"My Last" is the first single by American rapper Big Sean

Big Sean

Sean Michael Anderson , better known by his stage name Big Sean, is an American rapper. Big Sean signed with Kanye West's G.O.O.D...

 from his debut album Finally Famous. The song features singer Chris Brown. The song is produced by No I.D.

No I.D.

No I.D., officially known as Immenslope and also known as Ernest Wilson , is a hip hop and R&B record producer, also the vice-president of Def Jam Recordings, best known for his early work with Chicago rapper Common and is known as "The Godfather of Chicago hip hop".. The nickname No I.D...

.

Background

Originally, Sean performed both the verses and the chorus but after Brown turned up at one of Sean's shows, the pair connected and Brown suggested the two work together on a song which resulted in Brown singing the chorus. Brown has also done a freestyle

Freestyle rap

Freestyle rap commonly refers to rap lyrics which are improvised through a acapella or with instrumental beats, i.e. performed with no previously composed lyrics, or "off the top of the head"...

 over the track.

Production

The songs instrumental was described by Rap-Up

Rap-Up

Rap-Up is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the hip hop and R&B aspect of the music industry, and...

 as a "bouncy piano-laced beat".
DJBooth.net described the beat as "soft keyboard chords that transition well into the hook where a low bass and snare set the pace for Sean's first verse." Sean revealed he originally rejected the beat but gave it a chance after pressurings by the song's producer No I.D.

No I.D.

No I.D., officially known as Immenslope and also known as Ernest Wilson , is a hip hop and R&B record producer, also the vice-president of Def Jam Recordings, best known for his early work with Chicago rapper Common and is known as "The Godfather of Chicago hip hop".. The nickname No I.D...

. The song's melody is sampled from the 1988 New Edition

New Edition

New Edition is an R&B group formed in Boston in 1978. The group reached its height of popularity during the 1980s. They were the progenitors of the boy band movement of the 1980s and 1990s and led the way for groups like New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync...

 hit "Can You Stand the Rain

Can You Stand the Rain

"Can You Stand the Rain" is a ballad by R&B/Pop group New Edition. Released in 1988, it is the third single from their fifth studio album, Heart Break.-Overview:...

".

Music video

The music video was shot in West Hollywood, California

West Hollywood, California

West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood...

 on March 18, 2011. The music video is directed by TAJ Stansberry and features cameos by fellow GOOD Music

GOOD Music

GOOD Music is a record label and management firm founded by music producer and artist Kanye West. "GOOD" is an acronym for "Getting Out Our Dreams".-History:...

 artists Kid Cudi

Kid Cudi

Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi , better known by his stage name Kid Cudi , sometimes stylized KiD CuDi, is an American rapper, singer and actor. He first gained major attention after the release of his debut mixtape A Kid Named Cudi. In 2009, his single "Day 'n' Nite" reached the top five of the...

 and Teyana Taylor. It debuted on VEVO

Vevo

Vevo is a music video website. It is a joint venture among Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Abu Dhabi Media with EMI licensing its content to the group without taking an ownership stake. The service was launched officially on December 8, 2009...

 on March 24, 2011.

Critical reception

Critical reception of the song has been mostly positive with praise going to the chorus and Sean's verses. Chicago Now described the song as featuring a memorable chorus, memorable verses, and a universal theme prasing Big Sean's verses. DJBooth.net also prasied Sean's lyrical abilities.

Charts

Chart (2011)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100	30
US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...	4
US Billboard Rap Songs	1
US Billboard Pop Songs Mainstream Top 40 (Pop Songs) The Mainstream Top 40 is an airplay chart from Billboard magazine, and is also known as Pop Songs on billboard.com. It was often mistaken for and confused with the now discontinued Pop 100 Airplay chart...	40