Vic Mensa has released his first solo project in about a year and a half with the release of V TAPE.
The Chicago native artist took to Instagram following the release of the project, saying, “The past 18 months have been humbling to say the least. I’ve had to learn to love myself again. I had to move back to Chicago. Most importantly, I had to realize that every human deserves empathy and recognition of their humanity.”
This project is a story of Mensa’s search for his raison d'être, as this project focuses on his recent struggles with self-love, depression, existence and more. V TAPE is an open book, and Mensa’s vulnerability shines through consistently.
In recent years, Mensa has had evident mental health crises and controversies, such as his diss toward the late XXXTentacion during his 2018 BET Hip-Hop Awards Cypher.
Mensa most recently addressed this controversy on the final song of V TAPE, “REBIRTH feat. BJ The Chicago Kid and Peter CottonTale.” On the track, he says, “Drowning in controversy, I made it my identity / I can be guilty of lackin' empathy / Tryna play the hero, it made me a public enemy / On point with my message but too blunt with my delivery / I should've learned not to mix award shows with Hennessy / Point a finger, that's three fingers back in your direction / Sometimes you gotta take a L or two to learn the lesson / I dissed a mother's dead son; I'm sorry Ms. Jackson / I take the heat, I gotta let it burn with my confessions.”
Mensa’s transparency is a common theme on V TAPE. Although the project features a lot of introspective cuts, the intro, “VENDETTA,” is a lyrically driven storytelling track where Mensa proves that he’s still an extremely talented lyricist. The next track, “MACHIAVELLI feat. Eryn Allen Kane,” is another laid-back track with clever bars and angelic background vocals over a grand instrumental.
Following the gritty “DIRT ON MY NAME,” Mensa proceeds to let his guard down. “2HONEST feat. SAINt JHN” is a beautiful, passionate track that features some of Mensa’s most sensitive lyrics yet. While audibly choking up, he says, “I find a notebook in my parents' crib from when I was 5 / I went inside, and said "I hate myself; I wanna die;" I cried / I couldn't even fathom a child feeling so lonely / So next time a n---- tell you 'bout Vic, say they don't know me / I need to be loved; I need to be loved / I needed the drugs 'cause I couldn't do it / I couldn't do it; I was goin' through it.”
The revealing lyrics on this track in tandem with SAINt JHN’s stunning vocals on the chorus make this one of the most heartbreaking yet moving tracks in Mensa’s discography.
“REBIRTH feat. BJ The Chicago Kid and Peter CottonTale” is not seen as an outro but more of an introduction to the new Vic Mensa, as he attempts to mature and develop into the man he wishes to become.
There is no doubt that Mensa’s struggles with mental health became concerning to himself and others, but V TAPE shows Mensa’s commitment to personal growth. He says it best at the end of the last verse of the album, “Now I got my personal all tangled on my mic cord / Could either break you or make you appreciate life more / It only differs in perspective; you witness my crucifixion / Welcome to my resurrection.”
Rating: 4 / 5
