Big Sean at Detroit's Lincoln High SchoolBig Sean spent Monday serving as principal for the day at Warren, Michigan's Lincoln High School, winners of the Get Schooled's Detroit Attendance Challenge. Lincoln High competed against 16 other area schools and took first place by improving its attendance record by 8.56 percent year-over-year during the competition.
Big Sean was joined by other celebrity Michigan natives. Royce da 5'9 performed and Mike Posner made an appearance. The "Dance (A$$)" rapper told Hip Hop Media Training that the experience reminded him of his days attending the city's Waldorf School and Cass Technical High School, where he graduated with a 3.7 GPA.
How did it feel to be principal of the day at Lincoln High School?
It was an honor. People were excited. We were walking in classrooms. Some classes were shocked. It just feels good to be able to come back and do that -- people look up to you -- and be a role model. It was just incredibly important to me. I want to leave a legacy behind, something my grandmother would be proud of.
Rappers generally shun being called role models. I've always felt that it's one thing to perform and record music in the studio, but another to actually be around the kids who are influenced by your music. Do you feel that way?
Yes. It's completely different being up and close and personal with them. The impact you can have on someone's life. Sometimes, it can mean the world to them. We were just having fun hosting at the gym with them all the kids there, freestyling with them. It was a great time. My assistant said, "They are going to remember this their whole life." I said, "I'm going to remember this for forever."
Did you experience anything today that reminded you of your days in high school?
When I walked in the yearbook classroom, it was exactly how it used to be. They were inattentive. You could tell a lot of them were seniors. They were anxious to be done with school. I used to be like, "I can't wait to graduate." Really, those are some of the best times.
Did you say you were on yearbook staff?
Yes.
Did you like it?
I didn't really like it.
Were you voted Most Popular or Most Likely To Succeed or anything?
I was voted Class Top Notch. I had a nice car. Had good grades, stuff like that.
Did anything happen today that was totally different than the way things were when you were in school?
Not really. I told them they get out of line imma send they ass home. [laughing] It was just a really great time. No fights. It was all good.
What about the dress code? Were the girls dressing crazy?
No. I wasn't even paying attention.
What was your high school principal like?
My principal was weird. I think I was way more cool than my principal. He was somebody always in tuned with the students, always around, a good role model.
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