Last year Vic Mensa dropped his mixed tape V Tape, a personalized set of tracks about adversity, lavish life, and race tensions in the United States. It didn’t take him long to get back in the studio, as he’s now released another EP that dropped earlier this year when everyone’s attention was elsewhere. I Tape is out now on streaming platforms and like his previous release, Vic Mensa is not letting his foot off the gas. The extended play is just under half an hour and sees Vic Mensa take a step forward with his music and his overall message.
I Tape is an indication that Mensa has more to say, naturally, with his own methodology.
Like before, Mensa brings the heat with his rhymes, storytelling, collaborations, and with his themes. Again he chooses places to get personal, detailing his own previous transgressions along with commenting on the current climate of marginalized communities in America. I Tape is an indication that Mensa has more to say, naturally, with his own methodology. He’s unapologetic with his point of view and unafraid to share his experiences with his audience. To assist him on his mission are artists Zacari, Jeremih, Eryn Allen Kane, Chance the Rapper and more. Everyone’s involvement makes the EP a solid experience, but Vic Mensa is certainly the star. He’s real, raw and rapping with authenticity in a way that separates him far away and above the mainstream hip hop community.
Real guitar, bass and percussion encompass a sizable portion of the EP, blaring in the back round of an artist who has put together lyrics with genuine, often uncomfortable content. References to minority struggles, coronavirus, incarceration, the U.S. government’s handling of the southern border, migrants, and using his voice for those he believes are without one. Moosa and Shelter are the tracks that carry the most weight. Between the two, Mensa tells of how he fought to free his friend from an unjust prison sentencing, the faults of the U.S. legal system and the wounds of racism that still plague people of color. Mensa and his collaborators pull no punches with how they feel about the current climate, but are able to convey their thoughts concisely though without regard of who they may make feel tense or uneasy about the topics. The whole EP is clearly designed to make people think about what’s going on in the country and it’s executed with an obvious intent to prevent people from averting their gaze from what is right in front of them.
Rap fans in general should find very little fault with I Tape, and open minded individuals may also lend their ear to what Mensa is trying to say. Everyone should understand that it’s not a happy album, and it’s not meant to be. The songs are deliberate with their purpose. Mensa’s obviously not only venting how he personally feels, but he’s also attempting to spread awareness about the wrongs he feels necessary for society to collectively right. Not everyone is going to agree either, but that shouldn’t mean turning a deaf ear on his message.
