Big Sean Honors the Women Who Shaped Him at the LA Times Festival of Books

 

The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books returned to the campus of the University of Southern California with conversations that extended far beyond literature, and Big Sean delivered one resting at the intersection of legacy, reflection, and growth.

Appearing on the L.A. Times Main Stage on April 27, 2025, Sean discussed his debut book, Go Higher: Five Practices for Purpose, Success, and Inner Peace. The conversation moved through themes of spiritual alignment, discipline, and self-awareness, but what grounded it most were the women who shaped his life.

Sean spoke candidly about his mother, crediting her for instilling the foundation that continues to guide him. Her influence showed up not only in his words, but in the way he framed success. Less about achievement, more about purpose.

He also honored his grandmother, Mildred Virginia Dupree Leonard, whose legacy carried its own weight. A pioneering Black female captain in the World War II “Six Triple Eight” battalion, her life represented strength, leadership, and service. Her influence has long lived in his music, most notably in One Man Can Change the World, where her story became a point of reflection and pride.

Over the years, Sean’s evolution has been visible. From the energy of his earlier albums to this current chapter, there is a shift in how he speaks, what he values, and how he defines success. At the festival, that growth felt clear. He showed up not only as an artist, but as a man who has taken time to understand himself.

Now a father, that perspective carries even more weight. Legacy is no longer something he references. It is something he is actively shaping.Through Go Higher, Sean shared practices that reflect where he is today: Grounded, reflective, and focused on inner peace.

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At USC, the conversation landed as more than a book discussion. It became a moment of acknowledgment. Of where he comes from, who poured into him, and how that continues to guide who he is becoming.