The embodiment of a true entertainer lies not in their ability to entertain the masses but in how they influence those masses to their very best selves. Since his debut, Big Sean has constructed a professional brand that can only be categorized as inspirational, but not in the way you might think. Of course, the Detroit native creates chart-topping anthems that inspire fans across the globe, but there’s more. He inspires his supporters to pay it forward while lifting as they climb.
That’s exactly what the Finally Famous rapper is doing through his involvement with the Moguls in the Making entrepreneurial competition, in which he will mentor 60 students from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) on how to tap into their inner mogul. Hosted by Ally Financial in collaboration with the Sean Anderson Foundation and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the event is in its fourth year and will take place in Charlotte this weekend.
Big Sean stopped by Blavity News to discuss the importance of mentorship, how his mentors have influenced him and how growing up in Detroit shaped his view of entrepreneurship.
The importance of mentoring the next generation
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Big Sean has collaborated with Ally Financial and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund for several years through his organization the Sean Anderson Foundation. For Mr. Anderson himself, he appreciates helping the next generation of Black professionals learn about financial literacy, teamwork and the other aspects that entrepreneurship entails.
“Since the beginning, my foundation, the Sean Anderson Foundation, Ally Financial, Thurgood Marshall, we all seem to be aligned in the same ways of wanting to impact where we’re from and expanding upon that,” Big Sean told Blavity News. “Ally was really focused on financial literacy and that’s something that I think is super important. I ran into a lot of things that I didn’t learn in school that I really needed to learn when it came to financial literacy.”
Big Sean also feels that teaching these students about the benefits of the intersection between business and creativity is rewarding.
“Also, just showing people how to work as a team, how to be innovative and how to think creatively while still making it apply to business and just how to change the normalcy in business. Creativity is such an important part of business. People will separate the arts from business, but they’re so hand in hand, and when they do go hand in hand, that’s how you change everything. That’s how you make ideas that last forever that really do affect your community, your country and your world in general. These are, I think, the future’s greatest minds. I think it’s important to give these kids adequate preparation and the practice of thinking outside the box and being creative and coming up with their own ideas,” he said.
Mentors who have left an imprint on him
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While Big Sean enjoys mentoring the next generation of leaders poised for world domination, he’s able to fondly reflect on his very own that did the same for him, particularly his grandmother.
“I’ve had mentors in all aspects of my life, so I know how important it is. Hopefully, I can be that to other people, not just musically but in other ways, because I’ve learned a lot just in this life experience. My grandma just got a Congressional Gold Medal from Congress for her World War II Battalion. She passed away, but she just got awarded that, and that’s one of the highest honors you could get, so people like her, being a mathematician, starting from nothing being at World War II and being a Black female captain. Additionally, my grandfather and my mom as well. I have a family full of scholars and people who are just trying to always do better,” Big Sean said.
Big Sean has also found mentorship outside of his family.
“Outside of our family, I did have mentors that helped me along the way and in all different ways. My homie Sean Menefee, who I got my rap name from because we both were named Sean, was the first one to put me in front of a microphone when I was a little kid,” he said. “From Kanye West to No I.D. to just a lot of great people like that as well have changed my life tremendously. Going deeper, people like Eminem and Jay-Z have all been very helpful in a lot of ways.”
How his upbringing in Detroit influenced his views on entrepreneurship
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According to Big Sean, his willingness to pay it forward is a result of his upbringing in Detroit, where community uplifting is prevalent.
“Detroit is a city of go-getters, and we have to figure it out one way or another. I’ve seen people start businesses from nothing or analyze the game a little bit differently. We kind of read between the lines in Detroit, and we figure out how to impact and change the game while figuring out ways to boss up, not just ourselves as individuals but our team, our community and our people. It’s something that’s just becoming a mentality and a lifestyle of Detroit. We figure it out because we have no other choice. Opportunities don’t really get handed to us ever, and I think that’s why so many amazing things come out of Detroit because it’s like they have that authenticity that you can’t really buy. It has to be inherited,” Big Sean told Blavity News.
His advice to companies looking to invest in the next generation of Black talent
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For companies looking to invest in the next generation of Black talent, Big Sean advises them to approach the community with an open mind.
“What I would say to corporations or people who want to invest in this next generation is just pay attention to them and don’t write them off. Give them opportunities to show you who they are from a nonjudgmental standpoint,” he said. “The younger people think differently, and it’s cool because we can add our perspective to what they have, and they can add their perspective to what we have and we can all come together and make new waves in this world.”
Click here to learn more about this year’s Mogul in the Making entrepreneurial competition.
