Big Sean Almost Took A Shady Turn, "I Tried To Hook Up With..."

According to Sean, he was one rap battle victory away from winning a Shady Records deal.

"Before I met Kanye, I did a rap battle, I used to battle rap," Sean explained in an interview. "I was real popular. That's how I got a good relationship with this radio station that I met Kanye at, but anyway, they were doing this rap battle to where this prize was $10,000 and a single deal from like Shady Music, Eminem and all them. So DJ Whoo Kid came and everybody judged and I snuck in. I wasn't even old enough to participate in it, but I lied about my age. I got all the way to the final round and lost to some dude. But I really thought I won but the crowd was more on his side. So I lost but DJ Whoo Kid and them were like, 'We gonna keep in contact and we're gonna do this and this.' Obviously they didn't but then after I got on with Kanye, I met Whoo Kid again and you know, it was all good and Whoo Kid was like, 'Man, I remember that battle! I was trying to hook it up.' And I'm like, 'All right Whoo Kid.' But you know, Whoo Kid is my homie for life so it's all good but yeah, that actually did happen once. I tried to hook up with Shady [Records] but G.O.O.D. Music was the perfect fit. I couldn't be happier." (Deal With No Deal)

Earlier this year, Young Money's Cory Gunz talked about initially wanting to sign to Shady.

"I always had great admiration for Eminem, and growing up, any of my close friends knew that if I had a choice when I was younger I would always say that I would sign to Shady or Aftermath," Cory explained in an interview. "At the end of the day, I really didn't get a chance to get in front of Em and really let him hear any music or anything like that. But everything happens for a reason. I'm blessed to be here by choice of God. Honestly, I'm playing for one of the biggest teams. I'm like Lebron [James] right now and the Heat." (BET)