Chicago rapper, actor, and activist Vic Mensa has shared the music video for “Victory,” from his latest project, I Tape. He delivers a steady flow of hard hitting punchlines over the SG & Just Blaze-produced track, while the visual takes us on a ride with scavenger hunt winners who recovered five exclusive I Tapes hidden throughout the city of Chicago.
“Victory is a return to form for me,” says Mensa. “Just pure lyricism and a foolish sample beat. The video was filmed in Chicago with a fleet of sport bikes in a lamon. We spent the whole day running from police.”
The seven-song project focuses on injustices, anguish, trauma and the overall Black struggle, topics that Vic doesn’t shy away from. He showcases his adept lyricism and skillset while pushing a bigger message. The “Victory” video follows “FR33DOM,” which made its network premiere on BET, and “Shelter,” a powerful collaboration with music heavyweights Chance The Rapper and Wyclef Jean that unpacks the tangled web of poverty and criminal justice. Vic performed both records on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert featuring imagery and symbolism that honed in on the songs’ urgent call for change.
Vic Mensa has been hard at work in the booth and out – spreading awareness of the unjust incarceration of Julius Jones, hosting a ‘Sleep Out Chicago’ event to raise money for the city’s homeless youth, plus initiatives he’s spearheaded through his nonprofit SAVEMONEYSAVELIFE, to landing an acting role on Showtime’s The Chi and more.
The I Tape garnered praise from Complex, Hypebeast, Uproxx, XXL and more. Vic also recently delivered an impressive 10 minute freestyle over DJ Premier’s “Nas Is Like” on LA Leakers (Power 106).
Back in February, Vic Mensa, Flea, and more appeared on a Vans live-stream channel called Channel 66. The service offered a variety of music and lifestyle-based content featuring guests and DJs including Flea, Mensa, Laura Jane Grace, Duckwrth, Japanese Breakfast, Channel Tres, Rosa Pistola, Serena Isioma, and Vans Pro skater Daniel Lutheran.