Big Sean On Fame and Finding Inner Peace

Summary

Making Space with Hoda Kotb: Episode Summary

Title: Big Sean On Fame and Finding Inner Peace
Host: Hoda Kotb, TODAY
Guest: Big Sean
Release Date: April 16, 2025

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Introduction

In this poignant episode of Making Space with Hoda Kotb, host Hoda Kotb sits down with renowned hip-hop artist Big Sean to delve deep into his journey from fame to inner peace. The conversation navigates through Big Sean’s personal struggles, triumphs, and the profound lessons he has learned along the way.

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Early Beginnings and Pursuit of Passion

00:59 - 06:18

Big Sean opens up about his childhood, growing up in a musically rich Motown household. Surrounded by legends like Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, Sean cultivated a deep appreciation for music from a young age. By the age of ten, he was already envisioning himself as a rapper, fueled by an unwavering belief in his limitless potential.

Notable Quote:
"I was like fearless, happy, definitely. I just had a crazy imagination. I could imagine myself in any situation."
— Big Sean at 04:23

Despite facing skepticism, especially coming from Detroit—a city known more for Motown than hip-hop—Sean remained steadfast. He emphasizes that his early drive wasn’t about proving others wrong but about pursuing his passion with pure love and dedication.

Key Points:

• Influential musical environment fostering creativity.
• Early determination and vision for a career in rap.
• Overcoming skepticism and external doubts.

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Navigating Fame and Its Challenges

07:55 - 12:17

As fame began enveloping Big Sean’s life, he describes it as both a blessing and a set of "golden handcuffs." The pressures of maintaining success, managing finances, and fulfilling others' expectations led to significant stress. Sean recounts a pivotal moment post his first tour in New York, where the sudden influx of wealth and responsibility left him feeling overwhelmed and disconnected.

Notable Quote:
"There's nothing more creative than creating a creation... whether you're making a song, a book, a human being."
— Big Sean at 04:12

This segment highlights the thin line between hustle and burnout, underscoring the importance of balance and self-awareness in the face of success.

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Struggles with Addiction and Mental Health

09:10 - 22:04

Big Sean candidly shares his battle with addiction, specifically his misuse of Adderall. He explains how dependency on the drug provided a false sense of confidence but ultimately led to severe depression when he attempted to quit. This period marked a low point, where he lost touch with his identity and struggled with suicidal thoughts.

Notable Quote:
"God doesn't give you what you want. God gives you what you need... sometimes it doesn't line up, and that could be very hard."
— Big Sean at 09:21

Through this dark phase, Sean emphasizes the interconnection of physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional well-being. His journey to recovery involved rebuilding his foundation, embracing therapy, and reconnecting with himself on multiple levels.

Key Points:

• Impact of fame on personal well-being.
• The cycle of addiction and its consequences.
• Importance of seeking help and the role of therapy.
• Reestablishing balance and self-care.

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Personal Growth and Spiritual Awakening

22:04 - 27:56

Post-recovery, Big Sean discusses his commitment to personal growth and spiritual awakening. He explores various practices such as meditation, seeking mentors, and spiritual readings that have guided him towards inner peace. Sean highlights the influence of his family, particularly his grandmother, whose modesty and resilience have been a cornerstone in his life.

Notable Quote:
"I've reestablished my faith, trust in my faith, and realized everything is interconnected."
— Big Sean at 12:17

This segment underscores the transformative power of spirituality and continuous self-improvement in overcoming life's challenges.

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Fatherhood and Life Lessons

29:13 - 35:08

Big Sean reflects on the profound impact fatherhood has had on his life. Raising his children has taught him patience, perspective, and the importance of living in the moment. He shares memorable anecdotes, such as spending a perfect day watching Star Wars and enjoying a McDonald's 20-piece nugget meal—a memory that holds a special place in his heart.

Notable Quote:
"Raising my kids has taught me to reconnect with my inner child and find joy in the simple things."
— Big Sean at 35:05

Sean emphasizes the lessons learned from his children, including the value of curiosity, resilience, and unconditional love.

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Practical Advice and Sharing Wisdom

27:56 - 32:01

Throughout the conversation, Big Sean shares actionable insights from his journey, advocating for practices like journaling, gratitude exercises, and meditation. He encourages listeners to engage in therapy and self-reflection, highlighting how these tools can fortify one's mental and emotional resilience.

Notable Quote:
"Therapy is like finding the right barber or restaurant—it might take time, but it's worth it."
— Big Sean at 27:56

Sean’s emphasis on vulnerability and openness serves as a beacon for those navigating similar struggles, promoting a message of hope and empowerment.

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Conclusion and Final Thoughts

36:01 - 38:31

As the conversation draws to a close, Big Sean and Hoda Kotb reflect on the importance of self-love, resilience, and the continuous pursuit of personal growth. Sean encourages listeners to embrace their journeys, learn from their experiences, and strive to "go higher" in all aspects of life.

Notable Quote:
"Let it go. When things don't go your way, let it go and keep moving forward."
— Big Sean at 33:27

Sean expresses gratitude towards his supporters and family, reinforcing the episode's overarching theme of making space for growth, healing, and meaningful connections.

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Key Takeaways

• Authenticity: Staying true to oneself amidst external pressures.
• Balance: Prioritizing mental, emotional, and physical health alongside career ambitions.
• Vulnerability: Embracing one’s struggles fosters deeper connections and personal growth.
• Family: The role of loved ones in providing support and grounding.
• Continuous Growth: The journey of self-improvement is ongoing and multifaceted.

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This episode of Making Space with Hoda Kotb offers an intimate look into Big Sean’s life, providing valuable lessons on handling fame, overcoming personal demons, and finding inner peace. It serves as an inspiring guide for listeners seeking to navigate their own paths toward resilience and fulfillment.

Transcript

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[Hoda Kotb]

What does going higher look like for you? For my guest today, it means sobriety, journaling and daily practices of self acceptance. Big Sean is the artist behind some of the most noteworthy hip hop songs of the last two decades, but today he is using his voice on a different medium, this time a book. From fulfilling a lifelong goal to call himself an author, though, Big Sean is quick to tell you Go five Practices for Purpose, Success and Inner Peace is not just a book. It's a culmination of years of personal and professional growth. Driven by his own desire to empower others, Big Sean feels a strong calling to share insights from his experiences. As we chat today, Big Sean opens up about his big break, his battle with addiction, and the implications of becoming finally famous. Plus why a 20 piece nugget meal from McDonald's still holds a special place in his heart. I found him to be equal parts endearing and full of wisdom. This conversation marks the first for Big Sean and me. And let me tell you, his voice? Not a bad one to spend a little while listening to. I'm Oda Kotb. Welcome to my podcast Making Space.

[Big Sean]

First of all, I am so happy to be sitting with you. I've never had the opportunity and I've heard so many awesome things about the life you're living.

That's good.

And I feel like you're in a phase and I want to get to your whole life, but you are in this moment right now where you have found something that people are seeking. It's like the Rosetta Stone. It's like I kind of got it.

[Hoda Kotb]

What's the thing that you feel like.

[Big Sean]

You'Ve found at this point in your career that you didn't have for many years prior?

I think before, you're kind of chasing a feeling. You're kind of chasing whatever it is you're chasing. Like for me it was like I was chasing like certain records or certain things and a lot of times I would get those things. And then I realized that it was kind of like a dopamine hit, right? So you gotta like, keep doing it, keep doing it. And you realize that the feeling you're really looking for is unconditional, for real. But you're, you're looking for it in something that's conditional, something that's like database numbers based, statistical, you know, statistics. And those things are great. But what I have now is just a perspective and understanding of it all. And I realized that it's like, you know what? For real, what I'm really was looking for is just like purpose, happiness, and to be inspired and to be able to create. To be able to make something out of nothing. That's one of the like, come on. That's like one of the most. There's nothing more creative than creating a creation, you know, it's like one of the most beautiful things you could do. Whether you're making a art piece, whether you're making a song, whether you're making a book, whether you're making a human being, whatever it is, you know, creating.

[Hoda Kotb]

That'S what you do.

[Big Sean]

It's so funny because when you probably. I'm trying to picture you as just a little, little boy when you were just young and you were thinking about like, you know, you're doing what all the kids do.

Yeah.

What were you like as a little kid?

As a little kid, I mean, I was like fearless, happy, definitely. I just had a crazy imagination. Like I could imagine myself in any situation, you know. I think that's why even when I first was really getting into rap and like music in general. Cause I grew up in a Motown household, so I grew up like Stevie Wonder always on Diana Ross temptations, you know what I mean? Like so on and so Marvin Gaye, that was like one of my mom's favorite was Marvin Gaye, Isley Brothers, Aretha. So anyway, I grew up in a house of that music. But when I really started getting into rap, I was like, oh, I could do this, like for real. And like at like 10 or 11 years old. I saw it already.

Wait, you saw it?

Yeah, I saw it. Like I saw me doing that. I saw me like perform and I, I felt it and I just like went with it. And I just knew that that was at least part like back then I thought that was like my life's journey. And I'm not saying it isn't, but you know, it's a lot more to it now to be a 10 or.

11 year old kid and to know, like most 10, 11 year old kids. You knew?

Yeah, I knew. I wasn't like, skeptical about it. I wasn't like, oh, I would love to. I was like, oh, this is what I'm gonna do.

Okay. So somebody put in your brain that, A, you could do anything right, B, that you had limitless potential. That abundance was all around, like, somehow that was all.

But I got a lot of hate, though.

Why?

I don't know. It was a lot of people from, I think, coming from Detroit. The only rapper that was like, on that level was Eminem at the time. You know what I'm saying? Like, and they just. Yeah, I just got told a lot. Like, it just doesn't really happen. Like, it's not really gonna happen. Like that being from Detroit, like, you're not as weird as that sounds, right? Cause there's Motown, there's all these incredible people. But for some reason, I just got told that so many times and I'm like, I don't get. Why not?

Well, okay, so here's a question then. If someone's pounding on you saying, it's not gonna be you, it can't be you. It's never gonna be you. Not someone from Detroit. Like, how does that person.

[Hoda Kotb]

Cause your ego has to be fragile. You're not.

[Big Sean]

You've never really done it right.

[Hoda Kotb]

What made you think y'all are wrong and I'm right?

[Big Sean]

I just looked at it as, there's gotta be a way. I wasn't trying to prove anybody wrong. I wasn't even trying to prove, like, any small doubts that I had wrong. I just was like, really just pursuing my passion. And I feel like I realized in life when I just did things out of the love of it, like, that's when things just fell into place, you know, Like, I would record music, I sell it around my high school, you know, for like three to five dollars for these CDs. I pressed up, shot my album cover at Sears. And I would get in trouble for that. But then, like, I remember a few years ago when I went back to my high school and they have a whole Big Sean recording studio in the school now with, like my platinum plaques all on the wall and kids learning how to record and being comfortable in front of the mic and learning the engineering aspect of it. But, like, I was just doing that, you know, it was a complete 180. Cause I would get in trouble for it. I. I would get suspended for that sometimes. And then, like, I would be doing like open mics and like battle rapping and Doing this show at the radio station every week. And it was. No, I wasn't getting paid for it, but I just felt like it was my job. And I realized that when I did get an opportunity to meet, you know, one of my idols and rap form, that I was prepared for that moment.

So you know what's funny? Once you get the thing you want that you've dreamt of, a lot of things come with it, and they're kind of like golden handcuffs. You are the one. You get people calling your name, you're making money. All these things that you think you want, Right. What did you find when you were in the middle of that whole kind of fame, money, tornado?

There's so many, like, people that feel like they deserve so many things from you or that it's your responsibility to take care of certain people. It can be very stressful, and it could be. Especially when you're the only one from your environment that is doing what you're doing. It's almost like everyone, you know, it's like if you're emitting light, it's like a lot of the moss and the things are going to be coming at you and they like pulling at you. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. So it was stressful. And I remember being in New York, and I had just finished my first tour, and I remember my business manager sitting me down and going over my finances, and it was literally right around the corner from here, where we're at now. And I was just like, dang, my whole life just changed.

When a lot of things start to come, I mean, you fell upon some hard times.

Absolutely.

What happened? When was what. What happened that brought you to your knees?

I mean, I always heard the expression that God doesn't give you what you want. God gives you what you need, and. Or you make plans and God laughs at it. And you see, you realize that the hard way. And, you know, you got to build yourself up to realize that you're here for a reason. And sometimes what you want and what you need lines up, and sometimes it doesn't line up, and that could be very hard for you. So there have been times where, like, I overworked myself. I didn't realize the importance of balance. I didn't realize the importance of taking care of myself. Because when you come from a place like Detroit, and when it finally does happen for you, to a certain extent, it's like you're scared to lose it. So you got to keep the momentum up. You got to, like, really, like, stay consistent. You Got to stay hot. And you overwork yourself and realize that no, that's moving out of desperation. That's actually a fear based way of looking at it. It's like you really gotta accept that you're meant to be here. Like this was meant for you, this is your life until you, until you say so. You know what I mean? You're the one in control of that aspect of it. And I crashed out. I definitely crashed out around my third album. After my third album, I was just trying to do too much and touring and just completely lost sight of myself because it was just all work. I didn't factor in any me time. I didn't factor in watching anime or doing anything that I liked. I lost touch of everything that I like to do and I didn't even recognize myself anymore. And it was a blaring, painful moment because I felt hopeless and I felt like I didn't even know myself. So I had to step away from everything for a while. And I also was like taking Adderall, which I wasn't prescribed it, and it was like a very addictive type of drug that really gave me like a false confidence. And I realized that later on, the dopamine that your brain creates when you're on a drug like Adderall is false dopamine. So it shuts off the natural dopamine your brain makes. And once you cut that out cold turkey, you're like completely depressed. You're like have no inspiration and everything is just hard. And I had to really go through figuring myself out. I had to redo my foundation completely. And that took me a couple years, honestly, but I was able to reconnect with myself spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally. I got in shape, you know, I didn't know how much everything was so related until then. Like, your physical is part of your mental and your mental is part of your spiritual and your emotional is part of your physical. And everything is just all interconnected, you know, So I had to learn that the hard way.

[Hoda Kotb]

And.

[Big Sean]

But I'm glad I did because it just, it really taught me how to move more efficient and to realize what really is important to me and what.

Isn'T, you know, I mean, I think that that's a big lesson for a guy who's as young as you are, because I think your average person would think you've got all the things and like they say with most things. I remember I interviewed Magic Johnson and I asked him, I said, when were you your happiest? And he said, I'll tell you When I was my happiest, I'm sitting on the dorm room floor with Cookie, who was my girlfriend at the time, when we're scraping together nickels and quarters to get a slice of pizza and two Cokes. He said that day, of all the things he's done and of all of the fame and of all of the things he's been through that spoke to him, that's when he wanted for nothing.

Wow.

Everything.

He wanted that man magic. Another Michigan boy. Yeah. That is wild. That's crazy.

[Hoda Kotb]

But it's like. So if you were to look at.

[Big Sean]

Your life and say to yourself, this was when I was my happiest, or maybe that day's yet to come. You know, you talk about your grandma a lot, which I feel like is very. Like you have such a strong connection with her. Someone who believe.

[Hoda Kotb]

But is there a moment in your.

[Big Sean]

Life where you say aha, man.

A moment where I think that like where I was my happiest. Happiest. Wow. I remember when I had my son, not only was it happy, but it was just like soul shifting. That was like a, like, it was like happy, but it was so many emotions at once that it was like a transformation. But like when I was at my happiest though, like just pure.

Yeah.

Happy. Let me think. Definitely had to be when I was like younger and I really had happy times with like my dad and like my mom together. Like one of the things I really loved the most is like a core memory is like when we went to go see Star Wars. I know that sounds funny, but we saw like the Empire Strike Backs and I remember we went to McDonald's right before and had a 20 piece nugget. And that was like one of the happiest days of my life. And I can't explain why though. I really can't.

Because it was everything.

Yeah, it just was everything.

You remember the 20 piece?

Yeah, it was a 20. It was the first time getting a 20 piece. It was, it was like. And we were eating it and we saw Star wars and it was just like a perfect night.

That's very beautiful, I have to say.

Yeah.

To have that memory.

Yeah. The book goes, I just met George Lucas too. Like, oh, you red carpet. Yeah. And I thought about that when I. When I met him and his, his wife. I told him about that, actually. He did, Yeah. I don't know if he cared that much, but I definitely met him. I saw him at the Tyler Perry invited me to the 6AAA premiere because my grandma was in the 6 Triple.

A. I read about that. That's pretty extraordinary.

Yeah. She was in a six triple A. And she was very modest. Like she didn't ever really talk about what she did. But we had her pictures all around our house, you know, and it was so crazy how that movie brought all the pictures to life. And it was just like you saw like I remember she was telling us about how she was seasick going from the south to Europe and there was no one to come for her. They just handed her a bucket and she just had to deal with it, however long that trip takes. And just, you know, being a real. I always thought she was incredible, but. But my whole life people would be like, you don't agree how important your grandma is. You don't understand like the impact. And I was so happy that he told that story.

That was beaut.

I know it's beautiful and I'm happy. It's like one of the most popular movies on Netflix and stuff and Oscar nominated and all that.

[Hoda Kotb]

More with Big Sean after the break.

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[Big Sean]

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[Big Sean]

A lot of people who worked as hard as you to get where you are wonder and worry that it may be an irrational fear. But like, what if it all goes away, right? Do you care if it all goes away?

I used to. I used to be, you know, afraid of that. But I do believe fear is just false evidence appearing real. So I feel like. I mean, I didn't have much growing up. And I was happy, too, you know, I was happy, sad. I had all the ups and downs then, too. Like. So I realized that, yeah, if I lost it all, it wouldn't be losing it all. Cause I gained so much already that can't even be monetized. I gained the experiences, the knowledge, the wisdom. You know, even if I went back to exactly where I started, it wouldn't be the same place in a lot of ways. So, no, I'm not really afraid of any of that.

Go Higher. I like the name. Who came up with the name? It's brilliant.

Well, Go Higher. The name came about because at first I was writing a book, and each chapter was like a name of one of my songs. And I have a song called Higher. And then we were gonna call the book Higher, and we were like, it kind of needs more of an action to it, so then it'll go higher. And then I got rid of the idea of, like, naming all the chapters. But that's how the title came about is like, Go Higher.

An author isn't a big step. I heard you talking to Jay Shetty, and he originally had said, like, come on, you gotta write a book.

[Hoda Kotb]

You gotta write a book.

[Big Sean]

You got a lot to say. Did you not think at that stage, I don't have enough to say for a book?

Yeah. You know, because sometimes you look. It's like you're not. You look at yourself and you're like, I'm not the most successful person in the world. I'm not the most. Like, it's not like I have a degree. And, you know, you think all these, like, things, but they're just the doubts in your mind. And then one of the things I asked myself is, how do you measure success? And to me, success is a feeling. It's an emotion. It's a. It's a happiness. And I was like, well, maybe I am one of the most successful people in the world, if you look at it like that. Because I realized how special it is even to just be here, right? How happy I am, to just wake up and get it going. Even as crushing as life can be sometimes, like, if you go based off the circumstances. One of the reasons I wanted to write the book is because this book, these practices that I do, it's like putting armor on. Like, all of that stuff can't affect you. It can't hit you. It can't penetrate you. It's like, you know, the armor catches, and you could take your armor off at the end of the day, and life can do anything it wants to do, but it doesn't dictate your happiness. The whole point of the book is just to, like, you know, help people out. I had people like my grandma. I had people like my mom, who's so fire. You know, all of these teachers around me. I had, like, great family members. And a lot of people don't have that. A lot of people didn't get those ideas. You know, when I wanted to be a rapper and I told my mom and rap for her, she was the first person I rapped for. She was like, you can manifest it. You need to read this. You need to do that. And I didn't read the books until I was completely desperate.

Like, what books did she want you to read?

She was like, read the seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra. Read Asking it as given by Esther and Jerry Hicks. Read what you think of me is none of my business. Read the Four Agreements. Read, you know, all of these books that I read later on the Alchemist. And I was just like, damn. Like, this is exactly what I needed. But there are a lot of people, even just in my crossings that will never read them books that really need that advice. So I was really called to, you know, put a lot of these gems in my book, a lot of these things, and just kind of cut the fat down and just give it straight to them.

And I think what's important in this book is you talked about. About your vulnerability, you talked about depression, you talked about suicidal thoughts.

Yeah.

So it's not like you're living this life skipping along and trying to spew advice from the mountaintop. You've been in the trenches, but suicidal thoughts, that's a big.

I've definitely been in the trenches, for sure.

[Hoda Kotb]

That's a big. That's a big revelation.

[Big Sean]

Suicidal thoughts.

Yeah.

Yeah. I mean, and I know I'm not alone in that, and I know people have thought about it, even people in my family. You know, I've talked about my dad having. You know, in the book, he talks about his time he wanted to commit suicide or, you know, depression is something like. I know my brother has had a great deal, you know, so many people, not even just my family. But, yeah, there was a time where I definitely wanted to, like, off myself. I was done. You know, life was just too much for me to handle.

But was that when you were in the. At the Peak of your fame and all that. Or was it before?

Yeah, actually was. It actually was. You know, and I look at some of these people, like Chester and like, you know, Linkin park and Kurt Cobain and just I think, like, how does that happen? I see how it happens. You don't have to be, by the way, you don't have to be in any type of like this industry or music or whatever, entertainment to feel this way.

Like, what saved you from those thoughts?

God, I don't even know what else to say. Just. Just really going within, you know what I'm saying? Like digging deep, like soul searching, whatever you want to call it. I don't know, it's just like I had to have faith in myself. I had to re. Establish my faith, trust in my faith, you know, in the middle of trust is that you. And it's like you gotta trust that everything is for the betterment of you, you know, it's for your greater good. You feel me?

I feel you. Yeah, you got it. I mean, just to be in that moment and to be able to. Did you. Who was your. Who's like your 2am phone call? Who do you call when you.

My 2am phone call. I'm calling God at 2am there's not too many people I'm calling at 2am Honestly, you know, but I got a. I definitely have a handful of friends, family members and people I love that I. I can call on. But I really love that time at night to just go within and like explore myself, you know, Because I feel like we can get so lost in this, the world we live in. It's like a. Especially with social media, right? You can easily get on that and just get lost and start comparing your life to everyone else's life or even start living in a whole different reality. So it's like you really gotta put in perspective that that is like a conditional thing and that is a tool. And it is a beautiful thing, by the way, to be so interconnected digitally with everyone. But you can't let that like dictate your life. You can't let that be your, you know, your center of attention.

Do you limit how much you're on there or if you read comments or things like that?

I don't read comments like I used to at all. Yeah, I kind of have. Just lately I've just realized how fast time is going and I've been catching myself to just like put my time back into my craft.

There you go.

You know what I mean?

That's it. Yeah.

I was on the phone. My brother, my dad actually had some, some heart surgery and recently and nothing too major though. But he just was like, man, I just, I don't know when the future got here so fast. That's what my brother said to me. He was like, you know, I'm in my 40s, he said. And I was like, I don't get when that happened. It's just all of a sudden.

More.

[Hoda Kotb]

To come with Big Sean. Stay with us.

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[Big Sean]

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[Big Sean]

Did you have, I mean, you have such great advice in this book. Did you. And you talk about going within a lot. Did you have therapy? Did someone help you? Did you go to a retreat or like Koda?

I've done it all. I've done a lot of things. Like, I've literally have gone to mountaintops in the south of France and meditated on them and like have mentors. Meditation. Yeah. One of my mentors, Marie diamond, was in the movie the Secret. You know the book. And helped her with the book as well. But I've been to like Mount Shasta. I've been to like all these places, meditated and all done all that. I've been in therapy for sure for years, like on and off and tried different therapists. And it's been amazing. You know, you get, you gain something from it all. And the beauty about therapy is like you could talk to a family member about what you got going, one of your friends, but it kind of stays between y'all.

Yeah.

And it gets a little heavy. You burdening somebody who May be going through their own thing. Like when you in therapy, you can unload and you just leave it there and you feel so much lighter. And it is, like, so worth it for anyone who ever questioned it. You know, I actually got my dad into therapy from telling him my experience. And he grew up in Monroe, Louisiana, so he grew up in, like, a real racist, you know, during, like, the civil rights movement. And, you know, he would get his beat for being on the wrong side of the train tracks. You know what I mean? So he even grew up having a stutter. And I was just always wondering, like, man, did that come from you being beat? You know what I'm saying? And he overcame his stutter and he was like, you might be right, you know, and anyway, it's really worth it to anybody, whoever is questioning it. And you got. It's like finding. It's like you may have to try different ones. It's like finding the right barber or, like the right restaurant. You gotta. You're not always gonna get it right off bat, but it's definitely worth it.

Well, your book has got so many great tips, things that people can do. Simple how to. It's not one of those, which I like. And I encourage people to buy the book and dig into it because there'll be a lot of great things.

[Hoda Kotb]

If you had a day that was.

[Big Sean]

Just for you, Sean, you had not one person calling you. You have your house to yourself. You got not one thing on the calendar, Nothing, nothing. When do you open your eyes? What do you do? How do you fill that day? And when do you close them?

I probably wake up around 10:30. I'm chilling. I'm walking outside in the sun, you know, and I'm doing my thing. Like, I like to journal because I like to get it all out of my head, whatever it is I'm feeling. Or, you know, I just do a gratitude journal too, if it's like, nothing too heavy on me or nothing. And, you know, meditate. And then I love watching, like, anime. I love, like, Dragon Ball Z, Attack on Titan, something like that. I love a good movie too. Good shows. A very good, like, show. Movie connoisseur. I probably would, like, probably go in the studio, either make some music or just listen to some good music for a couple hours. Few hours. What else would I do? I would. I've done this. This is like a day. This is like a couple. I've had a couple of these days. And then just do whatever I wanna do. Just do whatever I want. I really do enjoy my Solitude, though.

Yeah, you do.

I do. But you know, that's if it was just me.

Just you.

You know, but I've had perfect days, especially with my son and like my family, I've had so many perfect days, you know, doing some fun activity.

You're probably gonna give him one of those Star Wars 20 nugget days that he's gonna remember when he's your age and say, I remember that day.

And it probably didn't mean that much to my dad, you know.

Yeah, he probably didn't even remember it hardly. Yeah.

Or my mom. They probably were like, oh, yeah, having.

A son was transformative for you, wasn't it?

Yeah. Oh my God.

Tectonic plates.

Yeah. And what about your kids?

I've got an 8 year old and a soon to be 6 year old. She'll be 6 this week. And they are. Yeah. Like they've changed everything for me. And part of the reason that I chose to kind of switch career paths at this moment was because of what you said about time. Because time goes, you can't get it back and you need to sit kind of in the moment where you are.

Yeah.

And like I'm trying to teach my kids, just probably like you're teaching yours. I was, I teach mine in the morning. Like I said, think about this. Think about your spirit, think about your body, think about your mind and think about your emotions and ask those parts of you, what do you need? So my body sometimes needs to go to a soul cycle class and sometimes just needs a hot shower.

That's right.

My intellect sometimes wants to listen to a really good podcast and sometimes I want to have a really meaningful conversation with a dear, my emotional self. I know I want to snuggle with my kids. I missed it last night. My spirit, I need more convos with God today.

[Hoda Kotb]

So I have.

[Big Sean]

So I said, though, here's our mini roadmap for the day.

[Hoda Kotb]

Just a little, just for.

[Big Sean]

Just for today.

I love that. That's the power of separation too. I love that.

And you can. And you ask that part of you, what do you need? And so I was trying to get my kids to. Cause you know, we're sort of shaping them and I'm, you know, I'm concerned, like, am I doing it right?

Am I messing up? They're probably like, oh God.

They're like, my spirit wants ice cream, as does my body, my mind and the rest of me.

Yeah. But just that, you know what that foundation you laying on, because I used to be like that too. And I'm Sure. You used to be like that too, when you were little. You know, it all makes sense later on. It really does, you know, And I love that you separate that, because a lot of people tie everything in together. And that's one of the biggest mistakes I used to make with my life. I used to tie in things going my way with me being happy or things not going my way with me being unhappy. Those are two separate things, you know what I'm saying? If something don't go my way, say I put something out and it doesn't do what I want it to do. Song album There have been times where they've done over exceeding the times where it'd be like, oh, this the one, and it's not the one. And it's like, it'll control my mood, my happiness, but I've kind of separated it to where if things don't go my way, I kind of just, like, I'll still feel it. It'll sting, but I'll be like, that's it. Let it go.

Let it go.

You know? And I'm sure that my heroes, like, I got a chance to work with Will Smith. Like, I'm sure Will Smith has had amazing success, and sometimes things don't go his way. But it ain't like he gave up. It's just, you go, move on, Denzel. You know what I'm saying? Or Jay Z or whoever, Eminem. It's like sometimes it do, sometimes it don't. And that just is what it is. You gotta keep going, though. You can't let it take you under, because that's where the greatness is made.

Will Smith gave some good advice when I did an interview with him, and he said, he's talking about raising kids. And he goes, what you gotta do? He said, they're perfect, right? All you gotta do is give them some water and some sunlight and get out of the way. Don't try to twist those branches. Don't try to make them grow the way you want them to grow. Just let them be.

And he gave me great advice, too, by my son. He's just saying, like, like, you doing, like, don't worry. Like, you know, just you're. You're a great dad because you care. Yeah, because I can just tell, like, just because you. The way you're talking, you care. So many people that don't care, especially men. You know what I'm saying? He was like, there are a lot of people who are disconnect. But he was like, you care so much. I could tell so and, you know, one of the things is, like, I enjoy seeing life through my son's eyes. I enjoy, like, looking at things from his perspective because it has awakened my inner child again. It's taught me to have fun with everything I can, you know what I'm saying? It's taught me to really reconnect with nature too, because he just loves outside. He loves, like, flowers and like animals, you know what I'm saying?

And things like stuff that we would never notice twice.

Yeah. Stuff that we get desensitized by a little bit, that we'd be like, oh, the tree. But I've been like, you know, looking at the trees, and I'm like, man, this is a real nice tree.

Oh, listen.

You know what I'm saying?

So my five year old, who's about to turn six, I was deciding whether or not I should stay here, and she was climbing the same tree in our front yard, which is literally as tall as maybe the ceiling. So she climbs up and down, up and down, up and down.

[Hoda Kotb]

So I said to her, I was.

[Big Sean]

Standing at the bottom. I go, look at you, Hopi. I said, you're on top of the tree again. I go, now what are you gonna do? And she looked down at me and she goes, I guess I'll just find another tree. And I go, what? Wow. She goes, another tree. And I was like, another tree, another tree.

[Hoda Kotb]

That was, for me, like another tree, another tree.

[Big Sean]

They teach you if you listen, because.

[Hoda Kotb]

Often we're talking over them and telling.

[Big Sean]

Them what to do and don't do that and don't do this. But if we listen.

Yeah, no, I only tell him, don't do something when he's about to kill himself on accident. You know, you gotta let your kids be free, though. You do to a certain extent. Like, you know, he loves jumping on a trampoline. Like, I let him. Like, you know, I'm not gonna let you jump off of the trampoline, but, like, no, that's amazing. And I'm so Hoda. You don't understand the impact you had on so many people. Like when I, you know, was talking about I was coming to New York and the stuff I had to do, and I brought you up everyone's eyes. I talked to her. What? She's amazing. Like, I didn't already know that. But you, the impact you've made is immeasurable. You know, the happiness, the energy you brought, your impact is felt wholeheartedly. And, you know, you entering in your new chapter. Come on. Very proud of you.

Well, thank You. And this is what you do best. You take the spotlight off of you and turn it on someone else. Touche. Okay. You're awesome. Buy Big Sean's book. It's gonna be amazing. Thank you for sitting with me today. You are as lovely as everybody said. I knew it a thousand times over. Not only are you. When they say that there's genius in your music, it's evident and clear, but you're also just an awesome human being, so.

Oh, thank you. Thank you. That is a true pleasure. I'm starting to see. Is there anything else? Anything else that we want to say? And plug the. The book. You got the book.

You got any music coming out that we need to talk about?

New music is on the way. Of course. Of course. Shout out to my mom and my dad. I know they were going to be watching this. Yeah. And just thankful for everyone who's played a part along. Along the journey.

Wow.

You're awesome so far.

I love you.

Thanks for coming. Thank you. Love you too. Appreciate it.

[Hoda Kotb]

Hey, guys, thank you so much for listening and for coming on this journey with me. If you like what you heard, and I hope that you do, please give Making Space a five star rating and review on Apple Podcasts. And make sure you tell your friends. Follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening.

[Big Sean]

Listening right now.

[Hoda Kotb]

Making Space with Hoda Kotb is produced by Allison Berger and Alexa Casabecchia, along with Kate Saunders. Our associate audio engineer is Juliana Mostarilli. Our audio engineers are Katie Lau, Bob Mallory, and Mark Yoshi Zumi. Original music by John Estes. Bryson Barnes is our head of audio production. Missy Dunlop Parsons is our executive producer. Libby Leist is the executive vice president of Today and Lifestyle.

[Jamie Lynn Sigler]

Hey, all. I'm Jamie Lynn Sigler, a mom, actor and advocate. I know how overwhelming it can be trying to decide which treatment is right for you. I've been there. But you should know you're not alone. You can do this. Start with some research, talk to the community, and most importantly, don't be afraid to ask your doctor questions. You might find results that speak for themselves. That's how I landed on Kisimta. Ask your doctor if Kisimta ofatumumab could be right for you. You can check out the details at kisimta. Com.