Is Vic Mensa Your New Favorite Rapper Yet?? Posted by Lucas G. on 07/18/13 | Filed under Videos, VIc Mensa

I really hope you like Vic Mensa--if not you better get used to him--because every time he drops something, I am going to talk about it. Yesterday the rising Savemoney emcee dropped another unique summer jam in “Hollywood LA” and included a distinctly Los Angeles video to boot. “Hollywood LA” is the third release from Vic after the out of the blue break-up of Kids These Days. Vic took a big risk leaving the buzzing group in pursuit of a solo career and his decision is really paying off. I loved Kids These Days and Vic is great as the frontman, but he really sounds much better solo. I always felt like Kids These Days’ nature, while dope, wasn’t really rapper friendly; it was more about a collective sound than an emcee with a live band. Now that he is own his own, you can really hear all he has to offer as an emcee. I was worried (and bummed) when Kids These Days broke up, but as long as Vic is releasing cuts like May’s “Orange Soda” and “Hollywood LA” I think I’ll be just fine.

I guess Vic has taken a trip out West because before the summer-playlist ready “Hollywood LA” Vic teamed up with Donnie Trumpet and cooked up “Pasadena”, which also has a similar summery West Coast vibe to it. A few things stand out to me on the smooth effort. First, Vic’s ability to “go in” (so to speak) on the beat yet still keep a laid-back vibe going is pretty damn impressive and I love the way each word crumbles into the next. Secondly, I love how he structures the song…with no structure. Vic alternates between a fluid flow and a sung style that serves as a cool 1-2 punch, but what is really special about it is the way he blends them. Most songs follow the verse-hook-verse structure, but “Hollywood LA” Doesn’t really have any structure. Vic raps for a majority of the cut, but he splices with little hooks and bridges that don’t really have any order to them. For some emcees this structure, or lack thereof, would not go over well, but with Mensa it is so natural and fluid and it really helps to give the song a unique edge. He weaves both styles so well, you really don’t notice the drastic change and the arrangement really hammers home the chill, lax vibe of the effort. I am not sure when his solo mixtape, INNANETTAPE, is set to drop, but considering “Orange Soda” and Hollywood LA” are made for summer, I’d have to imagine it will be out before season’s end.

P.S.- Totally forgot about this song, but just rediscovered it and remembered how much I love it. Check out "Whispers."

See Also:  Chance The Rapper, Vic Mensa & “Zion” Just Put Nico Segal on Your Radar
See Also:  Who Loves “Orange Soda”? Vic Mensa Steps Out on His Own