Big Sean Receives the Key to Detroit

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan honored Big Sean for his work with the city's school children.

April 2, 2017

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Complex Original

The City of Detroit has nothing but love for Big Sean.

On Saturday afternoon, Mayor Mike Duggan presented the 29-year-old rapper with the key to the city, making Sean the youngest person to every receive the honor. CBS-affiliate WWJ reports Sean was granted the key for his Mogul Prep initiative, which introduced Detroit students to specialized curriculum while also promoting higher education.

While speaking to a crowd that included about 100 kids, Mayor Duggan emphasized the significance of the rare honor.

“It’s only given out to our most special citizens so they know that they’re always in the heart of Detroit,” he said. “Since I’ve been mayor, I’ve given out two of these. The first was to Berry Gordy when they bought Motown: The Musical here. The second, I gave out to Stevie Wonder, when we renamed the street he grew up [...] And now we’re going to give out the third […] Sean this is your reminder that every time you leave Detroit, you can always bounce back.”

Sean and his mother, Myra Anderson, launched the Mogul Prep pilot in 2015. It aimed to teach children about the wide range of entertainment industry jobs, while also providing skills that can be utilized in any field.

Sean hosted the first workshop for Mogul Prep on Saturday at Detroit’s Fox Theater, hours before his concert. He’s expected to conduct three more workshops in Maryland, Atlanta, and Miami later this month.

The "Bounce Back" rapper has also raised about $100,000 to support those who were affected by the Flint, Michigan, water crisis. During an appearance on The Daily Show With Trevor Noah, Sean revealed his mother had been affected by lead poisoning, but was treated with holistic remedies.