent units and 139,000 copies in the first week. It was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). By February 2016, the album has sold 350,000 copies in the United States.^[1] Dark Sky Paradise was supported by five singles; "I Don't Fuck with You", "Paradise", "Blessings", "One Man Can Change the World" and "Play No Games".

Singles

The album's lead single, titled "I Don't Fuck with You" featuring E-40, was released on September 19, 2014.^[2] The production on the song was handled by DJ Mustard, Kanye West and Mike Free. After the reception the song received, it was released as the album's first single. It became a commercial success peaking at number one on the Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. To date, the song has sold over a million copies in the United States.^[3]

The album's second single, "Paradise" was released on October 7, 2014.^[4] The song was produced by Mike Will Made It. In September 2014, it was announced that the song would be included on his untitled EP; which it was released alongside with these tracks "I Don't Fuck with You" and 2 others, "4th Quarter" and "Jit / Juke".^[5] Leading to its album release, Sean re-recorded the track as the extended version to be included on the album. Despite never being sent to radio, the song was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on October 13, 2015.^[6]

In January 2015, Sean released the track, titled "Blessings" featuring guest appearances by Drake, and GOOD Music's label-mate Kanye West.^[7][8] The song was produced by Vinylz. It was officially released on January 31, 2015, as the album's third single. The shorten version of the song, featuring the collaboration between Sean and Drake, has been announced to be included on the album. The song peaked at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. As of March 2016, the song was certified 2× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).^[9]

"One Man Can Change the World" featuring Kanye West and John Legend, was sent to rhythmic contemporary radio on June 19, 2015, as the album's fourth single.^[10] The song was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on October 13, 2015.^[11]

"Play No Games" featuring Chris Brown and Ty Dolla Sign, was sent to urban contemporary radio on September 22, 2015, as the album's fifth single.^[12] The song was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on February 15, 2016.^[13]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	6.4/10[14]
Metacritic	72/100[15]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[16]
Billboard	[17]
Complex	[18]
Entertainment Weekly	B+[19]
Exclaim!	7/10[20]
The Michigan Daily	B[21]
Pitchfork	7.1/10[22]
Rolling Stone	[23]
Spin	6/10[24]
XXL	4/5[25]

Dark Sky Paradise received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 72, based on 19 reviews.^[15] In a review for Exclaim!, Samantha O'Connor noted that "stormier production and moodier lyricism replace Sean's predictable sunny wordplay and pop culture puns," further concluding that "Big Sean has reached a personal high by finding his Dark Sky Paradise, and it's his honesty that takes listeners there with him."^[20] David Jeffries of AllMusic said, "Artistically, three is the charm Big Sean as Dark Sky Paradise is much more expansive than previous efforts, sometimes grinding with executive producer Kanye West's love of the dark, and other times bouncing with the snark, swagger, and style that propelled this Detroit rapper to the top."^[16] John Kennedy of Billboard said, "With sterling wordplay and a consistent melancholy vibe, the Detroit native took all the tension, the highs and lows, and laid it out on wax, compiling the strongest project of his career."^[17] Justin Charity of Complex said, "Occasionally clumsy but wonderfully plainspoken, and impassioned when he wants to be, Sean has advanced (if not graduated) from the tepid mythmaking of Hall of Fame. Here he's dynamic, and a pretty good rapper."^[18]

Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly said, "A spirited combination of grown-man statement-making and round-the-way bull."^[19] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times said, "In the last year, he's made real strides toward lucidity, and on Dark Sky Paradise, his third and best album, he is more human than ever before."^[26] Jordan Sargent of Pitchfork said, "Dark Sky Paradise is a big leap in the direction of the ideal Big Sean full-length."^[22] Christopher R. Weingarten of Rolling Stone stated, "His third and best record isn't that moment yet, but he's one step closer."^[23] Michael Madden of Consequence of Sound said, "Mostly, though, Dark Sky Paradise is an ambitious tasteful album from a rapper who's often viewed as neither."^[27] Dan Weiss of Spin said, "More of the same, really, and what same is that anyway? His beats, hooks and musicality tread slightly above water."^[24] Dan Rys of XXL said, "'One Man Can Change the World' in particular, which deals with the loss of his grandmother and his acceptance of her passing, really underlines what the entire work is about: dealing with the ups and downs in life and figuring out the best way to accept them and move forward. With Dark Sky Paradise, Big Sean has finally found that balance."^[25]

Year-end rankings

Publication	Rank
Billboard	15[28]
	5[29]
Complex	6[30]
HipHopDX	*[31]
* denotes an unranked list

Commercial performance

Dark Sky Paradise debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with 173,000 album-equivalent units and first-week sales of 139,000 copies in the United States, Big Sean's biggest sales week yet. It was Big Sean's first number one album on the chart.^[32] The album spent a further two weeks in the chart's top 10. On February 1, 2016, Dark Sky Paradise was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).^[33] As of February 2016, the album has sold over 350,000 copies in the United States.^[1]

Track listing

Dark Sky Paradise — Standard edition
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Dark Sky (Skyscrapers)"	Sean Anderson Robert Harris	Rob Got Beats	2:58
2.	"Blessings" (featuring Drake)	Anderson Allen Ritter Quentin Miller Anderson Hernandez Aubrey Graham	Vinylz Ritter^[a]	4:12
3.	"All Your Fault" (featuring Kanye West)	Anderson Welbon Morris, Jr. Emmanuel Nickerson Lee Stone Nashiem Myrick David Pack Terius Nash Noah Goldstein Kanye West	West OGWebbie^[a] Mano^[b] Goldstein^[b] Stone^[b] Myrick^[b]	3:44
4.	"I Don't Fuck with You" (featuring E-40)	Anderson West Willie Hansbro Dijon McFarlane Mikely Adam Dacoury Natche Dwane Weir II Earl Stevens DeWayne Rogers	DJ Mustard West Mike Free DJ Dahi^[a] Key Wane^[b]	4:44
5.	"Play No Games" (featuring Chris Brown and Ty Dolla Sign)	Anderson Weir II Justin Johnson Timothy Gatling Gene Griffin Christopher Brown Tyrone Griffin, Jr. Aaron Hall Edward Riley	Key Wane Jay John Henry	3:36
6.	"Paradise (Extended)"	Anderson Michael Williams II	Mike Will Made It	3:35
7.	"Win Some, Lose Some"	Anderson Tyler Williams Matthew Samuels Jhené Chilombo	T-Minus Boi-1da^[a]	5:04
8.	"Stay Down"	Anderson West Ernest Clark Marcos Palacios Kevin Randolph Uforo Ebong Christopher Umana	Da Internz L&F	4:10
9.	"I Know" (featuring Jhené Aiko)	Anderson McFarlane Weir II Chilombo	DJ Mustard Key Wane	5:19
10.	"Deep" (featuring Lil Wayne)	Anderson Weir II McFarlane Dwayne Carter, Jr.	DJ Mustard Key Wane	4:35
11.	"One Man Can Change the World" (featuring Kanye West and John Legend)	Anderson West McFarlane Amaire Johnson Michael Dean John Stephens William Roberts II	Johnson Dean	4:14
12.	"Outro"	Anderson Natche John Tanner William Pulliam Towa Tei Gilberto Oliveira Kamaal Fareed Ali Shaheed Jones-Muhammad Malik Taylor James Yancey	DJ Dahi	3:45
Total length:				49:57

Dark Sky Paradise — Deluxe edition (bonus tracks)
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
13.	"Deserve It" (featuring PartyNextDoor)	Anderson Jahron Brathwaite	PartyNextDoor	4:21
14.	"Research" (featuring Ariana Grande)	Anderson Natche Michael Carson Ariana Grande Leland Wayne	DJ Dahi Metro Boomin^[b]	3:50
15.	"Platinum and Wood"	Anderson Weir II Ismail Abdul-Aziz	Key Wane	2:43
Total length:				60:51

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies a co-producer
• ^{^[b]} signifies an additional producer
• "All Your Fault" features additional vocals from Travis Scott
• "Win Some, Lose Some" features additional vocals from Jhené Aiko
• "Stay Down" features additional vocals from Kanye West
• "I Know" features background vocals from Nicole Lequerica, Key Wane and DJ Dahi
• "Deep" features background vocals from Nicole Lequerica and Key Wane
• "One Man Can Change the World" features additional vocals from Natasha Bedingfield

Sample credits

• "Blessings" contains replayed samples of the ringtone from One Missed Call
• "All Your Fault" contains samples from "How Much I Feel" performed by Ambrosia
• "I Don't Fuck with You" contains elements from "Say You Love Me, One More Time" performed by DJ Rogers
• "Play No Games" contains samples from "Piece of My Love" performed by Guy
• "One Man Can Change the World" contains an interpolation from "Sanctified" performed by Rick Ross featuring Kanye West and Big Sean
• "Outro" contains elements from "Didn't I" performed by Darondo and an interpolation from "Find a Way" performed by A Tribe Called Quest
• "Platinum and Wood" contains samples from "Come Roll" performed by Blade Icewood

Charts

Chart (2015)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[34]	28
Australian Urban Albums (ARIA)[35]	5
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[36]	70
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[37]	88
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[38]	85
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[39]	5
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[40]	29
French Albums (SNEP)[41]	136
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[42]	76
New Zealand Albums (Recorded Music NZ)[43]	23
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[44]	30
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[45]	39
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[46]	41
US Billboard 200[47]	1
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[48]	1

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/Sales
United States (RIAA)[49]	Platinum	350,000^^
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

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