DETROIT — The Detroit Lions announced today that their 82nd annual Thanksgiving Day Classic on November 25 against the Chicago Bears will feature a halftime performance by multi-platinum artist, philanthropist and entrepreneur Big Sean. Multi-Grammy award-winning singer, songwriter, actor and producer NE-YO will perform the national anthem.
Since releasing his debut mixtape with G.O.O.D. Music more than a decade ago, Detroit artist Big Sean has taken fans on a journey of personal growth one track at a time. Last year's Detroit 2 begins with a song called "Why Would I Stop?" a question that's driven him to 35 platinum and gold plaques. Upon its release, Detroit 2 became his third consecutive solo album to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and the Nipsey Hussle-featuring single, "Deep Reverence," earned a nomination for Best Rap Performance at the 2021 Grammys.
After popularizing the hashtag flow (see "Supa Dupa") and building buzz with mixtapes and memorable appearances in the G.O.O.D. Friday series, he dropped his debut album, Finally Famous (2011). The Nicki Minaj-assisted "Dance (A$$)" was certified four-times platinum, marking his arrival as a force on the Billboard Hot 100. In the intervening years, Sean was featured on G.O.O.D. Music's iconic Cruel Summer compilation ("Mercy," "Clique"), had guest spots on projects (Meek Mill's "Burn," Drake's "All Me," alongside 2 Chainz) and grew his songwriting with each release: 2013's Hall of Fame, 2015's Dark Sky Paradise, 2017's I Decided., and Detroit 2.
Most recently, Big Sean and longtime collaborator, Grammy award-winning producer Hit-Boy, released their new EP collaboration, "WHAT YOU EXPECT," available for purchase and to stream now.
NE-YO, who's single "What If" is available now, has sold a cumulative 20+ million adjusted albums worldwide. The Motown Records/Compound Entertainment recording artist has won three Grammys and been honored with a total of 14 nominations. His first single, 2005's "So Sick," hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified quadruple platinum. Since then, he has racked up a collection of hit singles – including "Sexy Love," "Closer," "Because of You," "Miss Independent" and "Push Back" featuring Bebe Rexha and Stefflon Don. Three of his albums have entered SoundScan's Top Current Albums chart at No. 1.
He has proven to be as powerful with his pen as he is in the recording studio and on stage. The Las Vegas native became known as a go-to hitmaker, penning bangers like Rihanna's "Unfaithful," "Russian Roulette" and "Take a Bow," along with Beyoncé's 2006 breakup anthem "Irreplaceable" and songs for such artists as Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Carrie Underwood, Celine Dion, among others. In addition to "World of Dance," NE-YO's film and television credits include "Save the Last Dance," "Battle: Los Angeles," "Stomp the Yard," George Lucas' "Red Tails," "Empire," "The Wiz Live!" and, now in his 3rd season debuting on Starz, "Step Up: High Water"
Tickets for the Thanksgiving Day Classic are still available at www.detroitlions.com/tickets. Fans who purchase tickets for the Thanksgiving Classic through the NFL Ticketing Network and attend the game will be eligible to receive a virtual commemorative ticket in the form of a non-fungible token (NFT). Eligible fans will receive an email after the game to access their NFT in a dedicated NFL marketplace powered by Ticketmaster.
