''What You Expect'' is a collaborative
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. by American rapper
Big Sean
Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. Anderson began his music career in 2007 and gained popularity in 2010 with his third mixtape '' Finally Famous Vol. 3: Big''. He then s ...
and American record producer
Hit-Boy
Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr. (born May 21, 1987), better known by his stage name Hit-Boy, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. In May 2011, he had signed a two-year deal with Kanye West's GOOD Music production branch. ...
. It was released through Big Sean's own label, FF to Def, and
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop.
The ...
on October 29, 2021. The EP features guest appearances from
Bryson Tiller
Bryson Djuan Tiller (born January 2, 1993) is an American singer and rapper. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, he began his career in 2011 with a mixtape entitled ''Killer Instinct Vol. 1''. Tiller initially gained mainstream success in 2015 follow ...
,
Lil Durk
Durk Derrick Banks (born October 19, 1992), known professionally as Lil Durk, is an American rapper and singer. He is the lead member and founder of the collective and record label Only the Family (OTF). Durk garnered a cult following with the ...
,
Babyface Ray
Marcellus Rayvon Register (born February 7, 1991), known professionally as Babyface Ray, is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan. He is noted as an important and prominent figure of the Detroit hip hop scene.
Early life
Ray recalls parti ...
, and
42 Dugg
Dion Marquise Hayes (born November 25, 1995), known professionally as 42 Dugg, is an American rapper. He is jointly signed to rappers Lil Baby and Yo Gotti's respective labels 4 Pockets Full (4PF) and Collective Music Group (CMG), in conjunctio ...
. Production was mainly handled by Hit-Boy on every track along with side help from G Dav,
Oz, Jesse Blum,
Rogét Chahayed
Rogét Lutfi Chahayed (born May 31, 1988) is a Grammy-nominated American record producer and songwriter who Billboard has called "one of hip-hop and pop's most dependable hit machines." A conservatory-trained pianist who became a producer under ...
,
Don Cannon
Donald Cannon (born August 2, 1979) is an American DJ, record producer, songwriter, and record executive. Cannon is a co-founder of the Atlantic Records imprint, Generation Now. He was also a member of the prominent Atlanta mixtape collective, ...
, G. Ry, Bryvn, PittThaKid, and Ace G. It was supported by the release of one single, "What a Life", the closing track, which was released exactly a week prior to the release of the EP.
Background and promotion
Big Sean and Hit-Boy have extensively collaborated before the release of the EP. On October 28, 2021, both artists announced the EP, with Sean admitting that he planned to release only one single the same day as the EP was released, but decided to release five songs, which would be part of an EP. The tracklist was revealed hours later. The two artists released the closing track, "What a Life", on October 22, 2021, with a music video.
Track listing
Notes
* signifies an additional
producer.
* signifies a co-producer.
* "Into It" features uncredited additional vocals from
Nas
Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones.
Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to:
Aviation
* Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea
* National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia
** Nas Air ( ...
.
* "The One" contains samples from "
You're the One", performed by
SWV
SWV (Sisters with Voices) is an American R&B vocal trio from New York City whose members are Cheryl (Coko) Gamble, Tamara (Taj) Johnson, and Leanne (Lelee) Lyons. Formed in 1988 as a gospel group, SWV became one of the most successful R&B g ...
.
Personnel
Musicians
*
Big Sean
Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. Anderson began his music career in 2007 and gained popularity in 2010 with his third mixtape '' Finally Famous Vol. 3: Big''. He then s ...
– vocals (all tracks), songwriting (all tracks)
*
Hit-Boy
Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr. (born May 21, 1987), better known by his stage name Hit-Boy, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. In May 2011, he had signed a two-year deal with Kanye West's GOOD Music production branch. ...
– production (all tracks), songwriting (all tracks)
* G Dav – production (tracks 2, 5), songwriting (tracks 2, 5)
* Jesse Blum – horn (track 1), additional production (tracks 3, 5), songwriting (track 5)
*
Oz – production (track 3), songwriting (track 3)
*
Coko
Cheryl Elizabeth Gamble (formerly Clemons; born June 13, 1970), better known by her stage name Coko, is an American singer-songwriter best known as the lead singer of the R&B vocal trio Sisters With Voices (SWV). Aside from her R&B career, Gamble ...
– songwriting (track 3)
*
Tamara Johnson-George
Tamara Antrice Johnson-George ( Johnson; born April 29, 1971), best known by her stage/nickname Taj, is an American singer and rapper. She is best known as one-third of the R&B singing group Sisters with Voices ( SWV). She also competed on th ...
– songwriting (track 3)
*
Leanne Lyons – songwriting (track 3)
*
Andrea Martin
Andrea Louise Martin (born January 15, 1947) is an American-Canadian actress, singer, and comedian, best known for her work in the television series '' SCTV'' and ''Great News''. She has appeared in films such as '' Black Christmas'' (1974), ''W ...
– songwriting (track 3)
*
Ivan Matias
Ivan Matias is an Music of the United States, American singer, songwriter, Producer (music), producer, Arrangement, arranger, Hip hop music, hip hop ghostwriter, and Entrepreneurship, entrepreneur. He is primarily known for writing and producing ...
– songwriting (track 3)
* Allen Gordon – songwriting (track 3)
*
Bryson Tiller
Bryson Djuan Tiller (born January 2, 1993) is an American singer and rapper. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, he began his career in 2011 with a mixtape entitled ''Killer Instinct Vol. 1''. Tiller initially gained mainstream success in 2015 follow ...
– vocals (track 4), songwriting (track 4)
*
Lil Durk
Durk Derrick Banks (born October 19, 1992), known professionally as Lil Durk, is an American rapper and singer. He is the lead member and founder of the collective and record label Only the Family (OTF). Durk garnered a cult following with the ...
– vocals (track 4), songwriting (track 4)
*
Rogét Chahayed
Rogét Lutfi Chahayed (born May 31, 1988) is a Grammy-nominated American record producer and songwriter who Billboard has called "one of hip-hop and pop's most dependable hit machines." A conservatory-trained pianist who became a producer under ...
– additional production (tracks 4–6), songwriting (tracks 4–6), keyboards (tracks 4–6)
*
Don Cannon
Donald Cannon (born August 2, 1979) is an American DJ, record producer, songwriter, and record executive. Cannon is a co-founder of the Atlantic Records imprint, Generation Now. He was also a member of the prominent Atlanta mixtape collective, ...
– co-production (track 4), songwriting (track 4)
* G. Ry – co-production (track 4), songwriting (tracks 4, 6), production (track 6)
* Bryvn – co-production (track 4), songwriting (track 4), bass (track 4)
* PittThaKid – co-production (track 4), songwriting (track 4)
* Ace G. – co-production (track 4), songwriting (track 4)
* Babyface Ray – vocals (track 5), songwriting (track 5)
*
42 Dugg
Dion Marquise Hayes (born November 25, 1995), known professionally as 42 Dugg, is an American rapper. He is jointly signed to rappers Lil Baby and Yo Gotti's respective labels 4 Pockets Full (4PF) and Collective Music Group (CMG), in conjunctio ...
– vocals (track 5), songwriting (track 5)
*
Carter Lang – additional production (track 6), keyboards (track 6)
Technical
* David Kim – mixer (tracks 1–3, 5, 6), recording engineer (tracks 5, 6)
* Colin Leonard – mastering engineer (tracks 1–6)
* Tom Kahre – recording engineer (tracks 1–4, 6)
* Michael Miller – assistant recording engineer (tracks 1, 4)
* Gregg Rominiecki – mixer (track 4)
Charts
References
{{Authority control
2021 EPs
Big Sean albums
2021 collaborative albums
Def Jam Recordings albums
Albums produced by Hit-Boy
Albums produced by Rogét Chahayed