Big Sean has revealed how his fan-favorite hit “IDFWU” caused a temporary rift within the Carter household after it put Beyoncé and JAY-Z at odds before it was even released.
Big Sean recently sat down with Detroit Lions player Amon-Ra St. Brown for an episode of his eponymous podcast where he shared a behind-the-scenes story about his 2014 hit. In particular, Sean Don detailed how it sparked a difference of opinion between the music industry power couple due to one key suggestion during the anthem’s early stages.
According to the Detroit rap native, “IDFWU” started out as a fun freestyle in the studio with DJ Mustard. Inspired by Too $hort, Big Sean claims he was simply playing around when he first recorded it and initially didn’t see it as a major song, when asked by St. Brown if he expected it to blow-up.
“No, no, hell no,” Big Sean said initially. “I was just f###### around like…I was really trying to make a song like this Too $hort song I heard the beat and I was just like, ‘Freestyle that s###,’ like I almost didn’t want to use it.”
big Sean reveals that Beyoncé suggested he put nicki minaj on his hit song “IDFWY” but Jay z convinced him NOT to. pic.twitter.com/MhtCBOERk3
— welp. (@YSLONIKA) March 7, 2025
However, when it came time to finalize his Dark Sky Paradise album, the song’s potential started to become clearer. Big Sean revealed that he played the album for JAY-Z and Beyoncé at their house before putting the finishing touches on the LP. He says it was during that playback session that Beyoncé voiced some reservations about the track, while HOV ranted and raved about it.
“Beyoncé was like, it’s a little disrespectful,” he said. She suggested adding Nicki Minaj to the record, possibly to balance out the song with a female perspective. JAY-Z, on the other hand, had a completely different stance.
“He was like, ‘People gone get it that it’s just you having fun’,” he explained.
JAY-Z’s support for the track was so strong that he continued pushing Sean to release it.
“I was getting texts from Hov every day,” he said. “He sent me a text one time that was like, ‘Every day you’re not putting that song out, you’re losing.’”
Despite Sean’s initial hesitation, he ultimately decided to include “IDFWU” on Dark Sky Paradise—a decision that proved to be highly rewarding. Upon release, “IDFWU” became one of Big Sean’s most successful songs, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and peaking at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.
“I almost didn’t put on the album because I thought it was just kind of like, Ithought it was just a little like a little like dumb,” he said. “You know what I mean? It’s a great song, but I thought it was just like yeah—and then that b#### dropped and I was like, ‘what the f###’.”
