High Rise is an awesome song by Big Sean. So awesome that my friend John and I listened to it many times while I was hanging at his house in Connecticut. And everything was fine and dandy, as we rapped along and killed Zombies in Left 4 Dead. But then, somehow, we started talking about the ironic line…and all hell broke loose…

Big Sean – High Rise (Produced by Don Cannon)
“Now isn’t it ironic
That I’m in a big bodied?
Paranoid,
‘Cause every rapper named ‘Big’ got bodied?”
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We argued for at least an hour about what irony is and the Big Sean line, until we finally decided to make it a blog post. So, this post, is meant to foster a discussion about irony, and what was ironic about Big Sean’s “High Rise” Line.
John believes that only the first part – “isn’t it ironic that I’m in a big bodied” – is relevant and ironic. He believes the irony is that Big Sean is a small body man, in a big body car – while the paranoia is just a wholenother line, and irrelevant to any irony.
However, I believe the entire statement is relevant and ironic, and the key irony is that his paranoia of being killed – because his name is Big Sean – stemmed from him being in a “big bodied car”.
John does not see the irony in that.
Now, now – rappers are prone to make typographical, grammatical, and all types of other literal mistakes in their works. And beyond that, irony is probably one of the most misused and misunderstood forms of literature amongst all writers, and conversationalists.
Therefore, this is not really a discussion about what Big Sean meant, but rather…what is correct. So read up on some definitions and explanations of irony, and then jump into the comment section and share what you think is ironic. But try to keep in mind what an English teacher would take from it. Knawmtawmbout?
Dictionary.com on Irony
Wikipedia on Irony
The Oatmeal on Irony
So what’s ironic?….boi
