A Collab Between Big Sean and Detroit Techno Legend Juan Atkins Is In the Works

It was exactly 20 years ago that Eminem famously proclaimed, “Nobody listens to techno,” but in 2022 the the worlds of hip-hop and electronic music are becoming more intertwined by the day.

The latest narrative comes straight out of Slim Shady’s hometown of Detroit. Joining a group of legendary techno artists at a recent red carpet event, chart-topping rapper and Detroit native Big Sean laid the groundwork for what could result in a groundbreaking collaboration with pioneering DJ and producer Juan Atkins. 

“I’ve got some ideas,” Sean told Atkins as they exchanged numbers, according to the Detroit Free Press. Having just finished the screening of God Said Give ‘Em Drum Machines, a documentary exploring techno’s earliest innovators out of Motor City, he was left feeling inspired.

“I’m just happy these superheroes are getting their just due and the attention they deserve,” Big Sean elaborated during his onstage remarks. “Because [techno] has influenced the whole world.”

“I’ve been looking for the right rapper for a project forever,” added Atkins, who is prevalently credited as one of the principal founders of techno. The producer and Metroplex label head kickstarted his career in the 1980s and thrived as both a solo artist as well as a member of the famed trio, The Belleville Three, alongside Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson.

“I’m just happy these superheroes are getting their just due and the attention they deserve,” Big Sean elaborated during his on-stage remarks. “Because [techno] has influenced the whole world.”