At last week’s #JusticeForFlint charity concert, Vic Mensa performs to to bring attention to the water crisis plaguing the citizens of the impoverished, largely African-American Michigan city.
There, Billboard sits down with him in a lengthy conversation. Vic opens up social injustice, his forthcoming debut album, Traffic, as well as what it’s meant to him to work alongside his idols like Jay Z and Kanye West.
Read excerpts below:
You’re no stranger to directly addressing social injustice in your music.
Since the first raps I ever wrote, I was always rapping about the things I saw. Just being from the South Side of Chicago, and being close to both privilege and severe under-privilege, that’s been the content of my music since I started making [it]. Being here today reminded me of when I was in high school. I was a sophomore in high school and there was a lot of budget cuts going on in Chicago as in Flint. It’s not our specific mission today but a lot of teachers and schools have also been cut in Flint. When all those teachers were cut in Chicago, it was f–ked up because they were a lot of the best teachers. They were cutting the teachers based on seniority so the old, senile teachers were the ones keeping the jobs. A lot of the dopest people and the ones really dedicating their lives to teaching and the most equipped ones to actually help the youth in the Chicago public schools were cut. We did a walk-out from school and walked from Whitney Young [high school] a couple miles downtown to City Hall. I had written some raps that morning in Spanish class. This reminded me of that.
What collaborators are you working with on new music? Any one in particular you’re especially psyched to be working with?
My main collaborator right now has been Papi Beatz, my longtime engineer. He’s been producing a lot of the records for Traffic. I’m producing a lot too. I’m trying to keep the album as much me as possible though. My innermost thoughts and most personal stories.
You signed with Jay Z’s Roc Nation last year and worked with Kanye West on “U Mad” and “Wolves.” How important is it to get affirmation from icons like those two?
It’s very dope. Jay Z has been my favorite rapper forever. Kanye likewise been one of my favorite artists of any kind forever so having their support is super appreciated. At the end of the day, I know, without anybody else’s confirmation and affirmation, what I’m doing is being done for a reason. I’m so appreciative of their support and blessed to have but at the end of it all, I know in my heart that I got my own confirmation.
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