Deep Reverence
by Big Sean (featuring Nipsey Hussle)

Album: Detroit 2 (2020)
Charted: 82
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Here, Nipsey Hussle joins Big Sean to rap about their struggle coming up and pressures in life. Nipsey opens the song by referencing his upbringing with the Los Angeles-based Crips street gang.

    I'm a street legend, block love me with a deep reverence
    I was birthed in a C-section
    Hella cops and police presence, we got opps so we keep weapons


    Nipsey goes on to explain how his learning to grind on the streets made him a legend.
  • Sean takes the baton and opens up about his mental health issues.

    In high school, I learned chemistry, biology
    But not how to cope with anxiety
    Or how I could feel like I'm by myself on an island
    With depression on all sides of me


    The rapper indicates that his girlfriend's miscarriage triggered his depression. Though he doesn't mention her by name, many believe he's referring to Jhene Aiko, since the pair had been dating on and off since 2016.
  • Sean also addresses his rumored conflict with Kendrick Lamar, which some claim began with the "HUMBLE." rapper's controversial 64-bar verse on "Control." The Detroit rapper shuts down rumors of a beef and recalls how Nipsey's untimely death on March 31, 2019, prompted him to ponder his own life and seek guidance from Lamar.

    I reached out to Kendrick
    It wasn't even no real issues there to begin with
    Lack of communication and wrong information
    From people fueled by their ego, it's like mixin' flames with diesel


    Sean addressed his relationship with Lamar while being interviewed in February 2020 on Joe Budden's Pull Up series. "One of the people that, especially after Nipsey died was important for me to connect with was Kendrick," he told Budden. "Me and Kendrick got a history of songs... When this whole Big Sean, Kendrick beef was going on, it was something I wish I would have spoken up about because there was nothing."
  • Sean brings the song full circle with another Crips reference.

    If it ain't Nipsey blue, it's Detroit blue
    This that Detroit 2, I'm bringin' it back to the hood like D-Boys do


    Crips members traditionally wear blue clothing while the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Lions both have blue logos and blue in their uniforms.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Richard Marx

Richard MarxSongwriter Interviews

Richard explains how Joe Walsh kickstarted his career, and why he chose Hazard, Nebraska for a hit.

Boy Bands

Boy BandsFact or Fiction

From NKOTB to 1D, how well do you know your boy bands?

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")Song Writing

Nick made some of the biggest videos on MTV, including "The Final Countdown," "Heaven" and "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)."

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")Song Writing

Director Mark Pellington on Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," and music videos he made for U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Imagine Dragons.

Gene Simmons of Kiss

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Amy Lee of Evanescence

Amy Lee of EvanescenceSongwriter Interviews

The Evanescence frontwoman on the songs that have shifted meaning and her foray into kids' music.