Vic Mensa

Vic Mensa
Vic Mensa
	Mensa in 2017
Background information
Birth name	Victor Kwesi Mensah
Also known as	Vino
Born	June 6, 1993 (age 31); Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper; singer; songwriter; record producer;
Years active	2009–present
Labels	Roc Nation; Def Jam; Capitol; Closed Sessions; Virgin EMI;
Member of	93Punx; Savemoney;
Formerly of	Kids These Days;
Website	vicmensa.com
Signature

Victor Kwesi Mensah (born June 6, 1993), known professionally as Vic Mensa, is an American rapper.^[2] Born and raised in Chicago, he was a member of the regional hip hop groups Kids These Days and Savemoney prior to releasing his debut solo mixtape, Innanetape (2013). As a solo artist, Mensa has been signed to Virgin EMI Records, Def Jam Recordings, Capitol Records, and Roc Nation.

Mensa's 2014 debut single, "Down on My Luck" experimented with hip house, while his 2015 single, "U Mad" (featuring Kanye West) adopted a drill sound; the former entered the top 40 of the UK singles chart, while the latter received gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).^[3]^[4]^[5] His debut studio album, The Autobiography (2017), was met with critical praise and moderately entered the Billboard 200, while his second album, Victor (2023), failed to chart. Despite limited mainstream success himself, he has collaborated with high-profile artists including Kanye West, Jay-Z, Pharrell Williams, Pusha T, Wyclef Jean, and Skrillex, among others.^[6]

Mensa has been involved in political activism and charitable efforts in his hometown of Chicago, being heavily outspoken on the issue of gun violence. He also is the founder of the SavemoneySavelife foundation, whose mission is to use art and entertainment to foster sustainable change, and funds three programs in Chicago centered on health and the arts.^[7]^[8]

^ "Vic Mensa — 25 New Rappers to Watch Out For". Complex. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
^ Florez, Joey (July 27, 2016). "5 Influential Rappers That Broke The Mental Health Stigma". HuffPost.
^ "Listen: Vic Mensa – 'U Mad' (Feat. Kanye West)". April 13, 2015.
^ Ramirez, Erika (April 22, 2015). "Vic Mensa Signs to Roc Nation". Billboard. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
^ "Top Of The Year: The Deans List (Top 25 Artists of 2013)". January 15, 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
^ Greenburg, Zack O'Malley. "Hip-Hop's Future Moguls: Post Malone, Cardi B And The Class of 2018". Forbes. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
^ Mensa, Vic (July 18, 2018). "Vic Mensa: 'I Am a Gun Owner, and I Vehemently Support Gun Control'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
^ Holmes, Charles. "Vic Mensa Explains How Gun Violence Has Affected His Life In New Op-Ed". MTV News. Archived from the original on July 19, 2018. Retrieved August 25, 2020.

[complexvic-1] "Vic Mensa — 25 New Rappers to Watch Out For". Complex. Retrieved July 13, 2014.

[2] Florez, Joey (July 27, 2016). "5 Influential Rappers That Broke The Mental Health Stigma". HuffPost.

[3] "Listen: Vic Mensa – 'U Mad' (Feat. Kanye West)". April 13, 2015.

[4] Ramirez, Erika (April 22, 2015). "Vic Mensa Signs to Roc Nation". Billboard. Retrieved October 26, 2023.

[5] "Top Of The Year: The Deans List (Top 25 Artists of 2013)". January 15, 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2023.

[6] Greenburg, Zack O'Malley. "Hip-Hop's Future Moguls: Post Malone, Cardi B And The Class of 2018". Forbes. Retrieved October 26, 2023.

[7] Mensa, Vic (July 18, 2018). "Vic Mensa: 'I Am a Gun Owner, and I Vehemently Support Gun Control'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 25, 2020.

[8] Holmes, Charles. "Vic Mensa Explains How Gun Violence Has Affected His Life In New Op-Ed". MTV News. Archived from the original on July 19, 2018. Retrieved August 25, 2020.

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