Big Sean collaborates with Jhené Aiko and Lil Wayne to speak on breakups and narrate a personal love/hate relationship story on “Beware.”

Produced by GOOD Music’s very own Mike Dean, “Beware” comes off Big Sean’s second studio album Hall of Fame, and it focuses entirely on how hurtful and dangerous relationships can be.

The song starts off with a hook by Sean and Jhené Aiko. His deeper vocals combined with Aiko’s high-pitched and soft voice was a perfect blending. This was mainly because their deliveries noticeably connected well together, which was successively displayed three years later on their collab EP Twenty88. Throughout his verses, Sean acts as if he’s not bothered at all by the breakup, and acts as if he’s glad that it happened. However, he displays his emotional self on the hook with Aiko.

When you said it was over, you shot right through my heart

[…]

You should beware, beware, beware of a woman with a broken heart

Big Sean’s verse came right after with an intriguing sequence of events of what happened during a certain turbulent period in his relationship. There were savoring moments, and other frustrating ones.

Saying fuck you, I miss you or I hate you so much

Cause girls only say “hate you” to the guys that they love

[…]

“I know, I know, I know

The highs, the lows it comes and goes

He also goes on to point out her flaws and underminingly some of his as he tries to justify his cheating endeavors with the verses “Cause you take anything and just make it everything […] And I never cheated (I mean, maybe once, twice) / One time don’t change everything”.

On his second verse, the topic of what happened during the relationship changes to him showing off his rich lifestyle with many other girls to take her spot. He also gives listeners a few verses of the aftermath of the breakup. Sean’s verses are from the perspective of his old girlfriend initially mad at him and then later finding someone else and moving on.

“How am I suppose to get past you?”

And she called the next guy spillin’ some real shit

Now they problems he got to deal with

Lil Wayne’s verse was a gem. He stayed on topic with the song’s general theme and spit some amusing verses that made the listen a lot better. In constrast to Sean telling the listener what happened, Wayne takes a different approach and makes his rhymes directed at his girl like a conversation (“Girl, don’t believe them hoes / cause they don’t wanna see us together”). Overall, his verses were hilarious, and they definitely added the missing comedic aspect to “Beware.”

She said it’s gonna be me, myself and I

Damn, that would make me a one eyed fuck

After the song ended, the listener could notice that without Jhené Aiko, the track would have sounded empty. Her vocals were not only perfect for the hook, but she also added the possibility that the song’s message is not only directed at women, but also at men.

For those coming off a hurtful breakup, or frustrated by a certain relationship, “Beware” is an essential listen.